Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 106439 

and recommends research and 

monitoring needs. The product of the 

Review Workshop is an Assessment 

Summary documenting panel opinions 

regarding the strengths and weaknesses 

of the stock assessment and input data. 

Participants for SEDAR Workshops are 

appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South 

Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery 

Management Councils and NOAA 

Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 

HMS Management Division, and 

Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 

Participants include data collectors and 

database managers; stock assessment 

scientists, biologists, and researchers; 

constituency representatives including 

fishermen, environmentalists, and 

NGO’s; International experts; and staff 

of Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

The items of discussion during the 

Post-Data Workshop webinar are as 

follows: 

Participants will review additional 

information and data analysis on 

outstanding data issues and make final 

recommendations. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Action will 

be restricted to those issues specifically 

identified in this notice and any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

that require emergency action under 

section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the intent to take final action 

to address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to the 

Council office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

business days prior to each workshop. 

Note: The times and sequence 

specified in this agenda are subject to 

change. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: December 20, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31038 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE556] 

Notice of Availability of Draft 

Environmental Assessment on the 

Effects of NOAA’s National Marine 

Fisheries Service, Office of Protected 

Resources Coordination and 

Continued Operation of the Sea Turtle 

Stranding and Salvage Network 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; availability of a draft 

environmental assessment; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 

availability of the draft Environmental 

Assessment (EA) on NMFS Office of 

Protected Resources’ (OPR) role 

coordinating the Sea Turtle Stranding 

and Salvage Network (STSSN). The 

STSSN responds to and documents sick, 

injured, and dead sea turtles that are 

found in coastal areas under U.S. 

jurisdiction along the Atlantic Ocean 

and Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean 

Territories. Although the STSSN has 

been in operation for several decades, 

the National Coordination role formally 

shifted to the OPR in 2022, which 

prompted an evaluation of STSSN 

operations and development of a formal 

Operating Procedures Handbook, which 

are subject to National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) review. NMFS is 

requesting comments on the draft EA. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received (see ADDRESSES) on or before 

January 29, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: The EA is available for 

download and review at https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-life-distress/sea-turtle-strandingand-salvage-network under the section 

heading Sea Turtle Stranding and 

Salvage Network Operations. The draft 

EA is also available upon written 

request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). 

You may submit comments on this 

document, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 

2024–0148, by the following method: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and enter 

NOAA–NMFS–2024–0148 in the Search 

box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on https://www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ 

A’’ in the required fields if you wish to 

remain anonymous). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara 

Wissmann, NMFS, Office of Protected 

Resources at sara.wissmann@noaa.gov, 

301–427–8402; Wendy Piniak, NMFS, 

Office of Protected Resources at 

wendy.piniak@noaa.gov, 301–427–8402. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Publication of this notice begins the 

official public comment period for this 

draft EA. Per the NEPA, the purpose of 

the draft EA is to evaluate the potential 

direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts 

caused by continued operation of the 

STSSN under the coordination of the 

NMFS, OPR using the 2024 STSSN 

Operating Procedures Handbook. 

Section 9 of the Endangered Species 

Act (ESA) and Federal regulations 

prohibit the ‘taking’ of a species listed 

as endangered or threatened. The ESA 

defines ‘‘take’’ to mean harass, harm, 

pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, 

capture, or collect, or to attempt to 

engage in any such conduct. Section 4(f) 

of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531–1544) 

provides for the creation of Recovery 

Plans for endangered and threatened 

species and provides NMFS and US 

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with 

authority ‘‘to procure the services of 

appropriate public and private agencies 

and institutions and other qualified 

persons’’ in order to implement those 

plans. To advance the conservation and 

recovery of listed sea turtles, each 

recovery plan developed jointly by the 

NMFS and USFWS identifies and 

highlights the need to maintain an 

active stranding network. 

Species Covered in This Notice 

The following species are included in 

the EA: North Atlantic and South 

Atlantic Distinct Population Segments 

of green (Chelonia mydas), Kemp’s 

ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill 

(Eretmochelys imbricata), leatherback 

(Dermochelys coriacea), and Northwest 

Atlantic Ocean DPS of loggerhead 

(Caretta caretta) sea turtles. 

Background 

The draft EA analyzes the continued 

operation of the STSSN under the 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
106440 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 

coordination of NMFS OPR. NMFS has 

conducted an environmental review of 

OPR’s coordination role related to the 

STSSN and the formalization of their 

program protocols and roles described 

in the Draft 2024 STSSN Operating 

Procedures Handbook. 

