Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 144 / Friday, July 30, 2021 / Notices 41021 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 

Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has 

made a preliminary determination that 

an Exempted Fishing Permit application 

from the Commercial Fisheries Research 

Foundation contains all of the required 

information and warrants further 

consideration. Regulations under the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

require publication of this notification 

to provide interested parties the 

opportunity to comment on applications 

for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before August 16, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 

comments by the following method: 

• Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. 

Include in the subject line ‘‘Commercial 

Fisheries Research Foundation N-Viro 

Dredge EFP.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management 

Specialist, shannah.jaburek@noaa.gov, 

(978) 281–9135. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Commercial Fisheries Research 

Foundation (CFRF) submitted a 

complete application for an Exempted 

Fishing Permit (EFP) to conduct 

commercial fishing activities that the 

Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery 

Management Plan regulations would 

otherwise restrict. This EFP would 

exempt the participating vessels from: 

Observer program requirements at 50 

CFR 648.11; days-at-sea (DAS) 

requirements at § 648.53; crew size 

restrictions at § 648.51(c); scallop 

fishing restrictions in Closed Area II— 

East at § 648.59(b)(2) and (g)(1); scallop 

trawl and dredge gear restrictions at 

§ 648.51; and minimum size and 

possession restrictions for onboard 

sampling and scallop transplanting in 

§ 648 subparts B and D through O. 

The project was funded as part of the 

2021 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research SetAside (RSA) Program, and is the second 

phase of a project funded by the 2019 

Scallop RSA Program. This project 

would compare scallop catch rates, 

bycatch rates, and fuel savings from new 

designs of the N-Viro dredge to the 

standard New Bedford style dredge, as 

well as the version of the N-Viro dredge 

used in the 2019 study. 

Experimental fishing will take place 

on four limited access general category 

(LAGC) vessels and one limited access 

(LA) scallop vessel. The LAGC vessels 

will target a total of 90 60-minute tows 

using the N-Viro dredge in Statistical 

Areas 537, 539, and 611 over 

approximately 12 days of fishing. The 

LA vessel will conduct one, 6-day trip 

in Closed Area II—East. This area has a 

large population of small scallops and 

would allow for testing the effects of the 

N-Viro dredge on small scallop bycatch. 

The LA vessel will conduct 90 paired 

tows using the N-Viro dredge and a 

standard New Bedford dredge. Fortyfive tows will be at the optimal speed 

for the N-Viro dredge, and 45 tows at 

the optimal speed for the New Bedford 

dredge. 

The N-Viro dredge design will vary 

slightly between the LAGC and LA 

vessels participating in the project. For 

the LAGC vessels, the dredge will 

consist of a tow bar with four small 

dredges attached, while the LA vessel 

will use six small dredges attached to a 

tow bar. CFRF may test several 

modifications to the small dredge on the 

LAGC, including: (1) Increasing the 

number of tines on each frame from 9 

to 12; (2) adding a pressure plate to the 

frame opening; (3) substituting a cutting 

bar in place of the adjustable tine bar on 

the dredge frames; (4) changing the 

twine top hang ration and attachment 

points; (5) moving a set of float cans to 

the front of the bag; (6) removing chain 

links between tow bar and individual 

frames to change frame tow angles; and 

(7) adding rubber chafing gear. Two of 

the small dredges will be standard. 

Results from the LAGC portion of the 

research will inform the design of the 

dredge used on the LA vessel. 

Researchers from CFRF would 

accompany each trip taken under the 

EFP and direct all sampling activities. 

On all vessels, catch will be sorted into 

baskets after each tow. On LAGC 

vessels, catch from the standard and 

modified N-Viro dredges will be kept 

separate. On the LA vessel, catch from 

the N-Viro dredge and New Bedford 

dredge will be kept separate. The total 

number and weight of scallops and 

rocks will be recorded. Sub-legal 

scallops will then be separated from 

legal scallops, and both categories will 

be counted and weighed. A random 

subsample of each will be measured. All 

incidental catch will identified to the 

species level, and will be counted, 

weighed, and measured. 

On the LAGC trips, scallop catch 

would be kept for sale in accordance 

with current regulations. On the LA 

trips, catch would not be landed for sale 

unless the vessel has used 2021 Scallop 

RSA quota. 

If approved, the applicant may 

request minor modifications and 

extensions to the EFP throughout the 

year. EFP modifications and extensions 

may be granted without further notice if 

they are deemed essential to facilitate 

completion of the proposed research 

and have minimal impacts that do not 

change the scope or impact of the 

initially approved EFP request. Any 

fishing activity conducted outside the 

scope of the exempted fishing activity 

would be prohibited. 

