Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 51447 

SUMMARY: NMFS is convening a meeting 

of the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take 

Reduction Team (PLTRT). The PLTRT 

will discuss the proposed Atlantic 

Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan 

(RIN 0648–AV65) and provide updates 

to team members on recent research and 

actions. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

September 8, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 6 

p.m., and on September 9, 2008, from 

8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The PLTRT meeting will be 

held at the Pier 5 Hotel, 711 Eastern 

Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202. Phone: 

(410) 539–2000, Fax: (410) 783–1469. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin 

Fougeres: (727) 824–5312 or Kristy 

Long: (301) 713–2322. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Bycatch Reduction Requirements in the 

MMPA 

Section 118(f)(1) of the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) 

requires NMFS to develop and 

implement take reduction plans to assist 

in the recovery or prevent the depletion 

of each strategic marine mammal stock 

that interacts with Category I and II 

fisheries. It also provides NMFS 

discretion to develop and implement a 

take reduction plan for any other marine 

mammal stocks that interact with a 

Category I fishery, which the agency 

determines, after notice and opportunity 

for public comment, has a high level of 

mortality and serious injury across a 

number of such marine mammal stocks. 

The MMPA defines a strategic stock 

as a marine mammal stock: (1) for which 

the level of direct human-caused 

mortality exceeds the potential 

biological removal (PBR) level; (2) 

which is declining and is likely to be 

listed under the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) in the foreseeable future; or (3) 

which is listed as threatened or 

endangered under the ESA or as a 

depleted species under the MMPA (16 

U.S.C. 1362(2)). PBR is the maximum 

number of animals, not including 

natural mortalities, that can be removed 

annually from a stock, while allowing 

that stock to reach or maintain its 

optimum sustainable population level. 

Category I or II fisheries are fisheries 

that, respectively, have frequent or 

occasional incidental mortality and 

serious injury of marine mammals. The 

immediate goal of a take reduction plan 

for a strategic stock is to reduce, within 

six months of its implementation, the 

incidental serious injury or mortality of 

marine mammals from commercial 

fishing to levels less than PBR. The 

long-term goal is to reduce, within five 

years of its implementation, the 

incidental serious injury and mortality 

of marine mammals from commercial 

fishing operations to insignificant levels 

approaching a zero serious injury and 

mortality rate, taking into account the 

economics of the fishery, the availability 

of existing technology, and existing state 

or regional fishery management plans. 

The insignificance threshold, or upper 

limit of annual incidental mortality and 

serious injury of marine mammal stocks 

by commercial fisheries, has been 

defined at 50 CFR 229.2 as 10 percent 

of the PBR for a stock of marine 

mammals. 

History of the PLTRT 

The PLTRT was first convened on 

June 29, 2005 (70 FR 36120, June 22, 

2005) to address the incidental serious 

injury and mortality of short- and longfinned pilot whales (Globicephala 

macrorhynchus and Globicephala 

melas) in the Atlantic region of the 

Pelagic Longline Fishery. Because the 

two species of pilot whales are difficult 

to differentiate at sea, abundance and 

total fishery-related mortality and 

serious injury cannot be estimated 

separately for each species. Therefore, 

in the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, 

these estimates are combined for both 

Globicephala species (i.e., Globicephala 

spp.). Globicephala spp. is then split 

into the western North Atlantic and Gulf 

of Mexico stocks. The western North 

Atlantic stocks of Globicephala spp. 

were identified as strategic in the 2003 

Marine Mammal Stock Assessments 

report (SAR). However, NMFS revised 

the abundance estimates for pilot 

whales in the 2005 SAR and, just prior 

to convening the PLTRT, these stocks 

were no longer classified as strategic. 

More recently, the 2007 SAR also 

reports that the estimated average 

annual human-related mortality and 

serious injury for the last five years does 

not exceed PBR and the stocks remain 

non-strategic. 

The Atlantic Pelagic Longline Fishery 

also incidentally seriously injures and 

kills Risso’s dolphins (Grampus 

griseus). For Risso’s dolphins and longfinned and short-finned pilot whales, 

estimated serious injury and mortality 

levels in the pelagic longline fishery 

exceed the insignificance threshold but 

do not exceed the PBR level for each 

stock. Because these species are below 

PBR and considered non-strategic stocks 

but interact with a Category I fishery, 

NMFS directed the PLTRT to develop 

and submit a draft Take Reduction Plan 

to the agency within 11 months. In 

accordance with the long-term goal of 

MMPA section 118, this draft Take 

Reduction Plan would focus on 

reducing incidental mortalities and 

serious injuries of pilot whales and 

Risso’s dolphins to a level approaching 

a zero mortality and serious injury rate 

within five years of implementation of 

the plan. 

As required under section 118 (f)(8) of 

the MMPA, the PLTRT developed a 

draft Take Reduction Plan (TRP) by 

consensus, and submitted this draft to 

NMFS. NMFS then published the TRP 

and implementing regulations proposed 

by the team in the Federal Register on 

June 24, 2008 (73 FR 35623) for a public 

comment period of 90 days, ending on 

September 22, 2008. NMFS is convening 

a meeting of the PLTRT during the 

public comment period, which will be 

facilitated by Scott McCreary and 

Bennett Brooks, CONCUR, Inc., 

Berkeley, California. This meeting will 

occur September 8–9, 2008 in 

Baltimore, MD (see DATES and 

ADDRESSES). Take Reduction Teams are 

not subject to the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 

Meetings are open to the public. 

Dated: August 27, 2008. 