The STSSN is a cooperative effort to 

reduce causes of morbidity and 

mortality in sea turtles by responding to 

and documenting sea turtles, found 

either dead or alive (but compromised), 

in a manner sufficient to inform 

conservation management and recovery. 

The proposed activities considered in 

the draft EA are limited to the 

coordination role that OPR holds, 

activities NMFS staff will conduct in the 

field related to stranding coordination, 

response, and mortality investigation, 

and direct takes of sea turtles while 

responding to stranding incidents that 

have occurred because of human 

activity or natural causes of illness, 

injury, or mortality. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

This notice is provided pursuant to 

section 10(c) of the ESA and the NEPA 

(42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.). This draft EA 

was prepared in accordance with NEPA 

(42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) and NOAA 

policy and procedures (NOAA 

Administrative Order [NAO] 216–6A 

and the Companion Manual [CM] for the 

NAO 216–6A). 

Alternatives Considered 

NMFS’ proposed action is the 

continued coordination of the STSSN by 

NMFS OPR and the review of program 

protocols and best practices, which have 

been consolidated and updated in the 

Draft 2024 STSSN Operating Procedures 

Handbook. In preparing the draft EA, 

NMFS considered the following two 

alternatives for the proposed action. 

Alternative 1: No Action. In 

accordance with the NOAA CM for 

NAO 216–6A, section 6.B.i, Under the 

No Action Alternative, NMFS OPR 

would absolve its role coordinating the 

STSSN. Under this alternative, the 

STSSN would continue to operate as 

prescribed in the species Recovery 

Plans, but only under existing state 

programs that are permitted through the 

USFWS permit authority, or through 

direct permits to stranding response 

organizations and rehabilitation 

facilities. Stranding response activities 

would be maintained, but without 

NMFS OPR involvement. The Council 

on Environmental Quality Regulations 

and the CM for NAO 216–6A require 

consideration and analysis of a no 

action alternative for the purposes of 

presenting a comparative analysis to the 

action alternatives. The no action 

alternative, serves as a baseline against 

which the impacts of the action 

alternatives will be compared and 

contrasted. 

Alternative 2: Continued Operation of 

the STSSN under NMFS Coordination, 

Guided by the Draft 2024 STSSN 

Operating Procedures Handbook. Under 

Alternative 2, NMFS OPR would 

continue to coordinate the STSSN and 

would finalize the Draft 2024 STSSN 

Operating Procedures Handbook as a 

guide for the continued operation of the 

STSSN. The STSSN has been in 

operation for decades, and the 

Operating Procedures seeks to 

consolidate various guidance 

documents and clearly outline the roles 

and responsibilities of STSSN 

participants. 

Final determinations will not be 

completed until after the end of the 30- 

day comment period and NMFS will 

fully consider all public comments 

received during the comment period. If 

finalized and adopted, NMFS will 

publish the Final STSSN Operating 

Procedures Handbook to its website. 

Dated: December 20, 2024. 

Caroline Good, 

Acting Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle 

Conservation Division, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31126 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE568] 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of hybrid meeting. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) Crab 

Plan Team will meet January 14, 2025 

to January 15, 2025. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025, through 

Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 9 

a.m. to 5 p.m., AK time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be a 

hybrid meeting. Attend in-person at the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council office, 1007 West Third Ave., 

Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 99501, or join 

the meeting online through the link at 

https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/ 

Details/3072. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 1007 

West Third Ave., Suite 400, Anchorage, 

AK 99501–2252; telephone: (907) 271– 

2809. Instructions for attending the 

meeting via video conference are given 

under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, 

below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Anita Kroska, Council staff; phone: 

(907) 271–2809; email: anita.kroska@

noaa.gov. For technical support, please 

contact our admin Council staff, email: 

npfmc.admin@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Through 

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 

The agenda will include (a) tools for 

constructing model-based indices of 

survey data, (b) GMACS coding updates, 

stock assessment model developments, 

simulations, and (c) other business. The 

agenda is subject to change, and the 

latest version will be posted at https:// 

meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/ 

3072. prior to the meeting, along with 

meeting materials. 

Connection Information 

You can attend the meeting online 

using a computer, tablet, or smart 

phone, or by phone only. Connection 

information will be posted online at: 

https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/ 

Details/3072. 

Public Comment 

Public comment letters will be 

accepted and should be submitted 

electronically to https://meetings.

npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3072. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: December 20, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31232 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE569] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1