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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7080-7081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01381]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE382]

Nominations for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 
Commission Permanent Advisory Committee

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting nominations (which may include self-
nominations) to the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the 
Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) as established under the Western and 
Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (WCPFC) Implementation Act (Act). 
The PAC, composed of individuals from groups concerned with the 
fisheries covered by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 
Convention (Convention), provides recommendations to the U.S. 
Commissioners to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission 
(Commission) regarding the deliberations and decisions of the 
Commission.

DATES: Nominations must be received by March 24, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Nominations, including a letter of interest and a resume or 
curriculum vitae, should be sent via email to Katrina Poremba at 
[email protected]. Include in the subject line the nomination 
for a position as an Advisory Committee member.
    The following information should be included in the nomination 
documents: (1) full name, address, telephone, and email address of 
nominee; (2) nominee's organization(s) or professional affiliation(s) 
serving as the basis for the nomination, if any; and (3) a background 
statement, not to exceed one page in length, describing the nominee's 
qualifications, experience and interests, specifically as related to 
the fisheries covered by the Convention.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katrina Poremba, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Regional Office; 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818; email: 
[email protected]; phone: (808) 725-5096.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Convention and the Commission

    The objective of the Convention is to ensure, through effective 
management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly 
migratory fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean in 
accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 
10 December 1982 (UNCLOS) and the Agreement for the Implementation of 
the Provisions of the UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and 
Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. 
The Convention establishes the Commission, the secretariat of which is 
based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.
    The Convention applies to all highly migratory fish stocks (defined 
as all fish stocks of the species listed in Annex I of the UNCLOS 
occurring in the Convention Area, and such other species of fish as the 
Commission may determine), except sauries.
    The United States actively supported the negotiations and the 
development of the Convention and signed the Convention when it was 
opened for signature in 2000. It participated as a cooperating non-
member of the Commission since it became operational in 2005. The 
United States became a Contracting Party to the Convention and a full 
member of the Commission when it ratified the Convention in January 
2007. Under the Act, the United States is to be represented on the 
Commission by five U.S. Commissioners, appointed by the President.

Permanent Advisory Committee

    The Act provides in section 6902(d) that the Secretary of Commerce, 
in consultation with the U.S. Commissioners to the Commission, will 
appoint individuals as members of the advisory committee established 
under the Act, referred to here as the PAC.
    The appointed members of the Permanent Advisory Committee are to 
include not less than 15 nor more than 20 individuals selected from the 
various groups concerned with the fisheries covered by the Convention, 
providing, to the extent practicable, an equitable balance among such 
groups. On behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, NMFS is now seeking 
nominations for these appointments.
    In addition to the 15-20 appointed members, the Permanent Advisory 
Committee includes the chair of the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council's Advisory Committee (or designee), and officials of the 
fisheries management authorities of American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (or their designees).
    Members of the Permanent Advisory Committee will be invited to 
attend all non-executive meetings of the U.S. Commissioners to the 
Commission and at such meetings will be given the opportunity to 
examine and be heard on all proposed programs of investigation, 
reports, recommendations, and regulations of the Commission. Members of 
the Permanent Advisory Committee are also invited to participate in 
meetings of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, as 
members of the United States' delegation.
    Each appointed member of the Permanent Advisory Committee will 
serve for a term of 2 years and is eligible for reappointment. This 
request for nominations is for the term to begin on August 3, 2025, and 
is for a term of 2 consecutive years.
    All members of the Advisory Committee are appointed in their 
individual professional capacity and undergo a background screening. 
Any individual appointed to the Committee who is unable to attend all 
or part of an Advisory Committee meeting may not appoint another person 
to attend such meetings as their proxy. Nominees should be able to 
fulfill the time and travel commitments required to participate in the 
Committee's meeting(s). The meetings are normally 2 to 3 days long and 
can be held virtually or in Honolulu, Hawaii.

[[Page 7081]]

    The Secretaries of Commerce and State will furnish the Permanent 
Advisory Committee with relevant information concerning fisheries and 
international fishery agreements.
    NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, will provide to the 
Permanent Advisory Committee administrative and technical support 
services as are necessary for its effective functioning.
    Appointed members of the Permanent Advisory Committee will serve 
without pay, but while away from their homes or regular places of 
business in the performance of services for the advisory committee will 
be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 
in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government 
service are allowed expenses under 5 U.S.C. 5703. They will not be 
considered Federal employees while performing service as members of the 
advisory committee except for the purposes of injury compensation or 
tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 
171 of title 28.

Procedure for Submitting Nominations

    Nominations for the Permanent Advisory Committee should be 
submitted to NMFS (see ADDRESSES). This request for nominations is for 
first-time nominees as well as previous and current Permanent Advisory 
Committee members. Self-nominations are acceptable. Nominations should 
include a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae that 
covers the following information: (1) full name, address, telephone, 
and email address of nominee; (2) nominee's organization(s) or 
professional affiliation(s) serving as the basis for the nomination, if 
any; and (3) a background statement, not to exceed one page in length, 
describing the nominee's qualifications, experience and interests, 
specifically as related to the fisheries covered by the Convention.
    NMFS encourages nominations of diverse people including women and 
individuals from underserved communities that meet the knowledge, 
experience, and other requirements of the positions described in this 
notice. See Executive Order (E.O.) 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and 
Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government) 
section 2 (defining ``underserved communities'' as ``populations 
sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, 
that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate 
in aspects of economic, social, and civic life,'' ``such as Black, 
Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious 
minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) 
persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; 
and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or 
inequality.''). E.O. 13985 is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6902.

    Dated: January 15, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-01381 Filed 1-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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