Helen Golde, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–20419 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XJ92 

Permanent Advisory Committee to the 

U.S. National Section to the Western 

and Central Pacific Fisheries 

Commission (WCPFC); Meeting 

Announcement 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces a meeting 

of the Permanent Advisory Committee 

to the U.S. National Section to the 

WCPFC from 17–19 September, 2008, in 

Honolulu, Hawaii. Meeting topics are 

provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY 

INFORMATION section of this notice. 

DATES: The meeting of the Permanent 

Advisory Committee will be held on 

September 17–19, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. 

to 4:30 p.m. (or until business is 

concluded), Hawaii Standard Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Hilton Hawaiian Village in the Sea 

Pearl Meeting Room, 2005 Kalia Road, 

Honolulu, HI 96814. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
51448 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Rhea Moss at 808–944–2161 (voice) or 

808–973–2941 (fax). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the Western and 

Central Pacific Fisheries Convention 

Implementation Act, the Secretary of 

Commerce has appointed 20 members to 

the WCPFC Permanent Advisory 

Committee. Four additional members 

are mandated by the Western and 

Central Pacific Fisheries Convention 

Implementation Act, who are (1) the 

chair of the Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s Advisory 

Committee or the chair’s designee; and 

(2) officials of the fisheries management 

authorities of American Samoa, Guam, 

and the Northern Mariana Islands (or 

their designees). The Committee is 

established to support the work of the 

U.S. National Section to the WCPFC in 

an advisory capacity with respect to 

U.S. participation in the WCPFC. 

NMFS, Pacific Islands Region, provides 

administrative and technical support to 

the Committee. 

As this is the first meeting of the 

Permanent Advisory Committee, it will 

set its agenda and consider its 

organization, prescribe its practices and 

procedures, as well as elect a 

chairperson. 

The Permanent Advisory Committee 

will also receive information on: (1) 

2006 and 2007 WCPFC activities; (2) 

status of the stocks and fisheries in 2006 

and 2007; (3) issues related to the 

development of conservation and 

management measures for bigeye and 

yellowfin tuna and other species for 

2008 and beyond; (4) implementation of 

the WCPFC’s Regional Observer 

Programme and Vessel Monitoring 

System and other compliance 

mechanisms; (5) issues related to the 

impacts of fishing on non-target, 

associated and dependent species, such 

as sea turtles, seabirds and sharks; and 

(6) other issues, as necessary. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting location is physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Rhea Moss, 

NMFS, 808–944–2161(voice) or 808– 

973–2941 (fax), at least 7 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

Authority: P.L. 109–479, Sec. 501, et seq. 

Dated: August 28, 2008. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–20407 Filed 8–28–08; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) Science 

Advisory Board 

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research (OAR), National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), Department of 

Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the 

schedule and proposed agenda of a 

forthcoming meeting of the NOAA 

Science Advisory Board. The members 

will discuss and provide advice on 

issues outlined in the agenda below. 

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for: 

September 10, 2008 from 3 p.m. to 5 

p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. 

ADDRESSES: Conference call. Public 

access is available at SSMC 3, Room # 

12836, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 

Spring, MD. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Cynthia Decker, Executive Director, 

Science Advisory Board, NOAA, Rm. 

11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 

Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 301– 

734–1156, Fax: 301–713–1459, E-mail: 

Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Science Advisory Board (SAB) was 

established by a Decision Memorandum 

dated September 25, 1997, and is the 

only Federal Advisory Committee with 

responsibility to advise the Under 

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 

Atmosphere on strategies for research, 

education, and application of science to 

operations and information services. 

SAB activities and advice provide 

necessary input to ensure that National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) science 

programs are of the highest quality and 

provide optimal support to resource 

management. 

Matters to be Considered: The agenda 

for the meeting is as follows: 

Date and Time: September 10, 2008 

from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET. 

Agenda 

1. Discussion and consideration of the 

Draft Report on the Review of the 

NOAA Climate Research and Modeling 

Program, submitted to the SAB by the 

Climate Working Group. 

2. SAB Strategic Planning—for future 

meetings and for the upcoming 

Administration transition. 

3. Discussion and consideration of the 

way forward for the SAB on Oceans and 

Human Health. 

Dated: August 27, 2008. 

Mark E. Brown, 

Chief Financial Officer, Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration. 

[FR Doc. E8–20425 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XK05 

Schedules for Atlantic Shark 

Identification Workshops and 

Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public workshops. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces free 

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops 

and Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

to be held in October, November, and 

December 2008. Certain fishermen and 

shark dealers are required to attend a 

workshop to meet new regulatory 

requirements and maintain valid 

permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark 

Identification Workshop is mandatory 

for all federally permitted Atlantic shark 

dealers. Also, the Protected Species Safe 

Handling, Release, and Identification 

Workshop is mandatory for vessel 

owners and operators who use bottom 

longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet 

gear, and have also been issued shark or 

swordfish limited access permits. 

Additional free workshops will be held 

in 2009 and announced in the Federal 

Register. 

DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification 

Workshops will be held October 9, 

November 6, and December 4, 2008. 

The Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

will be held October 14, November 19 

and 25, and December 17, 2008. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

further details. 

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark 

Identification Workshops will be held in 

Norfolk, VA; Dania Beach, FL; and 

Panama City, FL. 

The Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

will be held in Kenner, LA; Kitty Hawk, 

NC; Indian Rocks Beach, FL; and 

Dedham, MA. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

further details on workshop locations. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES