Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 102 / Friday, May 28, 2021 / Notices 28767 

sardine catch under each EFP would be 

accounted for under the proposed 2021– 

2022 annual catch limit (ACL), which is 

3,329 metric tons (mt). A summary of 

each EFP application is provided below: 

(1) Proposal for Renewal of Exempted 

Fishery Permit (EFP) To Allow Take of 

Pacific Sardine (for Point Sets) in 2021 

Nearshore Research Program: The 

CWPA submitted a renewal application 

for their CPS Nearshore Cooperative 

Survey (NCS) program. The purpose of 

this EFP project is to continue to 

develop a sampling methodology for 

estimating CPS biomass in shallow 

waters that are not accessible to NOAA 

survey ships. Since 2012 the California 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, in 

partnership with the CWPA, has been 

conducting aerial surveys to estimate 

the biomass and distribution of Pacific 

sardine and certain other CPS in 

nearshore waters in the Southern 

California Bight, and in the MontereySan Francisco area since the summer of 

2017. Currently, there is uncertainty in 

the biomass estimates from aerial 

spotter pilots. The CPS–NCS survey 

aims to quantify that level of 

uncertainty by capturing CPS schools 

identified by aerial spotter pilots and 

validating the biomass and species 

composition of the schools. If approved, 

this EFP would allow up to six 

participating vessels to directly harvest 

a total of 300 mt of Pacific sardine 

during the 2021–2022 fishing year. A 

portion of each point set (i.e., an 

individual haul of fish captured with a 

purse seine net) would be retained for 

biological sampling, and the remainder 

will be sold by the participating 

fishermen and processors to offset 

research costs and avoid unnecessary 

discard. 

(2) Request for Renewal of Exempted 

Fishery Permit (EFP) To Allow Fishing 

of Pacific Sardine For Biological 

Samples in 2021 Nearshore Research 

Program: The CWPA submitted a 

renewal application for their biological 

sampling EFP project. The primary 

directed fishery for Pacific sardine has 

been closed since 2015, and 

consequently, scientists at the 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center 

(SWFSC) have a limited amount of 

fishery-dependent data to use in their 

annual stock assessment. The goal of 

this EFP project is to provide additional 

biological data (i.e., age and length data 

from directed harvest) for potential use 

in Pacific sardine stock assessments. If 

approved, this EFP would allow up to 

six participating vessels to directly 

harvest up to 520 mt of Pacific sardine 

during the 2021–2022 fishing year. A 

portion of each landing would be 

retained for biological sampling by the 

California Department of Fish and 

Wildlife, and the remainder would be 

sold by the participating fishermen and 

processors to offset research costs and 

avoid unnecessary discard. 

(3) Exempted Fishery Permit to 

continue an industry-federal-state 

collaborative acoustic survey for CPS in 

nearshore waters: The WCPCG 

submitted a renewal application for 

their Nearshore Surveillance Acoustic 

Trawl Methodology Survey of North 

West Coastal Waters EFP project. Since 

2017, the WCPCG has been working 

with NMFS’ SWFSC and the 

Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife to survey CPS in nearshore 

Oregon/Washington coastal waters. The 

purpose of the EFP is to collect 

biological samples in areas inshore of 

the SWFSC acoustic trawl survey to 

better assess species composition and 

CPS distribution and abundance. If 

approved, this EFP would allow one 

research vessel to harvest up to 10 mt 

of Pacific sardine during the 2021–2022 

fishing year. A portion of each set (i.e., 

an individual haul of fish captured with 

a purse seine net) would be retained by 

the Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife for biological sampling, and the 

remainder of the set would be released 

from the purse seine net immediately 

after collecting the biological samples. 

Altogether, these EFP projects total 

830 mt. If NMFS does not issue these 

EFPs, then this 830-mt portion of the 

ACL would be available for harvest by 

other permissible fishing activities 

during the 2021–2022 fishing year (e.g., 

live bait or minor directed harvest). 

After publication of this document in 

the Federal Register, NMFS may 

approve and issue permits to 

participating vessels after the close of 

the public comment period. NMFS will 

consider comments submitted in 

deciding whether to approve the 

applications as requested. NMFS may 

approve the applications in their 

entirety or may make any alterations 

needed to achieve the goals of the EFP 

projects. NMFS may also approve 

different amounts of Pacific sardine 

allocation for each EFP project if any 

changes are made to the 2021–2022 

proposed sardine harvest specifications 

before final implementation. 

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

Dated: May 25, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–11331 Filed 5–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB109] 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public virtual 

meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) 

District Advisory Panels (DAPs) will 

hold public virtual meetings to address 

the items contained in the tentative 

agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

DATES: The DAPs public virtual 

meetings will be held as follows: St. 

Croix DAP, June 15, 2021, from 10 a.m. 

to 12 p.m.; Puerto Rico DAP, June 15, 

2021, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; St. Thomas/ 

St. John DAP, June 16, 2021, from 10 

a.m. to 12 p.m. All meetings will be at 

Eastern Day Time. 

