Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Notices 50411 

hunting areas; (ii) Directly displacing 

subsistence users; or (iii) Placing 

physical barriers between the marine 

mammals and the subsistence hunters; 

and (2) That cannot be sufficiently 

mitigated by other measures to increase 

the availability of marine mammals to 

allow subsistence needs to be met. 

Harbor seals and Steller sea lions are 

subsistence harvested in Alaska. During 

2012, the estimated subsistence take of 

harbor seals in southeast Alaska was 

595 seals with 49 of these taken near 

Sitka (Wolfe et al., 2013). This is the 

lowest number of seals taken since 1992 

(Wolfe et al., 2013) and is attributed to 

the decline in subsistence hunting 

pressure over the years as well as a 

decrease in efficiency per hunter (Wolf 

et al., 2013). 

The peak hunting season in southeast 

Alaska occurs during the month of 

November and again over the March to 

April time frame (Wolfe et al., 2013). 

This corresponds to times when seals 

are aggregated in shoal areas as they 

prey on forage species such as herring, 

making them easier to find and hunt. 

The Project is in an area where 

subsistence hunting for harbor seals or 

sea lions could occur (Wolfe et al., 

2013), but the location is not preferred 

for hunting. There is little to no hunting 

documented in the vicinity and there 

are no harvest quotas for non-listed 

marine mammals. For these reasons and 

the fact that Project activities would 

occur outside of the primary subsistence 

hunting seasons, there would be no 

impact on subsistence activities or on 

the availability of marine mammals for 

subsistence use. 

To satisfy requirements under Section 

106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act, R&M Consultants, Inc. 

reached out to the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, 

Central Council of the Tlingit and 

Haida, and Sealaska regarding cultural 

resources in 2016. No issues or concerns 

with the Project were raised during this 

effort. 

Based on the description of the 

specified activity, the measures 

described to minimize adverse effects 

on the availability of marine mammals 

for subsistence purposes, and the 

mitigation and monitoring measures, 

NMFS has determined that there will 

not be an unmitigable adverse impact on 

subsistence uses from the FAA’s 

activities. 

Endangered Species Act 

Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal 

agency insure that any action it 

authorizes, funds, or carries out is not 

likely to jeopardize the continued 

existence of any endangered or 

threatened species or result in the 

destruction or adverse modification of 

designated critical habitat. To ensure 

ESA compliance for the issuance of 

IHAs, NMFS consults internally, in this 

case with the Alaska Regional Office, 

whenever we propose to authorize take 

for endangered or threatened species. 

NMFS is authorizing take of two DPSs 

(i.e., western DPS of Steller sea lions 

and Mexico DPS of humpback whales), 

which are listed under the ESA. The 

Permit and Conservation Division 

requested initiation of Section 7 

consultation with the Alaska Region for 

the issuance of this IHA. The NMFS 

Alaska Regional Office Protected 

Resources Division issued a Biological 

Opinion in October, 2017 under section 

7 of the ESA, on the issuance of an IHA 

to the FAA under section 101(a)(5)(D) of 

the MMPA by the NMFS Permits and 

Conservation Division. The Biological 

Opinion concluded that the proposed 

action is not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of western DPS 

Steller sea lions or Mexico DPS of 

humpback whales, and is not likely to 

destroy or adversely modify western 

DPS Steller sea lion critical habitat. 

Authorization 

NMFS has issued an IHA to the FAA 

for the potential harassment of small 

numbers of five marine mammal species 

incidental to the Biorka Island dock 

replacement project in Sitka, AK, 

provided the previously mentioned 

mitigation, monitoring and reporting 

requirements are incorporated. 

Dated: October 25, 2017. 

Donna S. Wieting, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23563 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF803 

Western 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 Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold its 172nd meeting by 

teleconference and webinar to discuss 

and make recommendations on fishery 

management issues in the Western 

Pacific Region. 

DATES: The Council will meet on 

November 15, 2017, between 2 p.m. and 

5 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time (HST)); 1 

and 4 p.m. (American Samoa Standard 

Time (ASST)); and November 16, 2017, 

between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Marianas 

Standard Time (MST)). All times listed 

are local island times. For specific time 

and agenda, see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held by 

teleconference and webinar. The 

teleconference numbers are: U.S. tollfree: 1 (888) 482–3560, International 

Access: +1 (647) 723–3959, and Access 

Code: 5228220. The webinar can be 

accessed at: https://wprfmc.webex.com/ 

join/info.wpcouncilnoaa.gov. 

The following venues will also be 

host sites for the teleconference: Council 

Conference Room, 1164 Bishop Street, 

Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii; Land 

Grant Conference Room, American 

Samoa Community College, Agriculture, 

Community and Natural Resources, 

Mapusaga Road, Malaeimi Village, 

American Samoa; Guam Hilton Resort 

and SPA, 202 Hilton Road, Tumon Bay, 

Guam; Department of Land and Natural 

Resources Conference Room, Santa 

Remedio Drive, Lower Base, Saipan, 

MP. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 

telephone: (808) 522–8220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public 

comment opportunity will be provided 

in the agenda. The order in which 

agenda items are addressed may change. 

The meeting will run as late as 

necessary to complete scheduled 

business. Written comments must be 

received by November 10, 2017. 

Background documents will be available 

from, and written comments should be 

sent to, Kitty M. Simonds, Executive 

Director; Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 1164 Bishop 

Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813; 

phone: (808) 522–8220 or fax: (808) 

522–8226. 

Schedule and Agenda for the 172nd 

Council Meeting 

2 p.m.–5 p.m., Wednesday, November 

15 (HST); 1 p.m.–4 p.m., Wednesday, 

November 15, 2016 (ASST); 10 a.m.– 

1 p.m., Thursday, November 16, 2016 

(MST) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review and Approval of the 172nd 

Agenda 

3. Modifying the Swordfish Trip Limit 

in the American Samoa Longline 

Fishery (Final Action) 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
50412 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Notices 

4. Public Hearing 

5. Other Business 

6. Council Discussion and 

Recommendations 

Non-Emergency issues not contained 

in this agenda may come before the 

Council for discussion and formal 

Council action during its 172nd 

meeting. However, Council action on 

regulatory issues will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any regulatory issue 

arising after publication of this 

document that requires emergency 

action under section 305(c) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the 

public has been notified of the Council’s 

intent to take action to address the 

emergency. 

Agenda items noted as ‘‘Final Action 

Items’’ refer to actions that result in 

Council transmittal of 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 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act. 

Special Accommodations 

The host sites are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, 

(808) 522–8220 (voice) or (808) 522– 

8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: October 25, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23600 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF802 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council’s (MAFMC’s) 

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 

Bass Advisory Panel will hold a public 

meeting via webinar, jointly with the 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 

Commission’s (ASMFC’s) Summer 

Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 

Advisory Panel. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Monday, November 20, 2017, from 2 

p.m. to 5 p.m. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for agenda details. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place 

over webinar with a telephone-only 

connection option. Details on how to 

connect to the webinar by computer and 

by telephone will be available at: http:// 

www.mafmc.org. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, 800 N. State 

Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; 

telephone: (302) 674–2331; Web site: 

www.mafmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, telephone: (302) 

526–5255. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council’s 

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 

Bass Advisory Panel, together with the 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 

Commission’s Advisory Panel, will meet 

on Monday, November 20, 2017. The 

purpose of this meeting is to review and 

provide feedback on proposed 

recreational management measures (e.g., 

bag limits, size limits, and seasons) and 

strategies for the recreational summer 

flounder, scup, and black sea bass 

fisheries in 2018. 

A detailed agenda and background 

documents will be made available on 

the Council’s Web site (www.mafmc.org) 

prior to the meeting. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aid should be directed to 

M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526–5251, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: October 25, 2017. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23591 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF796 

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 

Herring 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 

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 8:30 

a.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Holiday Inn, 700 Myles Standish 

Blvd., Taunton, MA 02780; telephone: 

(508) 823–0430. 

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 committee will review analyses 

prepared for Herring Amendment 8 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(DEIS) specific to the range of 

alternatives developed to address 

potential localized depletion and user 

conflicts in the herring fishery. The 

committee may identify preferred 

alternatives for the Council to consider. 

The committee is not scheduled to 

discuss the other measures under 

consideration in Amendment 8, 

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) 

control rule alternatives. The Council 

reviewed the ABC control rule 

alternatives at the September 2017 

meeting and declined to select a 

preferred alternative, but approved that 

portion of Amendment 8 to proceed for 

submission and public comment. They 

will discuss recommendations for the 

Council to consider for Herring 

Research Set-Aside research priorities 

for fishing years 2019–21 and discuss 

any challenges the program has had in 

recent years. They will discuss other 

business, 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 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES