40996 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 29, 2017 / Notices 

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 scoping webinar are as 

follows: 

Panelists will review the data sets 

being considered for the assessment and 

discuss initial modeling efforts. 

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 

The meeting is 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 5 

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 24, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–18300 Filed 8–28–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF617 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public meeting of its 

Scallop 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: This meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 9:30 

a.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 

MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 

02740; phone: (774) 634–2000. 

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: 

Agenda 

The Scallop Committee will review 

preliminary 2017 scallop survey results 

and discuss initial recommendations 

from the Scallop Plan Development 

Team (PDT) for FY 2018 and FY 2019 

(default) fishery specifications 

(Framework 29). They also plan to 

review and provide input on Framework 

29 management measures; which 

include: (1) Northern Gulf of Maine 

Management Measures; (2) Development 

and modification of flatfish 

accountability measures; (3) Modifying 

access area boundaries to be consistent 

with potential changes to habitat and 

groundfish mortality closures through 

OHA2. The committee will review and 

discuss results from the LAGC IFQ 

program review. They will also develop 

a list of potential 2018 scallop work 

priorities. Additionally, the committee 

will discuss whether there are any 

regulations in the Scallop FMP that 

could be eliminated, improved, or 

streamlined. Several recent Executive 

Orders have been issued about 

streamlining current regulations, and 

NOAA is seeking public input on the 

efficiency and effectiveness of current 

regulations and whether they can be 

improved. The committee will review 

Advisory Panel recommendations. They 

will also continue in a closed door 

session to review applications to the 

Advisory Panel. Other business may be 

discussed as necessary. 

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 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 

This meeting is 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. Consistent with 16 

U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is 

available upon request. 

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

Dated: August 24, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–18299 Filed 8–28–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF643 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Pacific Council) 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 29, 2017 / Notices 40997 

and its advisory entities will hold 

public meetings. 

DATES: The Pacific Council and its 

advisory entities will meet September 

11–18, 2017. The Pacific Council 

meeting will begin on Wednesday, 

September 13, 2017 at 9 a.m. Pacific 

Daylight Time (PDT), reconvening at 8 

a.m. each day through Monday, 

September 18, 2017. All meetings are 

open to the public, except a closed 

session will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 

a.m., Wednesday, September 13 to 

address litigation and personnel 

matters. The Pacific Council will meet 

as late as necessary each day to 

complete its scheduled business. 

ADDRESSES: Meetings of the Pacific 

Council and its advisory entities will be 

held at the Riverside Hotel, 2900 

Chinden Blvd., Boise, ID; telephone: 

(208) 343–1871. 

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: Mr. 

Chuck Tracy, Executive Director; 

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

7204 toll-free; or access the Pacific 

Council Web site, http://

www.pcouncil.org for the current 

meeting location, proposed agenda, and 

meeting briefing materials. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

September 11–18, 2017 meeting of the 

Pacific Council will be streamed live on 

the internet. The broadcasts begin 

initially at 9 a.m. PDT Wednesday, 

September, 2017 and continue at 8 a.m. 

daily through Monday, September 18, 

2017. Broadcasts end daily at 6 p.m. 

PDT or when business for the day is 

complete. Only the audio portion and 

presentations displayed on the screen at 

the Pacific Council meeting will be 

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

Pacific Council via the broadcast. To 

access the meeting online please use the 

following link: http://

www.gotomeeting.com/online/webinar/ 

join-webinar and enter the September 

Webinar ID, 897–986–459, and your 

email address. You can attend the 

webinar online using a computer, tablet, 

or smart phone, using the GoToMeeting 

application. It is recommended that you 

use a computer headset to listen to the 

meeting, but you may use your 

telephone for the audio-only portion of 

the meeting. The audio portion may be 

attended using a telephone by dialing 

the toll number 1–562–247–8422 (not a 

toll-free number), audio access code 

862–846–290, and entering the audio 

pin shown after joining the webinar. 

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 U.S. Secretary of Commerce, under 

Sections 304 or 305 of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act. Additional detail on 

agenda items, Council action, advisory 

entity meeting times, and meeting 

rooms are described in Agenda Item 

A.5, Proposed Council Meeting Agenda, 

and will be in the advance September 

2017 briefing materials and posted on 

the Pacific Council Web site at 

www.pcouncil.org no later than August 

25, 2017. 

A. Call to Order 

1. Opening Remarks 

2. Council Member Appointments 

3. Roll Call 

4. Executive Director’s Report 

5. Approve Agenda 

B. Open Comment Period 

1. Comments on Non-Agenda Items 

C. Coastal Pelagic Species Management 

1. Acoustic Trawl Survey 

Methodology Review Terms of 

Reference 

D. Habitat 

1. Current Habitat Issues 

E. Groundfish Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report 

2. Off-Year Science Improvements 

3. Stock Assessment Methodology 

Review 

4. Coastwide Non-whiting Midwater 

Trawl Exempted Fishing Permit 

(EFP) Final Action and Gear 

Modification EFP Review 

5. Flexibility in Annual Catch Limit 

Management Response, Scoping 

6. Electronic Monitoring—Preliminary 

Pacific Halibut Discard Mortality 

Rates and Third-Party Review 

7. Trawl Catch Share Review, 

Preliminary Range of Follow-On 

Actions, and Intersector Allocation 

8. Adopt Final Stock Assessments 

9. Initial Harvest Specifications and 

Management Measure Actions for 

2019–2020 Management 

10. Final Actions on Inseason 

Adjustments 

F. Salmon Management 

1. Methodology Review Final Topic 

Selection 

2. Sacramento River Winter Chinook 

Control Rule, Preliminary 

Recommendations 

G. Pacific Halibut Management 

1. 2018 and Beyond Catch Sharing 

Plan and Annual Regulation 

Changes 

H. Administrative Matters 

1. Legislative Matters 

2. Fiscal Matters 

3. Approval of Council Meeting 

Record 

4. Membership Appointments and 

Council Operating Procedures 

5. Future Council Meeting Agenda 

and Workload Planning 

I. Ecosystem-Based Management 

1. Climate Vulnerability Assessment 

Report 

2. Fishery Ecosystem Plan Initiatives: 

Scoping and Selection 

J. Highly Migratory Species Management 

1. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Report 

2. Swordfish Management Project 

Planning 

3. Recommendations for International 

Management Activities 

4. Fishery Management Plan 

Amendment 4: Status 

Determination Criteria Final Action 

5. Proposed Deep-Set Buoy Gear 

Exempted Fishing Permits 

6. Authorization of Deep-Set Buoy 

Gear and Federal Permitting 

Advisory Body Agendas 

Advisory body agendas will include 

discussions of relevant issues that are 

on the Pacific Council agenda for this 

meeting, and may also include issues 

that may be relevant to future Council 

meetings. Proposed advisory body 

agendas for this meeting will be 

available on the Pacific Council Web 

site http://www.pcouncil.org/counciloperations/council-meetings/currentbriefing-book/ no later than Friday, 

August 25, 2017. 

Schedule of Ancillary Meetings 

Day 1—Monday, September 11, 2017 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

Ecosystem Subcommittee 10 a.m. 

Day 2—Tuesday, September 12, 2017 

Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Habitat Committee 8 a.m. 

Sacramento River Winter Chinook 

Workgroup 8 a.m. 

Salmon Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 8 

a.m. 

Legislative Committee 1 p.m. 

Budget Committee 2:30 a.m. 

Day 3—Wednesday, September 13, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Ecosystem Workgroup 8 a.m. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
40998 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 29, 2017 / Notices 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Sacramento River Winter Chinook 

Workgroup 8 a.m. 

Salmon Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 8 

a.m. 

Enforcement Consultants 3 p.m. 

Day 4—Thursday, September 14, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Ecosystem Workgroup 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Advisory 

Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Team 8 a.m. 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

Ecosystem Subcommittee 8 a.m. 

Enforcement Consultants Ad Hoc 

Groundfish Stock Assessment 

Presentation/Q & A 7:30 p.m. 

Day 5—Friday, September 15, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Advisory 

Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Team 8 a.m. 

Enforcement Consultants Ad Hoc 

Day 6—Saturday, September 16, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Advisory 

Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Team 8 a.m. 

Enforcement Consultants Ad Hoc 

Day 7—Sunday, September 17, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m. 

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m. 

Enforcement Consultants Ad Hoc 

Day 8—Monday, September 18, 2017 

California State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before the Pacific Council for 

discussion, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal Council action during 

this meeting. Council 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 Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the Pacific 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 Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt at (503) 820–2280, ext. 

411 at least 10 business days prior to the 

meeting date. 

Dated: August 24, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–18277 Filed 8–24–17; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF608 

Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to 

the U.S. Air Force 86 Fighter Weapons 

Squadron Conducting Long Range 

Strike Weapons System Evaluation 

Program 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of issuance of Letter of 

Authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA) and implementing regulations, 

notice is hereby given that a Letter of 

Authorization (LOA) has been issued to 

the U.S. Air Force (USAF) 86 Fighter 

Weapon Squadron (86 FWS) to take 

marine mammals incidental to Long 

Range Strike (LRS) Weapons System 

Evaluation Program (WSEP) exercises 

on the Barking Sands Underwater Range 

Expansion (BSURE) area of the Pacific 

Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off Kauai, 

Hawaii. These activities are considered 

military readiness activities pursuant to 

the MMPA, as amended by the National 

Defense Authorization Act of 2004 

(NDAA). 

DATES: This LOA is valid from August 

21, 2017, through August 20, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting 

documents may be obtained online at: 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ 

incidental/military.htm. In case of 

problems accessing these documents, 

please call the contact listed below (see 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jaclyn Daly, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, 301–427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

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

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 regulations are 

issued. Under the MMPA, the term 

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

or kill or to attempt to harass, hunt, 

capture, or kill marine mammals. NMFS 

has been delegated the authority to issue 

regulations and Letters of 

Authorizations allowing the take of 

marine mammals incidental to specified 

activities. 

The NDAA (Pub. L. 108–136) 

removed the ‘‘small numbers’’ and 

‘‘specified geographical region’’ 

limitations indicated above and 

amended the definition of ‘‘harassment’’ 

as it applies to a ‘‘military readiness 

activity’’ to read as follows (Section 

3(18)(B) of the MMPA): ‘‘(i) Any act that 

injures or has the significant potential to 

injure a marine mammal or marine 

mammal stock in the wild (Level A 

harassment); or (ii) Any act that disturbs 

or is likely to disturb a marine mammal 

or marine mammal stock in the wild by 

causing disruption of natural behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, surfacing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering, to a point where 

such behavioral patterns are abandoned 

or significantly altered (Level B 

Harassment).’’ 

An authorization for incidental taking 

shall be granted if NMFS finds that the 

taking will have a negligible impact on 

the 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. 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 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES