46836 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 159 / Friday, August 20, 2021 / Notices 

• Identify and discuss potential new 

data sources 

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 

This meeting is accessible to people 

with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary 

aids should be directed to the South 

Atlantic Fishery Management Council 

office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

business days prior to the meeting. 

Note: The times and sequence specified in 

this agenda are subject to change. 

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

Dated: August 17, 2021. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17907 Filed 8–19–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA086] 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 

Final Amendment 12 to the 2006 

Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory 

Species Fishery Management Plan 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of a fishery 

management plan amendment. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 

availability of Final Amendment 12 to 

the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly 

Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP). The Final 

Amendment responds to revisions to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) National 

Standard (NS) guidelines, a rulemaking 

addressing reporting methodologies for 

bycatch as defined under the MagnusonStevens Act, and recent NMFS policy 

directives which aim to improve and 

streamline fishery management 

procedures to enhance their utility for 

managers and the public. This final 

amendment does not include a 

proposed rule or regulatory text. Any 

operational changes to fishery 

management measures as a result of 

Final Amendment 12 would be 

considered in future rulemakings, as 

appropriate. 

DATES: The amendment was approved 

on August 16, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of Final 

Amendment 12 to the 2006 

Consolidated HMS FMP may be 

obtained on the internet at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/ 

amendment-12-2006-consolidated-hmsfishery-management-plan-msaguidelines-and-national. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sarah McLaughlin, sarah.mclaughlin@

noaa.gov, 978–281–9260, or Karyl 

Brewster-Geisz, karyl.brewster-geisz@

noaa.gov, 301–427–8503. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic 

HMS fisheries are managed under the 

authority of the Atlantic Tunas 

Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et 

seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 

U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). The 2006 

Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP and its 

amendments are implemented by 

regulations at 50 CFR part 635. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires 

that any FMP or FMP amendment be 

consistent with 10 NSs. In 2016, NMFS 

published a final rule revising the 

guidelines for NS1, NS3, and NS7 to 

improve and clarify the guidance and to 

facilitate compliance with requirements 

of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to end and 

prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished 

stocks, and achieve optimum yield (OY) 

(81 FR 71858, October 18, 2016). The 

final rule on the NS guidelines included 

a recommendation that FMP objectives 

should be reassessed on a regular basis 

to reflect the changing needs of fisheries 

over time. Although no time frame was 

prescribed, the guidelines indicated that 

NMFS should provide notice to the 

public of the expected schedule for 

review. The final rule also noted that, 

for stocks managed under international 

agreements, consistent with provisions 

in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS 

may decide to use the international 

stock status determination criteria (SDC) 

defined by the relevant international 

body (e.g., the International Commission 

for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas 

(ICCAT)). Thus, Final Amendment 12 

revises some of the objectives contained 

in the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS 

FMP, and adopts the ICCAT SDC for 

ICCAT-managed HMS. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act further 

requires that any FMP, with respect to 

any fishery, establish standardized 

bycatch reporting methodology (SBRM) 

to assess the amount and type of 

bycatch occurring in a fishery. On 

January 19, 2017, NMFS published a 

final rule (82 FR 6317) to interpret and 

provide guidance on this requirement. 

Specifically, the 2017 final rule 

indicated that each FMP must identify 

the required procedure or procedures 

that constitute the SBRM for a fishery 

and conduct an analysis that explains 

how the SBRM meets the purposes 

described at 50 CFR 600.1600. Final 

Amendment 12 reviews of SBRMs for 

HMS fisheries. 

Also in 2017, NMFS issued a 

Fisheries Allocation Review Policy 

Directive and Procedures (01–119), 

which described a mechanism to ensure 

that fishery quota allocations are 

periodically reviewed and evaluated to 

remain relevant to current conditions, 

improve transparency, and minimize 

conflict for a process that is often 

controversial. Final Amendment 12 

establishes triggers for review of 

allocations of quota-managed HMS. 

Finally, the HMS Stock Assessment 

and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report is 

a public document that provides a 

summary of scientific information 

concerning the most recent biological 

condition of stocks, stock complexes, 

and marine ecosystems, essential fish 

habitat (EFH), and the social and 

economic condition of recreational and 

commercial HMS fishing interests, 

fishing communities, and the fish 

processing industries. NS2 guidelines 

specify that SAFE reports summarize, 

on a periodic basis, the best scientific 

information available concerning the 

past, present, and possible future 

condition of the stocks, EFH, marine 

ecosystems, and fisheries being 

managed under Federal regulation. In 

2008, NMFS published Amendment 2 to 

the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP 

which, among other things, indicated 

that publication of the HMS SAFE 

Report would occur by the fall of each 

year. Final Amendment 12 notifies the 

public of modified timing for release of 

the HMS SAFE Report to account for 

unexpected delays (e.g., data 

availability, staff availability, furloughs, 

emergencies, etc.). 

