Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 2014 / Notices 63903 

DATES: The webinar will be held on 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014, from 1 

p.m. until 4 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: 

Meeting address: The meeting will be 

held via webinar. The webinar is open 

to members of the public. Those 

interested in participating should 

contact Chip Collier at the Council 

office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT below) to request an invitation 

providing webinar access information. 

Please request webinar invitations at 

least 24 hours in advance of the 

webinar. 

Council address: South Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council, 4055 

Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. 

Charleston, SC 29405. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Chip Collier, Fishery Biologist; 

telephone: (843) 571–4366; email: 

chip.collier@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Council extended the snapper grouper 

bottom fishing restrictions for the 

Oculina Experimental Closed Area 

(OECA) for an indefinite period in 

Snapper Grouper Amendment 13A. The 

amendment required that the size and 

configuration of the OECA be reviewed 

within 3 years of the implementation 

date of 13A and that a 10-year reevaluation be conducted. The Oculina 

Evaluation Team is meeting to review 

and provide final recommendations for 

the ongoing research and monitoring, 

outreach, and law enforcement 

components of the Evaluation Plan for 

the Oculina Experimental Closed Area 

and will finalize the 10-Year Reevaluation Report. The Team is 

comprised of law enforcement 

representatives, research scientists, 

resource managers, commercial 

fishermen, recreational fishermen, 

outreach experts, and non-governmental 

organization representatives. 

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 SAFMC 

office (see ADDRESSES) at least 10 

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: October 21, 2014. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–25367 Filed 10–24–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD577 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold advisory body meetings in Hawaii 

and in the Marianas Archipelago during 

the month of November 2014 regarding 

the Council’s Fishery Ecosystem and 

Program Plans. All Marianas Fishery 

Ecosystem Plan Review meetings will 

follow the same agenda. 

DATES: The Marine Planning and 

Climate Change Committee will meet on 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014, and 

Thursday, November 13, 2014, from 9 

a.m. to 5 p.m.; Guam Marianas 

Archipelago Regional Ecosystem 

Advisory Committee will meet on 

Thursday, November 13, 2014, from 9 

a.m. to 12 p.m.; Guam Plan Team, 

Advisory Panel, and other advisors on 

Thursday, November 13, 2014, from 2 

p.m. to 8 p.m.; Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Plan 

Team, Advisory Panel, and other 

advisors on Saturday, November 15 

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the CNMI 

Marianas Archipelago Regional 

Ecosystem Advisory Committee on 

Monday, November 17 from 9 a.m. to 12 

p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The Marine Planning and 

Climate Change Committee will meet at 

the Council office, 1164 Bishop Street, 

Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI; telephone: 

(808) 522–8220. The meetings on Guam 

will be held in the Gallery at the Guam 

Hilton, 202 Hilton Road, Tamuning, 

Guam; telephone: (671) 646–1835. The 

meetings in the CNMI will be held in 

the Asuzena 2 meeting room, Fiesta 

Hotel, Coral Tree Avenue, Garapan, 

Saipan; telephone: (670) 234–6412. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 

telephone: (808) 522–8220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Marine Planning and Climate Change 

Committee Meeting 

November 12, 2014 

1. Introductions 

2. Approval of draft agenda 

3. Approval of September 15, 2014, 

Committee meeting minutes 

4. Implementation plan for Council 

actions related to marine planning 

& climate change 

A. Review Committee’s categorization 

& prioritization of Council’s marine 

planning and climate change action 

items 

B. Review comments from Scientific & 

Statistical Committee 

C. Review comments from Council 

D. Public comment 

E. Committee discussion and 

recommended plan for 

implementing action items 

5. Round-robin of area updates related 

to marine planning & climate 

change (time permitting) 

November 13, 2014 

6. Draft Marine Planning and Climate 

Change Policy 

A. Review of fisheries in Council’s 

jurisdiction 

B. Review of Magnuson-Stevens 

Fisheries Conservation and 

Management Act’s National 

Standards 

C. Review of Council’s structure and 

federal fishery decision-making 

process 

D. Overview of ongoing amendments 

to Council’s fishery ecosystem 

plans and programs 

E. Review draft MPCC policy 

statement 

F. Public comment 

G. Committee discussion and 

recommendations 

7. Election of Officers 

8. Other business and next meeting 

Guam and CNMI Meetings 

Council advisors and other 

participants will review current issues 

related to the Council’s program plans 

and fishery ecosystem plans and 

provide input to assist in the evaluation 

and update of the fishery ecosystem 

plans. The meetings may result in 

formal recommendations on these 

topics. 

