37574 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 154 / Friday, August 11, 2017 / Notices 

• Sets inside and outside of the two 

sub-areas of the EFC PLL Closed Area 

would be equipped with hook timers, in 

accordance with protocols established 

by NMFS, to determine when animals 

were captured and when mortality 

occurs. This will help determine 

appropriate PLL soak time to minimize 

dusky and other shark mortality. 

• To assist in current research efforts 

on shortfin mako sharks, observers are 

requested to place a specified number of 

pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATS) 

on shortfin mako sharks that are 

released alive. 

• NMFS will closely monitor the 

catches during the project duration and 

has the ability to modify the conditions 

of the EFP, and end the research project, 

to address bycatch as warranted. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 

U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: August 4, 2017. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–16990 Filed 8–10–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF592 

Marine Mammals; File No. 21158 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana State 

University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, 

MT 59717, has applied in due form for 

a permit to conduct research on 

Weddell seals (Leptoncychotes 

weddellii). 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

September 11, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on 

the Applications and Permits for 

Protected Species (APPS) home page, 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then 

selecting File No. 21158 from the list of 

available applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, at 

the address listed above. Comments may 

also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 

713–0376, or by email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include the File No. in the subject line 

of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division at the address listed above. The 

request should set forth the specific 

reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara 

Young or Carrie Hubard, (301) 427– 

8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216). 

The applicant proposes to continue 

long-term studies of the Erebus Bay, 

Antarctica, Weddell seal population to 

evaluate how temporal variation in the 

marine environment affects individual 

life histories and the population 

dynamics of long-lived mammal. 

Research involves the annual capture of 

up to 675 Weddell seal pups at 1–4 days 

after birth, flipper tagging, and release. 

A maximum of 150 of these pups would 

also receive a temperature recording 

flipper tag, be physically weighed, and 

have a skin biopsy taken for genetics 

when initially tagged. These pups 

would be re-captured again at 20 days 

of age to be weighed, and again at 

weaning for weighing and to remove the 

temperature tags. The applicant also 

proposes to capture up to 285 adults 

Weddell seals using the head-bagging 

technique to flipper tag previously 

untagged seals or replace lost or 

damaged tags of previously tagged 

individuals. An additional 100 

previously tagged adult Weddell seals 

would be captured to obtain a skin 

biopsy for genetics. Up to 75 adult 

female Weddell seals would be 

photographed on the 3 occasions when 

their pup is weighed to obtained an 

estimate of the mother’s mass through 

photogrammetry. An additional 15 

females would be physically weighed 

when their pups were initially tagged 

and weighed. The applicant proposes to 

conduct up to eight mark-resight 

surveys, approaching animals to read 

their flipper tags. The applicant also 

requests incidental take of crabeater 

seals (Lobodon carcinophagus) and 

leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) that 

may be unintentionally harassed. This 

permit would be valid for five years. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: August 8, 2017. 

Julia Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–16985 Filed 8–10–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF596 

Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR); Post Data-Workshop 

Webinar Gulf of Mexico Gray Snapper; 

Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 51 assessment 

webinar II for Gulf of Mexico gray 

snapper. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR 51 assessment 

process of Gulf of Mexico gray snapper 

will consist of a Data Workshop, a series 

of assessment webinars, and a Review 

Workshop. 

DATES: The SEDAR 51 assessment 

webinar II will be held August 21, 2017 

from 1 p.m.–3 p.m. Eastern Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. The webinar is open to 

members of the public. Those interested 

in participating should contact Julie A. 

Neer at SEDAR (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) to request an 

invitation providing webinar access 

information. Please request webinar 

invitations at least 24 hours in advance 

of each webinar. SEDAR address: 4055 

Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North 

Charleston, SC 29405. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
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