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

Dated: July 27, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16292 Filed 7–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Tornado Watch/Warning 

Post-Event Evaluation 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit the following information 

collection request to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and clearance in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995, on or after the date of publication 

of this notice. We invite the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

comment on proposed, and continuing 

information collections, which helps us 

assess the impact of our information 

collection requirements and minimize 

the public’s reporting burden. Public 

comments were previously requested 

via the Federal Register on January 15, 

2021, (86 FR 3998) during a 60-day 

comment period. This notice allows for 

an additional 30 days for public 

comments. 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

Title: Tornado Watch/Warning Post 

Event Evaluation. 

OMB Control Number: 0648–XXXX. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Request: Regular (New 

information collection). 

Number of Respondents: 1,500. 

Average Hours per Response: 0.1hrs. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 150. 

Needs and Uses: This is a request for 

a new collection of information. 

Each year over 1000 tornadoes affect 

communities across the United States, 

yet very little is known about how 

individuals receive, interpret, and 

respond to information from NOAA 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
41022 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 144 / Friday, July 30, 2021 / Notices 

relating to this hazard. In fact, only a 

small sample of tornadoes ever receive 

study, and most often those are only the 

largest tornadoes. No generalizable 

information on tornado warning 

response after real-world events exists. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) 

and National Severe Storms Laboratory 

have designed this data collection 

instrument to allow for more routine 

collection of this information. 

Respondents will include members of 

the U.S. public who have recently 

(within the previous 30 days) been in or 

near a tornado, and they will be asked 

questions about the ways they received, 

understood, and responded to NWS 

watch/warning information. The 

information would be collected by NWS 

forecasters using their Damage 

Assessment Tool (DAT) and also by 

members of the public who voluntarily 

access a web tool developed by the 

National Severe Storms Laboratory. The 

information will be used as part of a 

pilot study to explore methods for more 

systematically collecting post-event data 

in support of program evaluation for 

NOAA’s tornado watch/warning system. 

Affected Public: Individual 

Households. 

Frequency: Whenever a tornado 

impacts an individual anywhere within 

the United States of America. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. 

Legal Authority: This information 

collection request may be viewed at 

www.reginfo.gov. Follow the 

instructions to view the Department of 

Commerce collections currently under 

review by OMB. 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be 

submitted within 30 days of the 

publication of this notice on the 

following website www.reginfo.gov/ 

public/do/PRAMain. Find this 

particular information collection by 

selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day 

Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or 

by using the search function and 

entering the title of the collection. 

Sheleen Dumas, 

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of 

the Chief Information Officer, Commerce 

Department. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16217 Filed 7–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–KE–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB281] 

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. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public meeting of its 

Groundfish Committee via webinar to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). Recommendations from this 

group will be brought to the full Council 

for formal consideration and action, if 

appropriate. 

DATES: This webinar will be held on 

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at 9:30 

a.m. Webinar registration URL 

information: https://

attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ 

5983603167717034766. 

ADDRESSES: Council address: New 

England Fishery Management Council, 

50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, 

MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda 

The Groundfish Committee will meet 

to discuss development of draft 

Framework Adjustment 63/ 

Specifications and Management 

Measures: Set 2022 total allowable 

catches for US/Canada management 

units of Eastern Georges Bank (GB) cod 

and Eastern GB haddock, and 2022–23 

specifications for the GB yellowtail 

flounder stock: Set 2022–24 

specifications for GB cod and Gulf of 

Maine (GOM) cod, and possibly adjust 

2022 specifications for GB haddock and 

GOM haddock. They will adjust 2022 

specifications for white hake based on 

the rebuilding plan. They will adopt 

additional measures to promote stock 

rebuilding, and develop alternatives to 

the current default system. Also on the 

agenda is discussion of progress on 2021 

Council priorities for groundfish. There 

will be a preliminary discussion of 

possible 2022 Council priorities for 

groundfish. Other business will be 

discussed as necessary. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained on the agenda may come 

before this Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Council 

action will be restricted to those issues 

specifically listed in this notice and any 

issues arising after publication of this 

notice that require emergency action 

under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has 

been notified of the Council’s intent to 

take final action to address the 

emergency. The public also should be 

aware that the meeting will be recorded. 

Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy 

of the recording is available upon 

request. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at 

(978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

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

Dated: July 27, 2021. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16272 Filed 7–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB230] 

Determination of Overfishing or an 

Overfished Condition 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice 

that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of 

Commerce (Secretary), has found that 

Southern Atlantic gag is now subject to 

overfishing and is now overfished; 

Southern Atlantic snowy grouper and 

Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack are 

now subject to overfishing and are still 

overfished; Klamath River fall-run 

Chinook salmon, Queets coho salmon, 

Strait of Juan de Fuca coho salmon, 

Northwestern Atlantic Coast ocean pout, 

Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Atlantic 

wolffish, and Pribilof Island blue king 

crab are still overfished; Southern 

Atlantic red snapper is still subject to 

overfishing and overfished; and Hood 

Canal coho salmon is now approaching 


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