Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 2014 / Notices 63899 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Requesting Public Comment on 

Updated Framework for the National 

System of Marine Protected Areas 

AGENCY: National Marine Protected 

Areas Center, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice and request for public 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce 

and the Department of the Interior (DOI) 

jointly propose an updated Framework 

for the National System of Marine 

Protected Areas of the United States 

(Framework). The Framework is 

required by Executive Order 13158 on 

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This 

Framework provides overarching 

guidance for collaborative efforts among 

federal, state, commonwealth, 

territorial, tribal and local governments 

and stakeholders to implement an 

effective National System of MPAs 

(National System) from existing sites, 

build management capacity among MPA 

programs, coordinate collaborative 

efforts to address common management 

issues and identify ecosystem-based 

gaps in the protection of significant 

natural and cultural resources for 

possible future action by the nation’s 

MPA authorities. The proposed draft 

document would update the previous 

version of the Framework, completed in 

November 2008, using experience 

gained implementing the National 

System and advice from the Marine 

Protected Areas Federal Advisory 

Committee and MPA programs. 

DATES: Comments will be considered if 

received by December 26, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified as NOAA– 

NOS–2014–0112, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2014- 

0112, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

National Marine Protected Areas Center, 

1305 East West Highway, N/NMS, Silver 

Spring, Maryland 20910, Attn: Lauren 

Wenzel. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NOAA. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NOAA will 

accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ 

A’’ in the required fields if you wish to 

remain anonymous). Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. The draft updated 

Framework is available for download at: 

http://marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lauren Wenzel, Acting Director, 

National Marine Protected Areas Center, 

301–713–7265 or lauren.wenzel@

noaa.gov. 

Copies of the updated Framework can 

be downloaded or viewed on the 

Internet at 

marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov. Copies 

can also be obtained by contacting the 

person identified under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s (NOAA) National 

Marine Protected Areas Center (MPA 

Center), in cooperation with the 

Department of the Interior (DOI), 

completed the Framework for the 

National System of Marine Protected 

Areas of the United States (Framework) 

to meet requirements under Executive 

Order 13158 on Marine Protected Areas 

(Order) in November 2008. NOAA and 

DOI are now proposing to update this 

Framework to reflect five years of 

implementation experience as well as 

advice from MPA management agencies 

and the Marine Protected Areas Federal 

Advisory Committee. The purpose of 

this notice is to notify the public of the 

availability of the draft updated 

Framework for public comment. 

MPAs are an effective tool for 

conserving marine resources, and have 

been implemented by a wide range of 

agencies in the United States to 

conserve biodiversity, restore ecosystem 

functions, conserve cultural resources 

and restore fisheries. When used 

effectively and in conjunction with 

other management tools, MPAs can help 

to ensure healthy Great Lakes and 

oceans by contributing to the overall 

protection of critical marine habitats 

and resources. In this way, effective 

MPAs can offer social and economic 

opportunities for current and future 

generations, such as tourism, 

biotechnology, fishing, education, and 

scientific research. 

Executive Order 13158 calls for the 

creation of a National System of MPAs 

to ‘‘enhance the conservation of our 

Nation’s natural and cultural marine 

heritage and the ecologically and 

economically sustainable use of the 

marine environment for future 

generations.’’ Established in November 

2008, the National System provides a 

mechanism for MPA managers to: 

Voluntarily collaborate on shared 

management challenges; strengthen 

linkages among sites to enhance the 

management of marine resources; and 

build management capacity. 

This proposed updated Framework is 

streamlined for greater clarity and 

readability, has an increased focus on 

the functions of the National System, 

and describes the role of the MPA 

Center in coordinating and supporting 

the National System. It also includes 

substantial revisions to the criteria for 

cultural resources, adding a criterion 

that allows MPAs created by tribes and 

indigenous people to be eligible for the 

National System. 

Dated: October 21, 2014. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2014–25448 Filed 10–24–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD583 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public meeting of its 

Groundfish Committee to consider 

actions affecting New England fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

Recommendations from this group will 

be brought to the full Council for formal 

consideration and action, if appropriate. 

DATES: The meetings will be held on 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 9 

a.m. and Thursday, November 13, 2014 

at 9 a.m. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
63900 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 2014 / Notices 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the Four Points by Sheraton, 407 Squire 

Road Revere, MA 02151; telephone: 

(781) 284–7200; fax: (781) 289–3176. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

committee will discuss Framework 53 

(FW53), specifically, status changes 

(Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock) and 

specifications for groundfish stocks 

(GOM cod and haddock; GOM and 

Georges Bank (GB) winter flounder; 

pollock; GB yellowtail flounder, cod 

and haddock). They will also discuss 

the management measures 

(windowpane flounder sub-annual catch 

limit (ACLs) and accountability 

measures (AMs), expansion of the GOM 

cod inshore spawning closure, 

additional management measures for 

GOM cod, roll-over provision for 

specifications, and carryover 

provisions). Additionally, the 

committee will review the Groundfish 

Plan Development Team’s (PDT) 

environmental impact analysis. They 

will also develop committee 

recommendations to the council 

regarding preferred alternative in FW 

53. They will discuss other business as 

necessary. 

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 Thomas A. Nies, 

Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 

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. 2014–25369 Filed 10–24–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD581 

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 Council and its advisory 

entities will hold public meetings. 

DATES: The Council and its advisory 

entities will meet November 12–19, 

2014. The Council meeting will begin 

on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 1 p.m., 

reconvening each day through 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014. All 

meetings are open to the public, except 

a closed session will be held for 

approximately one hour at 1 p.m. on 

Friday, November 14 to address 

litigation and personnel matters. The 

Council will meet as late as necessary 

each day to complete its scheduled 

business. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa, 

3050 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 

92626; telephone: (714) 540–7000. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. Instructions for attending the 

meeting via live stream broadcast are 

given under SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION, below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Donald O. McIsaac, Executive Director; 

telephone: (503) 820–2280 or (866) 806– 

7204 toll free; or access the Council Web 

site, http://www.pcouncil.org for the 

current meeting location, proposed 

agenda, and meeting briefing materials. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

November 14–19, 2014 meeting of the 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

will be streamed live on the Internet. 

The live meeting will be broadcast daily 

starting at 2 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) on 

Friday, November 14, 2014 through 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014. The 

broadcast will end daily at 6 p.m. PT or 

when business for the day is complete. 

Only the audio portion, and portions of 

the presentations displayed on the 

screen at the Council meeting, will be 

broadcast. The audio portion is listenonly; you will be unable to speak to the 

Council via the broadcast. Join the 

meeting by visiting this link http://

www.joinwebinar.com, enter the 

Webinar ID for this meeting, which is 

430–417–591 and enter your email 

address as required. It is recommended 

that you use a computer headset as 

GoToMeeting allows you to listen to the 

meeting using your computer headset 

and speakers. If you do not have a 

headset and speakers, you may use your 

telephone for the audio portion of the 

meeting by dialing this TOLL number 

1–646–307–1719 (not a toll free 

number); entering the phone audio 

access code 536–452–326; and then 

entering your Audio Pin which will be 

shown to you after joining the webinar. 

The webinar is broadcast in listen only 

mode. 

The following items are on the Pacific 

Council agenda, but not necessarily in 

this order. Agenda items noted as 

‘‘(Final Action)’’ refer to actions 

requiring the Council to transmit a 

proposed fishery management plan, 

proposed plan amendment, or proposed 

regulations to the Secretary of 

Commerce, under Sections 304 or 305 of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act. 

Additional detail on agenda items, 

Council action, and meeting rooms, is 

described in Agenda Item A.4, Proposed 

Council Meeting Agenda, and will be in 

the advance November 2014 briefing 

materials and posted on the Council 

Web site (www.pcouncil.org). 

A. Call to Order 

1. Opening Remarks 

2. Roll Call 

3. Executive Director’s Report 

4. Approve Agenda 

B. Open Comment Period 

1. Comments on Non-Agenda Items 

C. Administrative Matters 

1. Marine Planning Update 

2. Recreational Fisheries Policy 

Update 

3. National Marine Fisheries Service 

West Coast Region Strategic Plan 

4. Approval of Council Meeting 

Minutes 

5. Fiscal Matters 

6. Advisory Body Position 

Appointments and Council 

Operating Procedures 

7. Future Council Meeting Agenda 

and Workload Planning 

D. Habitat 

1. Current Habitat Issues 

E. Coastal Pelagic Species Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report 

2. Sardine Harvest Fraction (Final 

Action) 

3. Methodology Preliminary Topic 

Selection and Review Process 

4. 2015 Exempted Fishing Permit 

(EFP) Notice of Intent 

F. Salmon Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 


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