[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 144 (Thursday, July 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 43808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18296]



[[Page 43808]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC124


Advisory Committee and Species Working Group Technical Advisor 
Appointment

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting nominations to the Advisory Committee to 
the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation 
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for 
technical advisors to the Advisory Committee's species working groups.

DATES: Nominations must be received by October 1, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent via email 
(Rachel.O'Malley@noaa.gov). In the alternative, nominations may be sent 
via mail to Rachel O'Malley at NMFS, Office of International Affairs, 
Room 12622, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel O'Malley, Office of 
International Affairs, 301-427-8373.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 971b of ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) 
requires that an advisory committee be established that shall be 
comprised of: (1) Not less than five nor more than 20 individuals 
appointed by the U.S. Commissioners to ICCAT who shall select such 
individuals from the various groups concerned with the fisheries 
covered by the ICCAT Convention; and (2) the chairs (or their 
designees) of the New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, 
and Gulf Fishery Management Councils. Each member of the Advisory 
Committee appointed under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of two 
years and be eligible for reappointment. All members of the Advisory 
Committee are appointed in their individual professional capacity and 
undergo a background screening. Any individual appointed to the 
Committee who is unable to attend all or part of an Advisory Committee 
meeting may not appoint another person to attend such meetings as his 
or her proxy. Members of the Advisory Committee shall receive no 
compensation for their services. The Secretary of Commerce and the 
Secretary of State may pay the necessary travel expenses of members of 
the Advisory Committee. There are currently 20 appointed Advisory 
Committee members. The terms of these members expire on December 31, 
2012.
    Section 971b(1) of ATCA specifies that the U.S. Commissioners may 
establish species working groups for the purpose of providing advice 
and recommendations to the U.S. Commissioners and to the Advisory 
Committee on matters relating to the conservation and management of any 
highly migratory species covered by the ICCAT Convention. Any species 
working group shall consist of no more than seven members of the 
Advisory Committee and no more than four technical advisors, as 
considered necessary by the Commissioners. Currently, there are five 
species working groups advising the Committee and the U.S. 
Commissioners: a Bluefin Tuna Working Group, a Swordfish Working Group, 
a Sharks Working Group, a Billfish Working Group, and a Bigeye Tuna, 
Albacore, Yellowfin, and Skipjack (BAYS) Tunas Working Group. Technical 
Advisors to the species working groups serve at the request of the 
Commissioners; therefore the Commissioners can choose to alter these 
appointments at any time. As with Committee Members, Technical Advisors 
may not be represented by a proxy during any official meetings of the 
Advisory Committee.
    Nominations to the Advisory Committee or to a species working group 
should include a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae. 
Self-nominations are acceptable. Letters of recommendation are useful 
but not required. When making a nomination, please specify which 
appointment (Advisory Committee member or technical advisor to a 
species working group) is being sought. Nominees may also indicate 
which of the species working groups is preferred, although placement on 
the requested group is not guaranteed.

    Dated: July 20, 2012.
Christopher Rogers,
Acting Director, Office of International Affairs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-18296 Filed 7-25-12; 8:45 am]
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