7940 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Notices

manufacturing. The Sebring

International Raceway is used for

automotive and automotive parts

research, testing, and demonstration

activities.

The application contains evidence of

the need for additional zone services in

the Sebring area. Several firms have

indicated an interest in using zone

procedures within the proposed project

for warehousing/distribution of such

items as automobiles and automotive

parts and accessories, wood, pulp and

paper products, caladium tubers, and

light aircraft engine parts and

accessories. Specific manufacturing

approvals are not being sought at this

time. Requests would be made to the

Board on a case-by-case basis.

In accordance with the Board’s

regulations (as revised, 56 FR 50790–

50808, 10–8–91), a member of the FTZ

Staff has been designated examiner to

investigate the application and report to

the Board.

As part of the investigation, the

Commerce examiner will hold a public

hearing on March 8, 1995, at 9 a.m.,

Sebring Regional Airport, Board Room,

128 Authority Lane, Sebring, Florida.

Public comment on the application is

invited from interested parties.

Submissions (original and 3 copies)

shall be addressed to the Board’s

Executive Secretary at the address

below. The closing period for their

receipt is April 11, 1995. Rebuttal

comments in response to material

submitted during the foregoing period

may be submitted during the subsequent

15-day period (to April 26, 1995).

A copy of the application and

accompanying exhibits will be available

during this time for public inspection at

the following locations:

Sebring Regional Airport,

Administrative Offices, 128 Authority

Lane, Sebring, Florida 33870;

Office of the Executive Secretary,

Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room

3716, U.S. Department of Commerce,

14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC 20230.

Dated: February 3, 1995.

John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,

Executive Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95–3427 Filed 2–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P

International Trade Administration

University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Notice of Decision on Application for

Duty-Free Entry of Scientific

Instrument

This decision is made pursuant to

Section 6(c) of the Educational,

Scientific, and Cultural Materials

Importation Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89–

651, 80 Stat. 897; 15 CFR part 301).

Related records can be viewed between

8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. in Room 4211,

U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C.

Docket Number: 94–134. Applicant:

University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Madison, WI 53706. Instrument: Heating

and Cooling Stage for Petrographic

Microscope, Model THMSG 600.

Manufacturer: Linkam Scientific

Instruments Ltd., United Kingdom.

Intended Use: See notice at 59 FR

63762, December 9, 1994.

Comments: None received. Decision:

Approved. No instrument of equivalent

scientific value to the foreign

instrument, for such purposes as it is

intended to be used, is being

manufactured in the United States.

Reasons: The foreign instrument

provides: (1) operation without glass in

the microscope beam path (no infrared

absorption) for FTIR spectroscopy, (2)

temperature range from -196°C to 600°C

and (3) computer control for precise

regulation of temperature and

generation of video text overlay on data

images. The U.S. Geological Survey

advised on January 17, 1995 that (1) this

capability is pertinent to the applicant’s

intended purpose and (2) it knows of no

domestic instrument or apparatus of

equivalent scientific value to the foreign

instrument for the applicant’s intended

use.

We know of no other instrument or

apparatus of equivalent scientific value

to the foreign instrument which is being

manufactured in the United States.

Pamela Woods

Acting Director, Statutory Import Programs

Staff

[FR Doc. 95–3435 Filed 2–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–F

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[Docket No. 950117016–5016–01; I.D.

010995C]

RIN 0648–ZA13

Financial Assistance for Research and

Development Projects to Provide

Information for the Full and Wise Use

and Enhancement of Fishery

Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and

off the U.S. South Atlantic Coastal

States; MARFIN

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of proposed areas of

program emphasis; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: Funds are expected to be

available for the fiscal year (FY) 1996

Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN)

financial assistance program to assist

persons in carrying out research projects

that optimize the use of the U.S. fishing

industry (recreational and commercial),

in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South

Atlantic (North Carolina to Florida),

including fishery biology, resource

assessment, social-economic

assessment, management and

conservation, selective harvesting

methods, and fish handling and

processing. Emphasis is on research that

will enhance social and economic

benefits from living marine resources.

NMFS issues this notice to solicit public

comments on proposed emphasis areas

for the FY 1996 financial assistance

program. This is not a solicitation for

proposals.

DATES: Public comment on the proposed

areas of program emphasis for the FY

1996 MARFIN solicitation will be

accepted until March 13, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ms. Ellie

Roche, Competitive Programs Manager,

Cooperative Programs Division,

Southeast Regional Office, National

Marine Fisheries Service, 9721

Executive Center Drive North, St.

Petersburg, FL 33702. For availability of

documents referenced in this notice,

contact the Southeast Regional Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Ellie Roche, 813–570–5324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

The Secretary of Commerce

(Secretary) is authorized under 15

U.S.C. 713c–3(d) to enter into

cooperative agreements for research and

development addressed to all aspects of

U.S. fisheries. Funding is expected to be

available in FY 1996 for financial

assistance under the MARFIN program

to manage and enhance the use of

fishery resources in the Gulf and off the

South Atlantic States of North Carolina,

South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

U.S. fisheries include any marine

fishery that is or may be engaged in by

U.S. citizens and citizens of the

Northern Mariana Islands. The phrase

‘‘fishing industry’’ includes both the

commercial and recreational sectors of

U.S. fisheries. This program is described

in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance under program number
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Notices 7941

11.433 Marine Fisheries Initiative. (See

ADDRESSES for document availability.)

A notice of availability of financial

assistance for the FY 1996 MARFIN

program is expected to be published in

the Federal Register after public

comments have been received on the

proposed areas of emphasis in this

notice.

II. Proposed Areas of Emphasis for the

FY 1996 MARFIN Program

Research needs identified in fishery

management plans (FMPs) and

amendments prepared by the Gulf and

South Atlantic Fishery Management

Councils (Councils) and the Gulf and

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries

Commissions (Commissions) are

included. For availability of these and

other documents referenced here, see

ADDRESSES. Proposed areas of special

emphasis for FY 1996 include:

A. Bycatch.

The bycatch of biological organisms

by various fishing gears can have widereaching impacts from a fisheries

management and an ecological

standpoint, with the following major

concerns:

1. Shrimp trawl bycatch. Studies are

needed to contribute to the regional

shrimp trawler bycatch program

(including the rock shrimp fishery)

being conducted by NMFS in

cooperation with state fisheries

management agencies, commercial and

recreational fishing organizations and

interests, environmental organizations,

universities, Councils, and

Commissions. Specific guidance and

research requirements are contained in

the Regional Bycatch Plan available

from NMFS. In particular, the studies

should address:

a. Data collection and analyses to

expand and update current bycatch

estimates temporally and spatially from

offshore, nearshore, and inshore waters,

emphasizing areas of greatest impact by

shrimping. Sampling effort should

include estimates of numbers, weight

and random samples of size (age)

structure of associated bycatch complex

with emphasis on those overfished

species under the jurisdiction of the

Councils.

b. Assessment of the status and

condition of fish stocks significantly

impacted by shrimp trawler bycatch,

with emphasis given to overfished

species under the jurisdiction of the

Councils. Other sources of fishing and

nonfishing mortality should be

considered and quantified as well.

c. Identification, development, and

evaluation of gear, non-gear and tactical

fishing options to reduce bycatch.

d. Improved methods for

communicating with and improving

technology and information transfer to

the shrimp industry.

e. Social and economic impacts of

management options to reduce shrimp

fishery bycatch.

2. Pelagic longline fisheries. A

number of pelagic longline fisheries

exist in the Gulf and South Atlantic,

targeting highly migratory species such

as tunas, sharks, billfish and swordfish.

Priority areas include:

a. Development and evaluation of gear

and fishing tactics to minimize bycatch

of undersized and unwanted species,

including sea turtles, marine mammals

and overfished finfish species/stocks.

b. Assessment of the impact of

longline bycatch on related fisheries,

including biological, social, and

economic factors and effects.

3. Reef fish fisheries. The reef fish

complex is exploited by a variety of

fishing gear and tactics. The following

research on bycatch of reef fish species

is needed:

a. Development and evaluation of gear

and fishing tactics to minimize the

bycatch of undersized and unwanted

species, including sea turtles and

marine mammals.

b. Characterization and assessment of

the impact of longline, bandit gear and

trap bycatch of undersized target

species, including release mortality.

4. Finfish trawl fisheries. Studies are

needed on quantification and

qualification of the bycatch in finfish

trawl fisheries, such as the flounder and

fly-net fisheries in the South Atlantic.

5. Gillnet fisheries. Studies are needed

on quantification and qualification of

the bycatch in coastal and shelf gillnet

fisheries for sciaenids, scombrids,

bluefish, dogfish, clupeids and sharks of

the South Atlantic area (particularly

interaction with sea turtles and marine

mammals), and sea turtle bycatch for the

coastal gillnet fishery off Louisiana.

B. Reef Fish.

Some species within the reef fish

complex are showing signs of being

overfished, either through directed

efforts or because they are bycatch of

other fisheries. The ecology of reef fish

makes them vulnerable to overfishing,

because they tend to concentrate over

specific types of habitat with patchy

distribution. This behavior pattern can

make traditional fishery statistics

misleading. Priority research areas

include:

1. Collection of basic biological data

for species in commercially and

recreationally important fisheries.

a. Age and growth of reef fish.

(1) Description of age and growth

patterns, especially for red, vermilion,

gray, and cubera snappers; gray

triggerfish; gag; black grouper; spottail

pinfish; hogfish; red porgy and other

less dominant forms in the management

units for which data are lacking.

(2) Contributions to the development

of annual age-length keys and

description of age structures for

exploited populations for all species in

the complex addressed in the Reef Fish

Management Plans for the Gulf and

South Atlantic, prioritized by

importance in the total catch.

(3) Design of sampling systems to

provide a production-style aging

program for the reef fish fishery.

Effective dockside sampling programs

are needed over a wide geographic

range, especially for groupers, to collect

information on reproductive state, size,

age, and sex. These research needs are

discussed in the report of the workshop

on grouper reproduction held in

Panama City, FL, in November 1993.

b. Reproduction studies of reef fish.

(1) Maturity schedules, fecundity and

sex ratios of commercially and

recreationally important reef fish,

especially gray triggerfish, gag, and red

porgy in the Gulf and South Atlantic.

(2) Studies of all species to

characterize the actual reproductive

contribution of females, by age.

(3) Identification and characterization

of spawning aggregations by species,

area, size group and season. Information

on the effects of fishing on changes of

sex ratios for gag, red grouper, and

scamp, and disruption of aggregations is

especially needed.

(4) Investigations of the reproductive

biology of gag, red grouper and other

grouper species as addressed in the

recommendations of the workshop on

grouper reproduction held in Panama

City, FL, in November 1993.

c. Recruitment of reef fish.

(1) Source of recruitment in Gulf and

South Atlantic waters, especially for

snappers, groupers and amberjacks.

(2) Annual estimation of the absolute

or relative recruitment of juvenile gag,

gray snapper and lane snapper to

estuarine habitats off the west coast of

Florida and to similar estuarine nursery

habitats along the South Atlantic Bight;

development of an index of juvenile gag

recruitment for the South Atlantic based

on historical databases and/or field

studies.

(3) Research to evaluate the

contribution of live-bottom habitat and

the habitat areas of particular concern

(Oculina banks) off Fort Pierce, FL, to

reef fish recruitment.

d. Stock structure of reef fish.
7942 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Notices

(1) Movement and migration patterns

of commercially and recreationally

valuable reef fish species, especially gag

in the Gulf and South Atlantic and

greater amberjack between the South

Atlantic and Gulf.

(2) Biochemical/immunological

techniques to allow field separation of

lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and

banded rudderfish from greater

amberjack to facilitate accurate

reporting of catch.

(3) Stock structure for wreckfish in

the South Atlantic, and for greater

amberjack in the Gulf and South

Atlantic.

2. Population assessment of reef fish.

a. Effect of reproductive mode and sex

change (protogynous hermaphroditism)

on population size and characteristics,

with reference to sizes of fish exploited

in the fisheries and the significance to

proper management.

b. Source and quantification of

natural and human-induced mortalities,

including release mortality estimates for

charter, headboat and private

recreational vessels, especially for red

snapper and the grouper complex.

c. Determination of the habitat and

limiting factors for important reef fish

resources in the Gulf and South

Atlantic.

d. Description of habitat and fish

populations in the deep reef community

and the prey distributions supporting

the community.

e. Development of statistically valid

indices of abundance for important reef

fish species in the South Atlantic and

Gulf, especially red grouper, jewfish and

Nassau grouper.

f. Assessment of tag performance on

reef fish species, primarily snappers and

groupers. Characteristics examined

should include shedding rate, effects on

growth and survival, and ultimately, the

effects of these characteristics on

estimations of vital population

parameters.

g. Stock assessments to establish the

status of major recreational and

commercial species. Innovative methods

are needed for stock assessments of

aggregate species, including the effect of

fishing on genetic structure and the

incorporation of sex change for

protogynous hermaphrodites into stock

assessment models.

h. Fishery-independent assessments

of spawning aggregations of gag, scamp,

yellowedge and other groupers, using

hydroacoustic and underwater video

technology.

i. Assessment of Florida Bay recovery

actions on reef fish recruitment and

survival.

3. Management of reef fish.

a. Research in direct support of

management, including catch-andrelease mortalities, by gear and depth.

b. Evaluation of the use of reef fish

marine reserves as an alternative or

supplement to current fishery

management measures and practices,

especially in the South Atlantic. Field

studies should focus on the

Experimental Oculina Reef Reserve and

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

sites and contrast these with control

open sites.

c. Characterization and evaluation of

the biological, economic, and social

impacts.

d. Evaluation of vessel logs and log

data for monitoring the fishery; for

providing biological, economic, and

social information for management; and

matching log data to Trip Information

Program samples for indices of effort.

C. Sharks.

The Secretarial fishery management

plan (FMP) for sharks identifies a

number of research needs, including:

1. Characterization of the commercial

and recreational fisheries from historical

and current databases. Emphasis should

be on species composition, bycatch,

stock identification, size, sex ratios and

catch-per-unit-effort by season, area,

and gear type.

2. Collection and analysis of basic

biological data on movements, habitats,

growth rates, mortality rates, age

structure and reproduction parameters.

These data are of particular importance

for blacktip and sandbar sharks.

3. Determination of baseline cost and

returns for commercial fisheries that

land sharks, and estimations of demand

curves for shark products and

recreational shark fisheries.

4. Development of species profiles

and stock assessments for sharks taken

in significant quantities by commercial,

recreational, and bycatch fisheries.

Assessments can be species-specific or

for species groups, following those

identified in the Atlantic Sharks FMP.

5. Identification of coastal sharks

using laboratory methodologies.

6. Identification of nursery area and

methods to protect young sharks.

7. Evaluation of present regulations

and improvement of methods to

determine landings.

D. Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fisheries.

The commercial and recreational

demand for migratory coastal pelagics

has led to overfishing for certain

species, including some stocks of king

and Spanish mackerel. Additionally,

some are transboundary with Mexico

and other countries and may ultimately

demand international management

attention. Current high priorities

include:

1. Recruitment indices for king and

Spanish mackerel, cobia, dolphin, and

bluefish, primarily from fisheryindependent data sources.

2. Assessment and management

models for coastal pelagic resources that

are dominated by single year classes,

such as Spanish mackerel, dolphin, and

bluefish.

3. Fishery-independent methods of

assessing stock abundance of king and

Spanish mackerel.

4. Release mortality data for all

coastal pelagic species.

5. Improved catch statistics for all

species in Mexican waters, with special

emphasis on king mackerel. This

includes length-frequency and life

history information.

6. Information on populations of

coastal pelagics overwintering off Gulf

of Mexico and the South Atlantic States

of North Carolina, South Carolina,

Georgia, and Florida, especially

concerning population size, age and

movement patterns.

7. Development of a practical method

for aging dolphin.

8. Basic biostatistics for cobia and

dolphin to develop age-length keys and

maturation schedules for stock

assessments.

9. Impact of bag limits on total catch

and landings of king and Spanish

mackerel.

10. Demand and supply functions for

recreational and commercial king

mackerel fisheries. Emphasis should be

on changes in marginal values of

producer and consumer surplus, since

the studies would be used in allocation

frameworks where total values are not

necessarily required.

11. Determination of the stock

structure of king mackerel from South

Atlantic and Gulf waters.

12. Sociological and anthropological

surveys of coastal pelagic fisheries.

13. Economic surveys of coastal

pelagic fisheries.

E. Highly Migratory Pelagic Species.

A number of pelagic fisheries exist in

the Gulf and South Atlantic that target

highly migratory species such as tunas,

sharks, and swordfish. Changes in the

temporal and spatial components of

fishing effort, and fishing gear and

tactics need to be characterized and the

effects quantified. Priority areas include:

1. Characterization of specific

longline fisheries, including targeted

species, stock identification, catch-perunit- effort, and biological parameters

(e.g., sex ratios and reproductive state)

by gear type, area and season.

2. Evaluation of vessel log data for

monitoring the fisheries.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Notices 7943

3. Dependence of vessels and persons

engaged in pelagic longlining on other

fisheries. Particular emphasis should be

placed on the extent to which the

capital and/or labor engages in other

fisheries at particular times of the year

and reasons for this switching behavior.

F. Groundfish and Estuarine Fishes.

Substantial stocks of groundfish and

estuarine species occur in the Gulf and

South Atlantic. Most of the database for

assessments comes from studies

conducted by NMFS and state fishery

management agencies. Because of the

historic and current size of these fish

stocks, their importance as predator and

prey species, and their current or

potential use as commercial and

recreational fisheries, more information

on their biology and life history is

needed. General research needs are:

1. Red drum.

a. Size and age-structure of the

offshore adult stock in the Gulf.

b. Life history parameters and stock

structure for the Gulf and the South

Atlantic. Research should include

determination of migratory patterns,

long-term changes in abundance, growth

rates and age structure. Specific

research needs for Atlantic red drum are

fecundity estimates, as a function of

length and weight, and improved

coastwide coverage for age-length keys.

c. Catch-and-release mortality rates

from inshore and nearshore waters.

2. Life history and stock structure for

weakfish, menhaden, spot and croaker

in the Gulf and the South Atlantic.

Research should include determination

of migratory patterns, long-term changes

in abundance, growth rates and age

structure, and comparisons of the

inshore and offshore components of

recreational and commercial fisheries.

3. Improved catch and effort statistics

from recreational and commercial

fisheries, including development of agelength keys for size and age structure of

the catch, to develop production

models.

G. Coastal Herrings.

Preliminary studies indicate that

substantial stocks of coastal herrings

occur in the Gulf and South Atlantic.

Most of the available data are generated

from fishery-independent surveys

conducted by NMFS and state fishery

management agencies. Because of the

size of these stocks; their importance as

prey, and in some instances, as predator

species; their potential for development

as commercial and recreational fisheries

needs to be understood. General

research needs include:

1. Collection, collation, and analysis

of available fishery-independent and

fishery-dependent data from state and

Federal surveys, with emphasis on

species and size composition, seasonal

distribution patterns, biomass, bycatch,

and environmental relationships.

2. Description and quantification of

predator-prey relationships between

coastal herring species and carnivores

such as mackerels, tunas, swordfish,

billfish, sharks, bluefish, and others in

high demand by commercial and

recreational fisheries.

H. Crabs and Lobsters.

1. Monitoring of fecundity and sex/

size frequencies for examination of

spawning potential in relation to

overfishing criteria for stone crab and

spiny lobster.

2. Development of recruitment,

population assessment and management

models for stone crab and spiny lobster.

3. Determination of the relationship

between the reproductive cycle

characteristics of spiny lobster in

Florida and those in the Gulf.

4. Re-evaluation of spiny lobster short

mortality to determine changes since

effort restrictions were implemented.

5. Estimation of stone crab

regenerated claw production versus new

recruits to the fishery from landings

observations.

6. Evaluation of spiny lobster catches

from North Carolina, South Carolina,

and Georgia.

I. Sea Turtle Conservation.

The conservation of endangered and

threatened sea turtles in the Southeast

Region requires further investigation

into life history parameters and

ecological requirements. The interaction

of sea turtles, fishing gear (excluder

devices) and inshore/offshore fisheries

also needs further refinement.

J. General.

There are many other areas of

research that need to be addressed for

improved understanding and

management of fishery resources. These

include methods for data collection,

management, analysis, and better

conservation. Examples of high-priority

research needs include:

1. Assessment of the changes in

recreational and commercial values that

have resulted from past management

practices for red drum, shrimp,

mackerel, and reef fish.

2. Development of improved methods

and procedures for transferring

technology and educating of

constituency groups concerning fishery

management and conservation

programs. Of special importance are

programs concerned with controlled

access and introduction of conservation

gear.

3. Compilation of baseline sociodemographic data for describing the

social and cultural framework of

managed fisheries.

4. Design and evaluation of innovative

approaches to fishery management with

special attention given to those

approaches that control access to

specific fisheries.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 713C–3(d)

Dated: February 2, 1995.

Gary Matlock,

Program Management Officer, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 95–3331 Filed 2–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List Addition

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Addition to the Procurement

List.

SUMMARY: This action adds to the

Procurement List a service to be

furnished by nonprofit agencies

employing persons who are blind or

have other severe disabilities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 13, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled, Crystal Square 3, Suite 403,

1735 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, Virginia 22202–3461.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Milkman (703) 603–7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

December 16, 1994, the Committee for

Purchase From People Who Are Blind

or Severely Disabled published notice

(59 F.R. 65026) of proposed addition to

the Procurement List. Comments were

received from the current contractor for

this service in response to a request for

sales data. The contractor indicated that

addition of the service to the

Procurement List would have a severe

financial impact on the company and

would cause the displacement of several

workers.

The Committee has been informed

that if the Committee did not add this

service to the Procurement List, the

Government contracting activity

intended to set it aside for performance

by a small disadvantaged business

under the Small Business

Administration’s 8(a) program. The