[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65974-65975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26128]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC935
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Advisory Panel for Atlantic
Highly Migratory Species Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review
Workshops
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; nominations for Advisory Panel.
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SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Advisory Panel (AP) for
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Southeast Data, Assessment, and
Review (SEDAR) Workshops (this AP is also called the ``SEDAR Pool'').
The SEDAR Pool is comprised of a group of individuals who may be
selected to consider data and advise NMFS regarding scientific
information, including but not limited to data and models, used in
stock assessments for oceanic sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of
Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Nominations are being sought for a 3-year
appointment (2014-2016). Individuals with definable interests in the
recreational and commercial fishing and related industries,
environmental community, academia, or non-governmental organizations
will be considered for membership on the SEDAR Pool.
DATES: Nominations must be received on or before December 4, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and request the SEDAR Pool
Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of the
following methods:
Email: [email protected].
Mail: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Highly Migratory Species
Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910. Include on the envelope the following identifier: ``SEDAR Pool
Nomination.''
Fax: 301-713-1917.
Additional information on SEDAR and the SEDAR guidelines can be
found at http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/. The terms of reference for
the SEDAR Pool, along with a list of current members, can be found at
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/SEDAR/SEDAR.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Delisse Ortiz or Karyl Brewster-Geisz,
(301) 425-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
Section 302(g)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., states
that each Council shall establish such advisory panels as are necessary
or appropriate to assist in carrying out its functions under the Act.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides that this section is applicable to
HMS Management by the Secretary as well as by Councils. As such, NMFS
has established the SEDAR Pool under this section. The SEDAR Pool
currently consists of 26 individuals who can be selected to review data
and advise NMFS regarding scientific information, including but not
limited to data and models, used in stock assessments for oceanic
sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. While
the SEDAR Pool was created specifically for Atlantic oceanic sharks, it
may be expanded to include other HMS, as needed.
The primary purpose of the individuals in the SEDAR Pool is to
review, at SEDAR workshops, the scientific information (including but
not limited to data and models) used in stock assessments that are used
to advise NMFS about the conservation and management of the Atlantic
HMS, specifically but not limited to, Atlantic sharks. Individuals in
the SEDAR Pool, if selected, may participate in the various data,
assessment, and review workshops during the SEDAR process of any HMS
stock assessment. In order to ensure that the peer review is unbiased,
individuals who participated in a data and/or assessment workshop for a
particular stock assessment will not be allowed to serve as reviewers
for the same stock assessment. However, these individuals may be asked
to attend the review workshop to answer specific questions from the
reviewers concerning the data and/or assessment workshops. Members of
the SEDAR Pool may serve as members of other APs concurrent with, or
following, their service on the SEDAR Pool.
Procedures and Guidelines
A. Participants
The SEDAR Pool is comprised of individuals representing the
commercial and recreational fishing communities for Atlantic sharks,
the environmental community active in the conservation and management
of Atlantic sharks, and the academic community that have relevant
expertise either with sharks or shark-like species and/or stock
assessment methodologies for marine fish species. Members of the SEDAR
Pool must have demonstrated experience in the fisheries, related
industries, research, teaching, writing, conservation, or management of
marine organisms. The distribution of representation among the
interested parties is not defined or limited.
Additional members of the SEDAR Pool may also include
representatives from the five Atlantic Regional Fishery Management
Councils, the 18 states in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, both the
U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and the interstate commissions:
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Gulf States
Marine Fisheries Commission.
If NMFS requires additional members to ensure a diverse pool of
individuals for data or assessment workshops, NMFS may request
individuals to become members of the SEDAR Pool outside of the annual
nomination period.
Panel members serve at the discretion of the Secretary. Not all
members will be selected to attend each SEDAR workshop. Rather, NMFS
will invite certain members to participate at specific stock assessment
workshops dependent on their ability to participate, discuss, and
recommend scientific decisions regarding the species being assessed. If
an invited SEDAR Pool member is unable to attend the workshop, the
member may send a designee who may represent them and participate in
the activities of the workshop. In order to ensure the designee meets
the requirements of participating in the data and/or assessment
workshop, the designee must receive written approval of the Director of
the Office of Sustainable Fisheries at least six weeks in advance of
the beginning of the relevant data and/or assessment workshop. Written
notification must include the name,
[[Page 65975]]
address, telephone, email, and position of the individual designated. A
designee may not name another designee.
NMFS is not obligated to fulfill any requests (e.g., requests for
an assessment of a certain species) that may be made by the SEDAR Pool
or its individual members. Members of the SEDAR Pool who are invited to
attend stock assessment workshops will not be compensated for their
services but may be reimbursed for their travel-related expenses to
attend such workshops.
B. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the SEDAR Pool
Member tenure will be for 3 years. Nominations are sought for terms
beginning early in 2014 and expiring three years later in 2016.
Nomination packages should include:
1. The name, address, phone number, and email of the applicant or
nominee;
2. A description of his/her interest in Atlantic shark stock
assessments or the Atlantic shark fishery;
3. A statement of background and/or qualifications; and
4. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall
participate actively and in good faith in the tasks of the SEDAR Pool,
as requested.
C. Meeting Schedule
Invitations to individual members of the SEDAR Pool to participate
in stock assessments are at the discretion of the Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, NMFS. Stock assessment timing, frequency, and relevant
species will vary depending on the needs determined by NMFS and SEDAR
staff. Currently, NMFS anticipates holding stock assessments for
smoothhound sharks (i.e., Mustelus canis, M. norrisi, and M.
sinusmexicanus) in 2014. The specific number and type of meetings or
dates for those stock assessments have not yet been determined.
Meetings and meeting logistics will be determined according to the
SEDAR Guidelines. All meetings are open for observation by the public.
Dated: October 28, 2013.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26128 Filed 11-1-13; 8:45 am]
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