34724 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 30, 2021 / Notices 

to 200 wenchman snapper) would be 

retained under the EFP. Additionally, 

each year, a maximum of 350 of the 

incidental species (up to 100 vermilion 

snapper; up to 100 red hind; up to 100 

black, red, tiger, and yellowfin grouper, 

combined; and up to 50 misty and 

yellowedge grouper, combined) would 

be retained. If the incidental deep-water 

reef fish species are caught during the 

applicable seasonal and area closures, 

they would be possessed onboard the 

vessel only for the purpose of taking 

length measurements and tissue 

samples (fin clips or muscle plugs) prior 

to being returned to the water. 

Length measurements would be 

recorded for all species caught except 

for any species for which harvest is 

prohibited under Federal law (i.e., 

goliath and Nassau groupers, and 

midnight, rainbow, and blue 

parrotfishes). These prohibited species 

would be returned immediately to the 

water with a minimum of harm. For the 

targeted species, the gonads, eyes, fin or 

muscle tissues, and otoliths would be 

removed for histological and ageing 

analyses conducted by NMFS and the 

contracted observers, Puerto Rico’s 

Department of Natural and 

Environmental Resources, and the 

University of South Carolina. 

In order to minimize the negative 

biological effects of bringing these deepwater species to the surface, the 

commercial fishing vessel would have 

venting tools onboard to properly vent 

fish being released back in the water to 

facilitate their return to depth. 

Under the EFP, the applicant would 

be allowed to fish for and possess deepwater reef fish species in or from the 

Bajo de Sico closed area during the 

October 1 through March 31 closure 

period (50 CFR 622.435(a)(2)(iv)). A 

maximum of 25 fishing trips would 

occur per year in the Bajo de Sico area, 

50 total during the project. Of those 50 

trips, it is estimated that 25 trips would 

occur during the seasonal closure in the 

Bajo de Sico area. In addition, the 

applicant would be allowed to fish for 

and possess the deep-water reef fish 

species during species-specific seasonal 

closures: Black, red, tiger, yellowfin, 

and yellowedge grouper during the 

February 1 through April 30 seasonal 

closure (50 CFR 622.435(a)(1)(i)); red 

hind during the December 1 through the 

last day of February seasonal closure 

from the EEZ west of 67°10′ W longitude 

(50 CFR 622.435(a)(1)(ii)); and black, 

blackfin, silk, and vermilion snappers 

during the October 1 through December 

31 seasonal closure (50 CFR 

622.435(a)(1)(iii)). The applicant would 

also be exempt from certain recreational 

bag limit regulations at 50 CFR 

622.437(b)(1), though the EFP would 

specify retention limits. Specifically, the 

applicant would be limited to 30 

groupers and snappers, combined, per 

person per day or, if 2 or more persons 

are aboard, 60 groupers and snappers, 

combined, per vessel per day. The 

parrotfish recreational bag limit of 2 

parrotfish per person per day or, if 3 or 

more persons are aboard, 6 parrotfish 

per vessel per day would still apply. 

The applicant intends to retain 

samples of the targeted species caught 

during the seasonal or area closures. 

After samples are taken from the 

targeted species, the remainder of the 

fish caught during a seasonal or area 

closure would be given to the contracted 

commercial fishermen for personal use 

and consumption. For incidental 

species, the EFP would allow the 

applicant to possess the species during 

the applicable seasonal and area 

closures for sufficient time to record 

length measurements and to collect 

tissue samples. If the targeted or 

incidental species are caught outside the 

closed seasons and closed areas, the 

commercial fishermen may retain them, 

consistent with applicable law. 

NMFS finds this application warrants 

further consideration based on a 

preliminary review. Possible conditions 

the agency may impose on this permit, 

if it is granted, include but are not 

limited to, a prohibition on conducting 

sampling activities within marine 

protected areas, marine sanctuaries, or 

special management zones, without 

additional authorization, and requiring 

compliance with best practices in the 

event of interactions with any protected 

species. NMFS may also require annual 

reports summarizing the amount of reef 

fish species harvested during the 

seasonal and area closures, as well as 

during the period of effectiveness of any 

issued EFP. Additionally, NMFS would 

require any sea turtles taken 

incidentally during the course of the 

activities to be handled with due care to 

prevent injury to live specimens, 

observed for activity, and returned to 

the water. 

A final decision on issuance of the 

EFP will depend on NMFS’ review of 

public comments received on the 

application, consultations with the 

affected state(s), the Caribbean Fishery 

Management Council, and the U.S. 

Coast Guard, and a determination that it 

is consistent with all applicable law. 

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

Dated: June 24, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13908 Filed 6–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB116] 

Taking and Importing of Marine 

Mammals 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; affirmative finding 

annual renewals for Colombia, Ecuador, 

El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, 

and Spain. 

SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant 

Administrator (Assistant Administrator) 

has completed an affirmative finding 

annual renewal for the Governments of 

Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, 

Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain. 

(referred to hereafter as ‘‘The Nations’’) 

under the Marine Mammal Protection 

Act (MMPA). These affirmative findings 

will continue to allow the importation 

into the United States of yellowfin tuna 

and yellowfin tuna products harvested 

in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean 

(ETP) for 1 year in compliance with the 

Agreement on the International Dolphin 

Conservation Program (AIDCP) by purse 

seine vessels operating under The 

Nations’ jurisdiction or exported from 

The Nations. NMFS bases the 

affirmative finding annual renewals on 

reviews of documentary evidence 

submitted by the Governments of The 

Nations and of information obtained 

from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna 

Commission (IATTC). 

