Document headings vary by document type but may contain
                    the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
the number of the CFR title and the number of each part
                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly
                      related to
the agency docket number / agency internal file number
the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in
                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory
                      Actions See the
                    Document Drafting Handbook
                    for more details.
 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XD569
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Notice; solicitation of nominations.
 SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views of the HMS AP when preparing and implementing Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Nominations are being sought to fill approximately one-third (11) of the seats on the HMS AP for a 3-year appointment. Individuals with definable interests in the recreational and commercial fishing and related industries, environmental community, academia, and non-governmental organizations are considered for membership on the HMS AP.
 DATES: Nominations must be received on or before November 24, 2014.
 ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and requests for the Advisory Panel Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of the following methods: *Email: HMSAP.Nominations@noaa.gov.*
                         Include in the subject line the following identifier: “HMS AP Nominations.”
                    *Mail:*
                         Jenni Wallace, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
                    *Fax:*
                         301-713-1917.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace at (301) 427-8503.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 
                    *et seq.,*
                     as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided that the Secretary may establish Advisory Panels to assist in the collection and evaluation of information relevant to the development of any Fishery Management Plan (FMP) or FMP amendment for any highly migratory species fishery that is under the Secretary's authority. NMFS has consulted with the HMS AP on: Amendment 1 to the Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the HMS FMP (December 2003); the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and September 2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, March and September 2012, January and September 2013, and April and September 2014); among other relevant fishery management issues. Procedures and Guidelines A. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the Advisory Panel Nomination packages should include: 1. The name of the nominee and a description of his/her interest in HMS or HMS fisheries, or in particular species of sharks, swordfish, tunas, or billfish; 2. Contact information, including mailing address, phone, and email of the nominee; 3. A statement of background and/or qualifications; 4. A written commitment that the nominee shall actively participate in good faith, and consistent with ethics obligations, in the meetings and tasks of the HMS AP; and 5. A list of outreach resources that the nominee has at his/her disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups. Qualifications for HMS AP Membership Qualification for membership includes one or more of the following: (1) Experience in HMS recreational fisheries; (2) experience in HMS commercial fisheries; (3) experience in fishery-related industries (
                    *e.g.,*
                     marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the scientific community working with HMS; and/or (5) representation of a private, non-governmental, regional, national, or international organization representing marine fisheries, or environmental, governmental, or academic interests dealing with HMS. Tenure for the HMS AP Member tenure will be for 3 years (36 months), with approximately one-third of the members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year. Nominations are sought for terms beginning January 2015 and expiring December 2017. B. Participants Nominations for the HMS AP will be accepted to allow representation from commercial and recreational fishing interests, and the environmental/non-governmental organization community, who are knowledgeable about Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. Current representation on the HMS AP, as shown in Table 1, consists of 12 members representing commercial interests, 12 members representing recreational interests, 4 members representing environmental interests, 4 academic representatives, and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee Chairperson. Each HMS AP member serves a 3-year term with approximately one-third of the total number of seats (33) expiring on December 31 of each year. NMFS seeks to fill 1 academic, 5 commercial, 3 recreational, and 2 environmental/non-governmental organization vacancies by December 31, 2014. NMFS will seek to fill vacancies based primarily on maintaining the current representation from each of the sectors. NMFS also considers species expertise and representation from the fishing regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean) to ensure the diversity and balance of the AP. Table 1 includes the current representation on the HMS AP by sector, region, and species with terms that are expiring identified in bold. It is not meant to indicate that NMFS will only consider persons who have expertise in the species or fishing regions that are listed. Rather, NMFS will aim toward having as diverse and balanced an AP as possible. Table 1—Current Representation on the HMS AP by Sector, Region, and Species
[Terms that are expiring are in bold. NMFS tries to maintain diversity and balance in representation among fishing regions and species]
Sector
Fishing region
Species
Date
                             appointed
Date term
                             expiresAcademic
All
Swordfish/Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Academic
All
Tuna
1/1/2013
12/31/2015( print page 63603)Academic
Southeast/Gulf of Mexico
Shark
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Academic
Southeast
Swordfish/HMS
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Commercial
MidAtlantic
HMS
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Commercial
Northeast
Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Commercial
Gulf of Mexico
Tuna/Swordfish
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Commercial
Northeast
Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Commercial
Northeast
Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Commercial
Southeast
Shark
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Commercial
Southeast
Swordfish/Tuna
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Commercial
Northeast
Tuna
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Commercial
Mid-Atlantic
HMS/Shark
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Commercial
Southeast
Swordfish
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Commercial
Gulf of Mexico
Shark
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Commercial
Gulf of Mexico
Shark
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Environmental
All
Shark
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Environmental
Gulf of Mexico
HMS
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Environmental
All
Tuna
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Environmental
All
Tuna
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Recreational
Gulf of Mexico/Southeast
Billfish/Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Recreational
Mid-Atlantic
HMS
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Recreational
Mid-Atlantic
Tuna
1/1/2012
12/31/2014Recreational
Northeast
Tuna/Shark
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Recreational
Southeast
Swordfish
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Recreational
Northeast
Tuna
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Recreational
Southeast
HMS
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Recreational
Northeast
HMS
1/1/2013
12/31/2015Recreational
Southeast
HMS
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Recreational
Mid-Atlantic
HMS
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Recreational
Southeast
Billfish
1/1/2014
12/31/2016Recreational
Gulf of Mexico
HMS
1/1/2014
12/31/2016
 The intent is to have a group that, as a whole, reflects an appropriate and equitable balance and mix of interests given the responsibilities of the HMS AP. Five additional members on the HMS AP include one member representing each of the following Councils: New England Fishery Management Council, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The HMS AP also includes 22 ex-officio participants: 20 Representatives of the coastal states and two representatives of the interstate commissions (the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission). NMFS will provide the necessary administrative support, including technical assistance, for the HMS AP. However, NMFS will not compensate participants with monetary support of any kind. Depending on availability of funds, members may be reimbursed for travel costs related to the HMS AP meetings. C. Meeting Schedule Meetings of the HMS AP will be held as frequently as necessary but are routinely held twice each year—once in the spring, and once in the fall. The meetings may be held in conjunction with public hearings. Dated: October 21, 2014. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 2014-25359 Filed 10-23-14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P