ADDRESSES: You may join the DAPs 

public virtual meetings (via Zoom) from 

a computer, tablet or smartphone by 

entering the following addresses: 

DAP–STT/STJ 

Join Zoom Meeting 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 

86262657165?pwd=

aGQ4U25rME92d1p1TWo4d3Y3RGF

rdz09 

Meeting ID: 862 6265 7165 

Passcode: 901759 

One tap mobile 

+17879451488,,86262657165#,,,,

*901759# Puerto Rico 

+17879667727,,86262657165#,,,,

*901759# Puerto Rico 

Dial by your location 

+1 787 945 1488 Puerto Rico 

+1 787 966 7727 Puerto Rico 

+1 939 945 0244 Puerto Rico 

Meeting ID: 862 6265 7165 

Passcode: 901759 

DAP–PR 

Join Zoom Meeting 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 

86222659918?pwd=

UitRcnBJRXQyMUpWaEtISEZ6

elVvQT09 

Meeting ID: 862 2265 9918 

Passcode: 623876 

One tap mobile 

+19399450244,,86222659918#,,,,

*623876# Puerto Rico 

+17879451488,,86222659918#,,,,

*623876# Puerto Rico 

28768 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 102 / Friday, May 28, 2021 / Notices 

Dial by your location 

+1 939 945 0244 Puerto Rico 

+1 787 945 1488 Puerto Rico 

+1 787 966 7727 Puerto Rico 

Meeting ID: 862 2265 9918 

Passcode: 623876 

DAP–STX 

Join Zoom Meeting 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 

84523918830?pwd=ZWdleXVrN2Vz

RW5MdVdJOStBZVRNQT09 

Meeting ID: 845 2391 8830 

Passcode: 507957 

One tap mobile 

+17879451488,,84523918830#,,,,

*507957# Puerto Rico 

+17879667727,,84523918830#,,,,

*507957# Puerto Rico 

Dial by your location 

+1 787 945 1488 Puerto Rico 

+1 787 966 7727 Puerto Rico 

+1 939 945 0244 Puerto Rico 

Meeting ID: 845 2391 8830 

Passcode: 507957 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Miguel Rolo ́n, Executive Director, 

Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 

270 Mun ̃ oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, 

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–1903, 

telephone: (787) 398–3717. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

following items included in the 

tentative agenda will be discussed: 

—Call to Order 

—Roll Call 

—Adoption of Agenda 

—5-Year Strategic Plan 

—Other Business 

All three meetings will be discussing 

the same agenda items. 

The order of business may be adjusted 

as necessary to accommodate the 

completion of agenda items. The 

meetings will begin on June 15, 2021 at 

10 a.m. EDT, and will end on June 16, 

2021, at 12 p.m. EDT. Other than the 

start time, interested parties should be 

aware that discussions may start earlier 

or later than indicated, at the discretion 

of the Chair. 

Special Accommodations 

Simultaneous interpretation will be 

provided for the DAP–PR, on June 15, 

2021. 

Se proveera ́ interpretacio ́n en espan ̃ ol. 

Para interpretacio ́n en espan ̃ ol puede 

marcar el siguiente nu ́mero para entrar 

a la reunio ́n: US/Canada ́: llame al +1– 

888–947–3988, cuando el sistema 

conteste, entrar el nu ́mero 1*999996#. 

For English interpretation you may 

dial the following number to enter the 

meeting: US/Canada: call +1–888–947– 

3988, when the system answers enter 

the number 2*999996#. 

For any additional information on this 

public virtual meeting, please contact 

Diana Martino, Caribbean Fishery 

Management Council, 270 Mun ̃ oz 

Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, 

Puerto Rico, 00918–1903, telephone: 

(787) 226–8849. 

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

Dated: May 25, 2021. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–11326 Filed 5–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB120] 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to Army Corps of 

Engineers Debris Dock Replacement 

Project, Sausalito, California 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental 

harassment authorization; request for 

comments on proposed authorization 

and possible renewal. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

(ACOE) for authorization to take marine 

mammals incidental to the Debris Dock 

Replacement Project in Sausalito, 

California. Pursuant to the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS 

is requesting comments on its proposal 

to issue an incidental harassment 

authorization (IHA) to incidentally take 

marine mammals during the specified 

activities. NMFS is also requesting 

comments on a possible one-year 

renewal that could be issued under 

certain circumstances and if all 

requirements are met, as described in 

Request for Public Comments at the end 

of this notice. NMFS will consider 

public comments prior to making any 

final decision on the issuance of the 

requested MMPA authorizations and 

agency responses will be summarized in 

the final notice of our decision. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than June 28, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should be 

addressed to Jolie Harrison, Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service and should be 

sent to ITP.Meadows@noaa.gov. 

Instructions: NMFS is not responsible 

for comments sent by any other method, 

to any other address or individual, or 

received after the end of the comment 

period. Comments received 

electronically, including all 

attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word or Excel or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted online at 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act without 

change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit confidential business 

information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Dwayne Meadows, Ph.D., Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427– 

8401. Electronic copies of the 

application and supporting documents, 

as well as a list of the references cited 

in this document, may be obtained 

online at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act. In case 

of problems accessing these documents, 

please call the contact listed above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The MMPA prohibits the ‘‘take’’ of 

marine mammals, with certain 

exceptions. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and 

(D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 

seq.) direct the Secretary of Commerce 

(as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon 

request, the incidental, but not 

intentional, taking of small numbers of 

marine mammals by U.S. citizens who 

engage in a specified activity (other than 

commercial fishing) within a specified 

geographical region if certain findings 

are made and either regulations are 

issued or, if the taking is limited to 

harassment, a notice of a proposed 

incidental take authorization may be 

provided to the public for review. 

Authorization for incidental takings 

shall be granted if NMFS finds that the 

taking will have a negligible impact on 

the species or stock(s) and will not have 

an unmitigable adverse impact on the 

availability of the species or stock(s) for 

taking for subsistence uses (where 

relevant). Further, NMFS must prescribe 

the permissible methods of taking and 

other ‘‘means of effecting the least 

practicable adverse impact’’ on the 

affected species or stocks and their 

habitat, paying particular attention to 

rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of