Final Amendment 12 is consistent 

with the revised 2016 NS guidelines, the 

2017 SBRM rulemaking, and the 2017 

Fisheries Allocation Review Policy 

Directive 01–119, along with other 

relevant statutes and the 2006 

Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP and its 

amendments. There is no final rule or 

regulatory text associated with Final 

Amendment 12. Quotas or other fishery 

management measures will not be 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 159 / Friday, August 20, 2021 / Notices 46837 

changed or affected as a result of this 

amendment. Any operational changes to 

fishery management measures as a 

result of Final Amendment 12 would be 

considered in future rulemakings, as 

appropriate. 

On August 25, 2020, NMFS published 

a notice of availability of Draft 

Amendment 12 (85 FR 52329). Given 

that specific changes to fishery 

management measures are not proposed 

or evaluated in this amendment; NMFS 

does not expect any impacts. 

Furthermore, no extraordinary 

circumstances exist, and the action is 

not expected to be controversial. Thus, 

NMFS has determined that Final 

Amendment 12 would appropriately be 

categorically excluded from further 

analysis under the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

NMFS sought public comment on 

Draft Amendment 12 through October 

26, 2020. Additionally, NMFS 

conducted two public hearing 

conference calls/webinars for interested 

members of the public to submit verbal 

comments. NMFS received one written 

comment on the Draft Amendment, and 

received a number of additional 

comments and/or clarifying questions at 

the September 2020 Atlantic HMS 

Advisory Panel meeting and the two 

webinars. In general, commenters 

supported the intent of Draft 

Amendment 12 to address the 2006 

Consolidated HMS FMP objectives, to 

adopt international SDC for 

internationally managed HMS, to 

update SBRM, to adopt triggers for 

review of allocations, and to adjust the 

publication date of the annual SAFE 

Report. Regarding reassessment of HMS 

FMP objectives, some commenters 

indicated support or opposition to 

certain changes, with some suggesting 

specific changes to strengthen, broaden, 

streamline, keep, or clarify the text, 

including for flexibility purposes. See 

the response to comments in the 

Appendix of Final Amendment 12. 

Final Amendment 12 revises 12 of the 

16 baseline HMS management 

objectives identified in the 2006 

Consolidated HMS FMP and adds three 

new objectives. For further information 

including the full set of revised HMS 

FMP objectives, see the Final 

Amendment 12 document. Table 1 

summarizes the three changes to the 

HMS FMP objectives relative to the 

revisions NMFS proposed in Draft 

Amendment 12, based on public 

comment and further consideration. 

TABLE 1—CHANGES TO THE HMS FMP OBJECTIVES RELATIVE TO THE REVISIONS NMFS PROPOSED IN DRAFT

AMENDMENT 12 

Objective # Text of 2006 consolidated HMS FMP 

objective Text of revised FMP objective Rationale for revision 

14 .................... Optimize the social and economic benefits to the nation by reserving the Atlantic billfish resource for its traditional 

use, which in the United States is entirely a recreational fishery.

Optimize the social and economic benefits to the nation by reserving the Atlantic billfish resource for its traditional 

use, which in the United States is entirely a recreational fishery.

No change. 

Although Atlantic billfish are already reserved for the recreational fishery and 

are prohibited from being landed commercially, NMFS has decided to retain 

Objective 14 in the HMS FMP to 

maintain this important concept in 

managing HMS fisheries. 

15 .................... Increase understanding of the condition 

of HMS stocks and HMS fisheries.

Increase understanding of the condition 

of Atlantic HMS stocks and fisheries, 

including stock status, biological, social, and economic information, and 

how HMS stocks and fisheries interact 

with other federally managed fisheries 

and species.

Adds text to elaborate on the type of information that could help with understanding Atlantic HMS stocks and 

fisheries. 

18 .................... Consistent with the other objectives of 

this FMP, consider ecosystem-based 

effects to support and enhance effective HMS fishery management.

Consistent with the other objectives of 

this FMP, consider ecosystem-based 

effects and seek to understand the 

impacts of shifts in the environment, 

including climate change, on Atlantic 

HMS fisheries to support and enhance 

effective HMS fishery management.

Adds an objective to consider ecosystem-based effects and shifts in the 

environment, including climate 

change, in Atlantic HMS fishery management. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq., and 

1801 et seq. 

Dated: August 17, 2021. 

Kelly Denit, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17887 Filed 8–19–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB322] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting; Cancellation 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of a 

meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) has 

cancelled a public meeting of its 

Monkfish Committee that was 

scheduled for Wednesday, September 1, 

2021. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

original meeting notice published in the 

Federal Register on Monday, August 16, 

2021 (86 FR 45711). 

The meeting will be rescheduled at a 

later dated and announced in the 

Federal Register. 

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


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