DATES: These affirmative finding annual 

renewals are effective for the 1-year 

period of April 1, 2021, through March 

31, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Justin Greenman, West Coast Region, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 

W Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802, (562) 980–3264, 

justin.greenman@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., allows 

for importation into the United States of 

yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine 

vessels in the ETP from a nation with 

jurisdiction over purse seine vessels 

with carrying capacity greater than 400 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 30, 2021 / Notices 34725 

short tons that harvest tuna in the ETP 

only if the nation has an ‘‘affirmative 

finding’’ issued by the NMFS Assistant 

Administrator. See Section 101(a)(2)(B) 

of the MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B); 

see also 50 CFR 216.24(f)(6)(i). If 

requested by the government of such a 

nation, the Assistant Administrator will 

determine whether to make an 

affirmative finding based upon 

documentary evidence provided by the 

government, the IATTC, or the 

Department of State. 

The affirmative finding process 

requires that the harvesting nation is 

meeting its obligations under the AIDCP 

and its obligations of membership in the 

IATTC. Every 5 years, the government of 

the harvesting nation must request a 

new affirmative finding and submit the 

required documentary evidence directly 

to the Assistant Administrator. On an 

annual basis, NMFS must determine 

whether the harvesting nation continues 

to meet the requirements of their 5-year 

affirmative finding. NMFS does this by 

reviewing the documentary evidence 

from the last year. A nation may provide 

information related to compliance with 

AIDCP and IATTC measures directly to 

NMFS on an annual basis or may 

authorize the IATTC to release the 

information to NMFS to annually renew 

an affirmative finding determination 

without an application from the 

harvesting nation. 

An affirmative finding will be 

terminated, in consultation with the 

Secretary of State, if the Assistant 

Administrator determines that the 

requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f) are no 

longer being met or that a nation is 

consistently failing to take enforcement 

actions on violations, thereby 

diminishing the effectiveness of the 

AIDCP. 

As a part of the affirmative finding 

process set forth in 50 CFR 216.24(f)(8), 

for this annual renewal, the Assistant 

Administrator considered documentary 

evidence submitted by the Governments 

of The Nations and obtained from the 

IATTC and has determined that The 

Nations have met the MMPA’s 

requirements to receive affirmative 

finding annual renewals. 

After consultation with the 

Department of State, the Assistant 

Administrator issued affirmative finding 

annual renewals to The Nations, 

allowing the continued importation into 

the United States of yellowfin tuna and 

products derived from yellowfin tuna 

harvested in the ETP by purse seine 

vessels operating under The Nations’ 

jurisdiction or exported from The 

Nations. Issuance of affirmative finding 

annual renewals for The Nations does 

not affect implementation of an 

intermediary nation embargo under 50 

CFR 216.24(f)(9), which applies to 

exports from a nation that exports to the 

United States yellowfin tuna or 

yellowfin tuna products that was subject 

to a ban on importation into the United 

States under section 101(a)(2)(B) of the 

MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B). 

These affirmative finding annual 

renewals for The Nations are for the 1- 

year period of April 1, 2021, through 

March 31, 2022. The Nations’ individual 

5-year affirmative findings, which have 

varying start and end dates, remain 

valid. Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and 

Spain’s 5-year affirmative findings will 

remain valid through March 31, 2025. 

Colombia’s 5-year affirmative finding 

will remain valid through March 31, 

2024, El Salvador’s 5-year affirmative 

finding will remain valid through March 

31, 2023, and Peru’s 5-year affirmative 

finding will remain valid through March 

31, 2022, subject to subsequent annual 

reviews by NMFS. 

Dated: June 24, 2021. 

Paul N. Doremus, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Operations, National Marine Fisheries 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13948 Filed 6–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB192] 

Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 74 Stock 

Identification (ID) Webinar III for Gulf of 

Mexico Red Snapper. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR 74 assessment of 

Gulf of Mexico red snapper will consist 

of a Data workshop, a series of 

assessment webinars, and a Review 

workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

DATES: The SEDAR 74 Stock ID Webinar 

III will be held from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. 

Eastern, on July 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. The webinar is open to 

members of the public. Those interested 

in participating should contact Julie A. 

Neer at SEDAR (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) to request an 

invitation providing webinar access 

information. Please request webinar 

invitations at least 24 hours in advance 

of each webinar. 

SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place 

Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 

29405. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; (843) 571– 

4366; email: Julie.neer@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf 

of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 

Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf 

States Marine Fisheries Commissions 

have implemented the Southeast Data, 

Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 

process, a multi-step method for 

determining the status of fish stocks in 

the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multistep process including: (1) Data 

Workshop; (2) Assessment Process 

utilizing webinars; and (3) Review 

Workshop. The product of the Data 

Workshop is a data report that compiles 

and evaluates potential datasets and 

recommends which datasets are 

appropriate for assessment analyses. 

The product of the Assessment Process 

is a stock assessment report that 

describes the fisheries, evaluates the 

status of the stock, estimates biological 

benchmarks, projects future population 

conditions, and recommends research 

and monitoring needs. The assessment 

is independently peer reviewed at the 

Review Workshop. The product of the 

Review Workshop is a 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 in the Stock 

ID Webinars are as follows: 

• Participants will use review genetic 

studies, growth patterns, existing stock 

definitions, prior SEDAR stock ID 

recommendations, and any other 

relevant information on red snapper 

stock structure. 

• Participants will make 

recommendations on biological stock 

structure and define the unit stock or 


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