7418 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 31 / Thursday, February 15, 2007 / Notices 

Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act (MMPA). 

NMFS announces the availability of a 

revised list of equipment models that 

NMFS has approved as meeting the 

minimum design specifications for the 

careful release of sea turtles caught in 

hook and line fisheries. The revised list 

is available at http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ 

Protected%20Resources/ 

RequiredlGear.pdf. To see the previous 

list of NMFS approved models for the 

careful release of sea turtles caught in 

hook and line fisheries, see 69 FR 

40734, July 6, 2004. Revision of the list 

is necessary due to NMFS approval of 

the following additional sea turtle 

bycatch mitigation gear for use in the 

pelagic and bottom longline fisheries for 

Atlantic HMS: (1) Robey dehooker (for 

external hooks only), (2) NOAA/ 

Bergmann dehooker (with modification) 

and (3) notch modification of the 

previously approved Aquatic Release 

Conservation (ARC) dehooker pigtail 

curl. Other sea turtle bycatch mitigation 

gears previously approved remain 

approved for use in the fishery. 

The list is not a list of required gears, 

but is a list of NMFS approved models 

of equipment that may be used as 

options to meet the requirements for 

gear that must be carried on board 

vessels participating in the Atlantic 

pelagic and bottom longline fisheries 

(50 CFR 635.21(c)(5)(i) and (d)(3)(i)). 

Equipment may also be fabricated and 

used by individuals according to the 

minimum design specifications (50 CFR 

635.21(c)(5)(i)). The benefit of using 

these gears is to maximize safe and 

efficient gear removal from incidentally 

captured sea turtles, thereby minimizing 

the potential for serious injury or 

mortality. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: February 8, 2007. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–2686 Filed 2–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health 

Initiative Advisory Panel Meeting 

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of open meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Oceans and Human 

Health Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108 447) 

created a national, interagency research 

program to improve understanding of 

the role of the oceans in human health. 

Section 903(a) of this Act authorizes the 

Secretary of Commerce to establish an 

Oceans and Human Health Initiative 

(OHHI) to coordinate and implement 

research and activities of the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) related to the 

role of the oceans, the coasts, and the 

Great Lakes in human health. Section 

903(b) of the OHH Act further 

authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to 

establish an oceans and human health 

advisory panel to assist in the 

development and implementation of the 

NOAA OHHI. This advisory panel is to 

provide for balanced representation of 

individuals with multi-disciplinary 

expertise in the marine and biomedical 

sciences and is not subject to the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C. App.). 

In 2005, authorities provided to the 

Secretary of Commerce under the OHH 

Act were delegated to the Under 

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 

Atmosphere and then redesignated to 

the Assistant Administrator for Ocean 

Services and Coastal Zone Management. 

Initial appointments to the advisory 

panel were completed by the NOAA 

Assistant Administrator for Ocean 

Services and Coastal Zone Management 

in May 2006. 

Date and Time: The meeting will be 

held Thursday March 8, 2007 from 8:30 

a.m.–2:30 p.m. and Friday March 9, 

2007 from 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. 

Location: The meeting will be held at 

the Hotel Deca, Seattle Washington, 

4507 Brooklyn Ave, NE., Seattle, 

Washington (WA) 98105; (Tel) 206–

634–2000. Meeting rooms are the 

Chancellor and College Rooms and 

subject to change. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Paul Sandifer, National Ocean Service 

Senior Scientist for Coastal Ecology, 

c/o Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 

Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South 

Carolina 29412; (Tel) 843–762–8814 (Email: paul.sandifer@noaa.gov) or visit 

the OHHI Web site: http:// 

www.eol.ucar.edu/project/ohhi/. 

Matters to be Considered: (1) 

Approval of Advisory Panel Charter; (2) 

review of revised vision, mission and 

goals for the OHHI; (3) review of OHHI 

strategic objectives; (4) review of ongoing research and outreach and 

education activities, products and 

services; (5) review of Congressionally 

mandated interagency and agency OHH 

reports. 

Dated: February 8, 2007. 

Marie Colton, 

Technical Director, NOAA, National Ocean 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–699 Filed 2–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–IE–M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science Draft Human Dimensions 

Strategic Plan (FY2008–FY2013) 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of availability and 

solicitation of public comments on the 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science Draft Human Dimensions 

Strategic Plan (FY2008–FY2013). 

SUMMARY: NOAA publishes this notice 

to announce availability of the National 

Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Draft 

Human Dimensions Strategic Plan 

(FY2008–FY2013) for public comment. 

DATES: Comments must be received 

before 11:59 p.m. EDT, March 19, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic submission of 

comments via e-mail to 

nccos.hd@noaa.gov is preferred. 

Comments may also be sent by fax to 

(301) 713–4353 or mail to NOAA 

National Ocean Service, National 

Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, c/o 

Marybeth Bauer, PhD, 1315 East-West 

Highway, NOS HQTR Route N/SCI, 

Silver Spring, MD 20910. E-mail and fax 

comments should state ‘‘Comments’’ in 

the subject line. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marybeth Bauer, Ph.D., by e-mail at 

nccos.hd@noaa.gov (preferred) or mail 

at NOAA National Ocean Service, 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science, 1315 East-West Highway, NOS 

HQTR Route N/SCI, Silver Spring, MD 

20910 or phone at (301) 713–3020. Email requests for information should 

state ‘‘Request for Information’’ in the 

subject line. An electronic copy of the 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science Draft Human Dimensions 

Strategic Plan (FY2008–FY2013) is 

available at: http://coastalscience. 

noaa.gov/human/strategy/ 

NCCOSDraftHDStrategicPlan.pdf. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA’s 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science (NCCOS) provides coastal 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 31 / Thursday, February 15, 2007 / Notices 7419 

resource managers, other decision 

makers, and stakeholders with the 

ecosystem information and tools needed 

to balance society’s environmental, 

social, and economic goals in mitigating 

and adapting to stressors such as 

climate change, extreme natural events, 

pollution, invasive species, and 

resource use. 

Humans are integral to ecosystems, 

and the human dimensions of 

ecosystems are an integral focus of the 

science NCCOS conducts and conveys. 

NOAA’s Strategic Plan (FY2006–

FY2011) (available at: http:// 

www.ppi.noaa.gov/pdfs/

STRATEGIC%20PLAN/Strategic_

Plan_2006_FINAL_04282005.pdf) 

defines an ecosystem as a 

geographically specified system of 

organisms, including humans, the 

environment, and the processes that 

control its dynamics. An environment 

encompasses the biological, chemical, 

physical, and social conditions that 

surround organisms. The human 

dimensions of ecosystems can be 

expressed in terms of three points of 

interaction between environmental and 

human systems: human causes, 

consequences, and responses to 

environmental change. Encompassing a 

broad array of social science, 

humanities, and other disciplines, 

human dimensions research aims to 

understand these human-environmental 

interactions and facilitate use of this 

understanding to assist decisions 

affecting environmental processes and 

their societal outcomes. 

NCCOS developed a Draft Human 

Dimensions Strategic Plan (FY2008–

2013) to define and implement human 

dimensions research critical to support 

an ecosystem approach to the 

management of coastal and ocean 

resources. The plan expands a Societal 

Stressors Objective in NCCOS’s 

Strategic Plan (http:// 

coastalscience.noaa.gov/documents/ 

strategicplan.pdf). The final Human 

Dimensions Strategic Plan will guide 

development of the NCCOS ecosystem 

science agenda, workforce, organization, 

partnerships, and other capacities, 

including research conducted through 

extramural partners, grants, and 

contracts. Planning, programming, 

budgeting, and execution of NCCOS 

activities will reflect the objectives of 

the final plan through FY 2013. 

The draft plan puts forth the 

following human dimensions research 

goals and objectives. First, to provide 

human dimensions information 

essential to support an ecosystem 

approach to coastal and ocean resource 

management (Goal 1), the plan 

recommends identifying and 

characterizing stakeholders and their 

values (Objective 1.1), monitoring 

human dimensions (Objective 1.2), 

assessing and monitoring human causes 

of ecosystem stress (Objective 1.3), 

documenting traditional and local 

ecological knowledge (Objective 1.4), 

addressing value and ethical 

dimensions (Objective 1.5), and 

developing institutional strategies 

(Objective 1.6). Second, to provide 

integrated ecosystem information 

essential to support an ecosystem 

approach to coastal and ocean resource 

management, the plan recommends 

developing and operationalizing 

integrative information products and 

tools (Objective 2.1) and defining and 

implementing integrated ecosystem 

assessments (Objective 2.2). Third, to 

promote resilient ecosystems (Goal 3), 

the plan recommends assessing the 

cumulative impacts of hazards on 

coastal communities (Objective 3.1), 

assessing risk and vulnerability 

(Objective 3.2), developing risk 

communication strategies (Objective 

3.3), and evaluating forecasting and 

other capabilities (Objective 3.4). 

Finally, to provide critical support (Goal 

4), the plan recommends building 

essential organizational capacities 

(Objective 4.1) and developing 

communications, outreach, and 

educational strategies (Objective 4.2). 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments on the Draft Human 

Dimensions Strategic Plan (FY2008–

2013) to ensure the value of the final 

document for coastal and ocean 

resource science and governance. 

NCCOS encourages Federal and nonFederal Government partners, resource 

managers, other decision makers, 

stakeholders, and other interested 

parties to submit comments. We 

especially encourage comments related 

to the value of the plan to support an 

ecosystem approach to the management 

of coastal and ocean resources, and its 

collaborative implementation. 

To facilitate efficient and thorough 

consideration of all submissions, please 

format your comments as follows: (1) 

Background information on yourself, 

including name, title, organizational 

affiliation, and contact information 

including email address; (2) general 

comments; and (3) specific comments 

with references to line numbers. Please 

follow all substantive, non-editorial 

comments with well-developed 

suggestions for revision. Please 

including identifying information at the 

top of all pages. The Draft NCCOS 

Human Dimensions Strategic Plan 

(FY2008–2013) is being issued for 

comment only and is not intended for 

interim use. 

Dated: February 8, 2007. 

Gary C. Matlock, 

Director, National Centers for Coastal Ocean 

Science. 

[FR Doc. 07–690 Filed 2–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–JE–M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[I.D.020907B] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 984–1814–01 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

amendment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. 

Terrie Williams, Department of Ecology 

and Evolutionary Biology, Center for 

Ocean Health - Long Marine Laboratory, 

University of California, 100 Shaffer 

Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, has 

requested an amendment to scientific 

research Permit No. 984–1814. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

March 19, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 

and related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the following office(s): 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; and 

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West 

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802–4213; phone (562)980–4001; 

fax (562)980–4018. 

Written comments or requests for a 

public hearing on this request should be 

submitted to the Chief, Permits, 

Conservation and Education Division, 

F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those 

individuals requesting a hearing should 

set forth the specific reasons why a 

hearing on this particular amendment 

request would be appropriate. 

Comments may also be submitted by 

facsimile at (301)427–2521, provided 

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy 

submitted by mail and postmarked no 

later than the closing date of the 

comment period. 

Comments may also be submitted by 

e-mail. The mailbox address for 

providing e-mail comments is 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line of the e-mail 


ycherry on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES