[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 814-815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00026]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD035
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern
United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring
Service Providers
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice, approved monitoring service providers.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has approved five companies to provide at-sea monitoring
services to Northeast (NE) multispecies vessels in fishing year (FY)
2014. Regulations implementing Amendment 16 to the NE Multispecies
Fishery Management Plan (Amendment 16) require third-party at-sea
monitoring service providers to apply to, and be approved by, NMFS in a
manner consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act in order to be
eligible to provide at-sea monitoring services to sectors.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring
service providers are available at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/sfd/sfdmultisector.html or by sending a written request to:
Fax: (978) 281-9135, Attn: Mark Grant.
Mail: 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn:
Mark Grant.
For service provider contact information, see the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Grant, Sector Policy Analyst,
(978) 281-9145, fax (978) 281-9135, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amendment 16 (75 FR 18262; April 9, 2010)
expanded the sector management program, including requirements to
ensure accurate monitoring of sector at-sea catch and dockside
landings, and common pool dockside landings. Framework Adjustment 48 to
the FMP (Framework 48, 78 FR 26118, May 3, 2013) removed dockside
monitoring requirements and revised the goals and objectives for sector
monitoring programs.
Standards for Approving At-Sea Monitoring Service Providers
Regulations at 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for NMFS
approval of at-sea monitoring service providers. NMFS is approving
service providers for FY 2014 (beginning May 1, 2014) based on: (1)
Completeness of applications, (2) determination of the applicant's
ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a sector
monitoring service provider, and (3) performance as NMFS-funded
providers in FY 2013. NE multispecies sectors are required to design
and implement independent, third-party at-sea monitoring programs in FY
2014, and are responsible for the costs of these monitoring
requirements, unless otherwise instructed by NMFS.
NMFS first approved service providers for FY 2010, based upon the
completeness of their application addressing the regulatory
requirements (Sec. 648.87(b)(4)(i)), and a determination of the
applicant's ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a
monitoring service provider. For FY 2013, NMFS approved service
providers based on completeness of applications, determination of
ability, and performance during FY 2012. During FY 2012 and 2013, at-
sea monitoring has been conducted by A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical
Services, LLC; and MRAG Americas, Inc. under contract with NMFS.
Once approved, providers must document having met performance
requirements in order to maintain eligibility (Sec. 648.87(b)(4)(ii)).
NMFS can disapprove any previously approved service provider during the
FY if the service provider in question ceases to meet the performance
standards. NMFS must notify service providers of disapproval in
writing.
Approved Monitoring Service Providers
NMFS received complete applications from five companies interested
in providing at-sea monitoring services in FY 2014. Four of the
applicants were previously approved to provide at-sea monitoring
services to sectors. The fifth application was received from Fathom
Research, a new applicant. The Regional Administrator has approved the
following service providers as eligible to provide at-sea monitoring
services in FY 2014:
Table 1--Approved FY 2014 Providers
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Provider name Address Phone Fax Web site
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ACD USA Ltd............................ 4 Parker St., 2nd Floor, 902-422-4745 902-422-9780 www.atlanticcatchdata.ca.
Gloucester, MA 01930.
A.I.S., Inc............................ 89 N. Water St., P.O. Box 508-990-9054 508-990-9055 aisobservers.com.
2093, New Bedford, MA
02741.
East West Technical Services, LLC...... 86 Mumford Rd., 860-910-4957 860-223-6005 www.ewts.com.
Narragansett, RI 02882.
Fathom Research, LLC................... 1213 Purchase St., New 508-990-0997 508-991-7372 www.fathomresearchllc.com.
Bedford, MA 02740.
MRAG Americas, Inc..................... 65 Eastern Ave., Unit 978-768-3880 978-768-3878 www.mragamericas.com.
B2C, Essex, MA 01929.
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[[Page 815]]
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 2, 2014.
Sean F. Corson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-00026 Filed 1-6-14; 8:45 am]
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