Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 154 / Friday, August 11, 2017 / Notices 37575 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; (843) 571– 

4366. Email: Julie.neer@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf 

of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 

Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf 

States Marine Fisheries Commissions 

have implemented the Southeast Data, 

Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 

process, a multi-step method for 

determining the status of fish stocks in 

the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multistep process including: (1) Data 

Workshop, (2) a series of assessment 

webinars, and (3) A Review Workshop. 

The product of the Data Workshop is a 

report that compiles and evaluates 

potential datasets and recommends 

which datasets are appropriate for 

assessment analyses. The assessment 

webinars produce a report that describes 

the fisheries, evaluates the status of the 

stock, estimates biological benchmarks, 

projects future population conditions, 

and recommends research and 

monitoring needs. The product of the 

Review Workshop is an Assessment 

Summary documenting panel opinions 

regarding the strengths and weaknesses 

of the stock assessment and input data. 

Participants for SEDAR Workshops are 

appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South 

Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery 

Management Councils and NOAA 

Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 

HMS Management Division, and 

Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 

Participants include data collectors and 

database managers; stock assessment 

scientists, biologists, and researchers; 

constituency representatives including 

fishermen, environmentalists, and 

NGO’s; International experts; and staff 

of Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

The items of discussion during the 

assessment webinar I are as follows: 

1. Using datasets and initial 

assessment analysis recommended from 

the Data Workshop, panelists will 

employ assessment models to evaluate 

stock status, estimate population 

benchmarks and management criteria, 

and project future conditions. 

2. Participants will recommend the 

most appropriate methods and 

configurations for determining stock 

status and estimating population 

parameters. 

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 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to the Council office 

(see ADDRESSES) at least 2 business days 

prior to each workshop. 

Note: The times and sequence specified in 

this agenda are subject to change. 

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

Dated: August 7, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–16933 Filed 8–10–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF518 

Marine Conservation Plan for Pacific 

Insular Areas Other Than American 

Samoa, Guam, and the Northern 

Mariana Islands; Western Pacific 

Sustainable Fisheries Fund 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of agency decision. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of 

a Marine Conservation Plan (MCP) for 

Pacific Insular Areas other than 

American Samoa, Guam, and the 

Northern Mariana Islands. 

DATES: This agency decision is valid 

from August 4, 2017, through August 3, 

2020. 

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of 

the MCP, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 

2017–0077, from the Federal eRulemaking Portal, http://

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=

NOAA-NMFS-2017-0077, or from the 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., 

Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 

808–522–8220, www.wpcouncil.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melanie Brown, Sustainable Fisheries, 

NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 

808–725–5171. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

204(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) authorizes the 

Secretary of State, with the concurrence 

of the Secretary of Commerce 

(Secretary), and at the request and in 

consultation with the Council, to 

negotiate and enter into a Pacific Insular 

Area fishery agreement (PIAFA). A 

PIAFA would allow foreign fishing 

within the U.S. Exclusive Economic 

Zone (EEZ) adjacent to a Pacific Insular 

Area other than American Samoa, 

Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, 

that is, in the EEZ around the Pacific 

Remote Island Areas (PRIA). The PRIA 

are Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis 

Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, 

Midway Island, Wake Island, and 

Palmyra Atoll. Before entering into a 

PIAFA for the PRIA, the Council must 

develop and submit to the Secretary a 3- 

year MCP that details the uses for funds 

collected by the Secretary under the 

PIAFA. NMFS is the designee of the 

Secretary for MCP review and approval. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires 

any payments received under a PIAFA, 

and any funds or contributions received 

in support of conservation and 

management objectives for the PRIA 

MCP, to be deposited into the Western 

Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund 

(Fund) for use by the Council. 

Additionally, amounts received by the 

Secretary attributable to fines and 

penalties imposed under the MagnusonStevens Act for violations by foreign 

vessels occurring in the EEZ off the 

PRIA are deposited into the Fund for 

use by the Council. Section 204(e)(7)(C) 

of the Magnuson-Stevens Act also 

authorizes the Council to use the Fund 

to meet conservation and management 

objectives in the State of Hawaii, if 

funds remain after implementing the 

PRIA MCP. 

An MCP must be consistent with the 

Council’s fishery ecosystem plans 

(FEPs), identify conservation and 

management objectives (including 

criteria for determining when such 

objectives have been met), and prioritize 

planned marine conservation projects. 

Although no foreign fishing in the PRIA 

is being considered at this time, the 

Council reviewed and approved the 

draft MCP for PRIA in June 2017 and 

sent the MCP to NMFS for review on 

July 7, 2017. 

The PRIA MCP contains five 

conservation and management 

objectives, consistent with the PRIA and 

Pelagic FEPs: 

1. Support quality research and 

monitoring to obtain the most complete 

scientific information available to assess 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
37576 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 154 / Friday, August 11, 2017 / Notices 

and manage fisheries within an 

ecosystem approach. 

2. Conduct education and outreach to 

foster good stewardship principles and 

broad and direct public participation in 

the Council’s decision-making process. 

3. Promote regional cooperation to 

manage domestic and international 

fisheries. 