Agendas (all meetings on Guam and 

CNMI will follow this same agenda): 

1. Welcome and Introductions 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
63904 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 2014 / Notices 

2. Overview of the Council and its 

Fisheries 

A. Authority and Responsibilities 

B. Council Structure, Programs, and 

Fisheries 

C. Five Year Program Plan 

i. Integrating Ecosystem Information 

ii. Supporting Monitoring, Data 

Collection, and Research 

iii. Building Capacity 

iv. Highly Migratory Species, Trade, 

and Compliance 

v. Reviewing Fishery Ecosystem Plans 

3. Review of Council’s Fishery 

Ecosystem Plans 

A. Background 

B. Purpose 

C. Intended Outcomes 

D. Major missing elements 

i. Climate change 

ii. Protected Species 

iii. Social Science 

iv. Connecting the dots 

4. Facilitated Evaluation of Council 

Programs and Focus Areas 

A. Pelagic Fisheries Program 

B. Island Fisheries Program 

C. Ecosystems Program 

i. Protected Species 

ii. Human Dimensions 

D. Fishing Community Program 

E. Education and Outreach Program 

5. Other Relevant Topics 

6. Discussion and Recommendations 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before these groups for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during these meetings. Action 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically listed in this notice and any 

issues arising after publication of this 

notice that require emergency action 

under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has 

been notified of the Council’s intent to 

take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, 

(808) 522–8220 (voice) or (808) 522– 

8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: October 22, 2014. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–25467 Filed 10–24–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD568 

Taking and Importing Marine 

Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 

Incidental to the Elliott Bay Seawall 

Project in Seattle, Washington 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of 

Authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA), as amended, and 

implementing regulations, notification 

is hereby given that a Letter of 

Authorization (LOA) has been issued to 

the City of Seattle’s Department of 

Transportation (SDOT) for the take of 

eight species of marine mammals 

incidental to pile driving activities 

associated with the Elliott Bay Seawall 

Project (EBSP). 

DATES: Effective from October 22, 2014, 

through October 21, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting 

documentation are available for review 

on the Internet at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ 

pr/permits/incidental/construction.htm. 

Documents cited in this notice may also 

be viewed, by appointment, during 

regular business hours at the Office of 

Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910– 

3225, by telephoning the contact listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben 

Laws, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 301–427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA 

(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the 

Secretary of Commerce 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. Under the MMPA, the term 

‘‘take’’ means to harass, hunt, capture, 

or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, 

capture, or kill marine mammals. 

Authorization for incidental takings 

shall be granted if NMFS finds that the 

taking will have a negligible impact on 

the identified species or stock(s), will 

not have an unmitigable adverse impact 

on the availability of the species or 

stock(s) for subsistence uses (where 

relevant), and if the permissible 

methods of taking and requirements 

pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring 

and reporting of such takings are set 

forth in the regulations. NMFS has 

defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR 

216.103 as ‘‘ . . . an impact resulting 

from the specified activity that cannot 

be reasonably expected to, and is not 

reasonably likely to, adversely affect the 

species or stock through effects on 

annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’ 

Regulations governing the taking of 

harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), 

California sea lions (Zalophus 

californianus), Steller sea lions 

(Eumetopias jubatus monteriensis), 

harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena 

vomerina), Dall’s porpoise 

(Phocoenoides dalli dalli), southern 

resident and transient killer whales 

(Orcinus orca), gray whales 

(Eschrichtius robustus), and humpback 

whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), by 

harassment, incidental to pile driving 

activities in Elliott Bay, were issued on 

October 21, 2013 (78 FR 63396, October 

24, 2013), and remain in effect until 

October 21, 2018. For detailed 

information on this action, please refer 

to that document. The regulations 

include mitigation, monitoring, and 

reporting requirements for the 

incidental take of marine mammals 

during pile driving activities associated 

with the Elliott Bay Seawall. 

Pursuant to those regulations, NMFS 

first issued an LOA, effective from 

October 22, 2013, through October 21, 

2014. SDOT conducted activities as 

described, implemented the required 

mitigation measures, and conducted the 

required monitoring. The total number 

of potentially harassed marine mammals 

was well below the authorized limits, 

with the exception of the California sea 

lion. The reported take for California sea 

lion, by Level B harassment only, 

exceeded the annually authorized level 

by a small amount (186 versus 175). 

This overage does not affect the 

negligible impact, small numbers, and 

subsistence findings. In examining the 

proposed and final rules, we determined 

that an error was made in estimating 

take of California sea lions. We plan to 

correct that error through notification 

and opportunity for public comment in 

the Federal Register. Once corrected, 

the amount of take will not likely 

exceed authorized levels and we expect 

the correction will be made before 

SDOT approaches the amount 

authorized in the current subject LOA. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES