[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 213 (Thursday, November 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68164-68166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28553]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA777
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Advisory Panel
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; solicitation of nominations.
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SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Atlantic Highly Migratory
Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the
comments and views of the HMS AP when preparing and implementing
Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas,
swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Nominations are being sought to fill
one-third (11) of the seats on the HMS AP for a 3-year appointment.
Individuals with definable interests in the recreational and commercial
fishing and related industries, environmental community, academia, and
non-governmental organizations will be considered for membership in the
HMS AP.
DATES: Nominations must be received on or before December 5, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and requests for the Advisory
Panel Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of
the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject
line the following identifier: ``HMS AP Nominations.''
Mail: Jenni Wallace, Highly Migratory Species Management
Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Fax: (301) 713-1917.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace at (301) 427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the
establishment of Advisory Panels to assist in the collection and
evaluation of information relevant to the development of any Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) or FMP amendment. NMFS has consulted with the HMS
AP on the FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks (final in April
1999), Amendment 1 to
[[Page 68165]]
the Billfish FMP (final in April 1999), Amendment 1 to the 1999 FMP
(final in November 2003), the Consolidated HMS FMP (final in July
2006), Amendments 1, 2, and 3 to the Consolidated HMS FMP (June 2009,
April 2008, and March 2010, respectively), and on the development of
the upcoming Amendments 4, 5, and 6 to the Consolidated HMS FMP.
Procedures and Guidelines
A. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the Advisory Panel
Nomination packages should include:
1. The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of his/
her interest in HMS or in particular species of sharks, swordfish,
tunas, or billfish;
2. Contact information, including mailing address, phone, and email
of the applicant or nominee;
3. A statement of background and/or qualifications;
4. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall
actively participate in good faith in the meetings and tasks of the HMS
AP; and
5. A list of outreach resources that the applicant has at his/her
disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups.
Tenure for the HMS AP
Member tenure will be for 3 years (36 months), with approximately
one-third of the members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year.
Nominations are sought for terms beginning January 2012 and expiring
December 2014.
B. Participants
Nominations for the HMS AP will be accepted to allow representation
from commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific
community, and the environmental community who are knowledgeable about
Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. Current representation on
the HMS AP, as shown in Table 1, consists of 12 members representing
commercial interests, 12 members representing recreational interests, 4
members representing environmental interests, 4 academic
representatives, and the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee Chairperson. Each HMS AP
member serves a 3-year term with approximately one-third (11) of the
total number of seats (33) expiring on December 31 of each year. NMFS
seeks to fill 5 commercial, 3 recreational, 2 environmental, and 1
academic vacancy by December 31, 2011. NMFS will seek to fill vacancies
based primarily on maintaining the current representation from each of
the sectors. NMFS also considers species expertise and representation
from the fishing regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf
of Mexico, and Caribbean) to ensure the diversity and balance of the
AP. Table 1 includes the current representation on the HMS AP by
sector, region and species with terms that are expiring identified in
bold. It is not meant to indicate that NMFS will only consider persons
who have expertise in the species or fishing regions that are listed.
Rather, NMFS will aim toward having as diverse and balanced an AP as
possible.
Table 1-- Current Representation on the HMS AP by Sector, Region, and Species
[Terms that are expiring are in bold. NMFS tries to maintain diversity and balance in representation among
fishing regions and species; the AP Bylaws only dictate representation by Sector]
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Date Date term
Sector Fishing Region Species appointed expires
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Academic.......................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Academic.......................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Academic.......................... All.................. Shark................ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Academic.......................... All.................. Swordfish/HMS........ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Northeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Commercial........................ Southeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Commercial........................ Mid-Atlantic......... Shark................ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Southeast............ Swordfish/Tuna....... 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Mid-Atlantic......... HMS/Shark............ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Southeast............ Swordfish............ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Gulf of Mexico....... Shark................ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Gulf of Mexico....... Shark................ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Environmental..................... All.................. Shark................ 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Environmental..................... All.................. Shark................ 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Environmental..................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Environmental..................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Northeast............ Tuna/Shark........... 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... HMS.................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... Tuna................. 1/1/2009 12/31/2011
Recreational...................... Northeast............ Tuna/Shark........... 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Southeast............ Swordfish............ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... All.................. HMS.................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... HMS.................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Southeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... All.................. Billfish............. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Gulf of Mexico....... HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
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[[Page 68166]]
Regardless of fishing region or species, each sector must be
adequately represented, and the intent is to have a group that, as a
whole, reflects an appropriate and equitable balance and mix of
interests given the responsibilities of the HMS AP. Criteria for
membership include one or more of the following: (1) Experience in the
HMS recreational fishing industry; (2) experience in the HMS commercial
fishing industry; (3) experience in fishery-related industries (e.g.,
marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the scientific
community working with HMS; and/or (5) representation of a private,
non-governmental, regional, national, or international organization
representing marine fisheries; or environmental, governmental, or
academic interests dealing with HMS.
Five additional members on the HMS AP include one member
representing each of the following Councils: New England Fishery
Management Council, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The
HMS AP also includes 22 ex-officio participants: 20 representatives of
the coastal states and two representatives of the interstate
commissions (the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission).
NMFS will provide the necessary administrative support, including
technical assistance, for the HMS AP. However, NMFS will not compensate
participants with monetary support of any kind. Depending on
availability of funds, members may be reimbursed for travel costs
related to the HMS AP meetings.
C. Meeting Schedule
Meetings of the HMS AP will be held as frequently as necessary but
are routinely held twice each year in the spring and fall. The meetings
may be held in conjunction with public hearings.
Dated: October 31, 2011.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-28553 Filed 11-2-11; 8:45 am]
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