4. Encourage development of 

technologies and methods to achieve the 

most effective level of monitoring, 

control, and surveillance, and to ensure 

safety at sea. 

5. Support Western Pacific 

community demonstration projects and 

Western Pacific Community 

Development Program to promote 

participation and access to fisheries for 

eligible communities. 

In addition, the PRIA MCP contains 

seven conservation and management 

objectives, consistent with the Hawaii 

FEP: 

1. Support quality research and 

monitoring to obtain the most complete 

scientific information available to assess 

and manage fisheries within an 

ecosystem approach. 

2. Promote an ecosystem approach to 

fisheries management including 

reducing bycatch in fisheries, 

minimizing impacts on marine habitats 

and protected species, and addressing 

climate change adaptation and 

mitigation. 

3. Conduct education and outreach to 

foster good stewardship principles and 

broad and direct public participation in 

the Council’s decision-making process. 

4. Recognize the importance of island 

cultures and traditional fishing practices 

in managing fishery resources and foster 

opportunities for participation. 

5. Promote responsible domestic 

fisheries development to provided longterm economic growth and stability by 

reducing foreign imports and increasing 

local seafood production. 

6. Promote regional cooperation and 

capacity-building to manage domestic 

and international fisheries. 

7. Encourage development of 

technologies and methods to achieve the 

most effective level of monitoring, 

control, and surveillance, and to ensure 

safety at sea. 

Please refer to the MCP for planned 

projects and activities designed to meet 

each conservation and management 

objective, for the evaluative criteria, and 

for the priority rankings. 

This notice announces that NMFS has 

reviewed the MCP for the PRIA, and has 

determined that it satisfies the 

requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act. Accordingly, NMFS has approved 

the MCP for the 3-year period from 

August 4, 2017, through August 3, 2020. 

This MCP supersedes the MCP 

previously approved for the period 

August 4, 2014, through August 3, 2017 

(79 FR 44753, August 1, 2014). 

Dated: August 8, 2017. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–16988 Filed 8–10–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

United States Patent and Trademark 

Office 

Patent Examiner Employment 

Application 

ACTION: Proposed extension of an 

existing information collection; 

comment request. 

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and 

Trademark Office (USPTO), as required 

by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995, invites comments on a proposed 

extension of an existing information 

collection: 0651–0042 (Patent Examiner 

Employment Application). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before October 10, 

2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by any of the following methods: 

• Email: InformationCollection@

uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0042 

comment’’ in the subject line of the 

message. 

• Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. 

• Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records and 

Information Governance Division 

Director, Office of the Chief Technology 

Officer, United States Patent and 

Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 

Alexandria, VA 22313–1450. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Request for additional information 

should be directed to LaRita Jones, Chief 

of the Workforce Employment Division, 

Office of Human Resources, United 

States Patent and Trademark Office, 

P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313– 

145; by telephone at 571–272–6196; or 

by email to larita.jones@upsto.gov with 

‘‘0651–0042 comment’’ in the subject 

line. Additional information about this 

collection is also available at http://

www.reginfo.gov under ‘‘Information 

Collection Review.’’ 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

In the current employment 

environment, information technology 

professionals and engineering graduates 

are in great demand. The USPTO is in 

direct competition with private industry 

for the same caliber of candidates with 

the requisite knowledge and skills to 

perform patent examination work. The 

use of automated online systems during 

recruitment allows the USPTO to 

remain competitive, meet hiring goals, 

and fulfill the agency’s Congressional 

commitment to reduce the pendency 

rate for the examination of patent 

applications. 

The USPTO uses the Monster Hiring 

Management (MHM) system to rapidly 

review applications for employment of 

entry-level patent examiners. Using 

MHM saves time by eliminating paper 

applications; reducing by several weeks 

the time Office of Human Resources 

staff need to spend processing and 

reviewing applications. Given the time 

sensitive hiring needs of the Patent 

Examining Corps, the MHM system 

provides increased speed and accuracy 

during the employment process. 

The MHM online application collects 

supplemental information to an 

candidate’s USAjobs application. This 

information assists the Human Resource 

Specialists and hiring managers in 

determining whether an applicant 

possesses the basic qualification 

requirements for the patent examiner 

position. From the information 

collected, the MHM system creates an 

electronic real-time candidate inventory 

on applicants’ expertise and technical 

knowledge, which allows the USPTO to 

instantaneously review applications 

from multiple potential applicants. 

The use of the MHM online 

application fully complies with 5 U.S.C. 

2301, which requires adequate public 

notice to assure open competition by 

guaranteeing that necessary 

employment information will be 

accessible and available to the public on 

inquiry. It is also fully compliant with 

Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794(d)), which 

requires agencies to provide disabled 

employees and members of the public 

access to information that is comparable 

to the access available to others. 

II. Method of Collection 

With the use of MHM, the applicant’s 

information is collected electronically 

from the application. The USAJobs.gov 

Web site provides the online job 

announcement that links the applicant 

to the application and the MHM system. 

The application is completed online and 

then transmitted to the USPTO via the 

Internet. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0651–0042. 

IC Instruments and Forms: There are 

no forms associated with this collection. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES