[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25650-25651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09970]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE583
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 of approved monitoring service providers.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has approved five companies to provide at-sea monitoring
services to Northeast multispecies vessels in fishing year 2016.
Regulations implementing Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies
Fishery Management Plan 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.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/multispecies/ or by sending a written request to: 55 Great Republic
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: Mark Grant.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Grant, Fishery Policy Analyst,
(978) 281-9145, fax (978) 281-9135, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amendment 16 (75 FR 18262; April 9, 2010) to
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 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) 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 fishing year 2016 (beginning May 1, 2016) based
on: (1) Completeness and sufficiency of applications; (2) determination
of the applicant's ability to meet the performance requirements of a
sector monitoring service provider; and (3) documented successful
performance as NMFS-funded providers in fishing year 2015. Northeast
multispecies sectors are required to design and implement independent,
third-party at-sea monitoring programs in fishing year 2016, and are
responsible for the at-sea portion of the costs of these monitoring
requirements.
For fishing year 2015, NMFS approved A.I.S., Inc.; East West
Technical Services, LLC; MRAG Americas, Inc.; Fathom Research, LLC; and
ACD USA Ltd. as service providers. Once approved, providers must be
able to document ongoing compliance with performance requirements in
order to maintain eligibility (Sec. 648.87(b)(4)(ii)). NMFS can
disapprove any previously approved service provider during the fishing
year 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 fishing year 2016; these
were the same five service providers that were approved for fishing
year 2015. The Regional Administrator has approved all five service
providers as eligible to provide at-sea monitoring services in fishing
year 2016 because they have met the application requirements,
documented an ability to comply with service provider standards, and
have been determined to have met the service provider performance
criteria:
[[Page 25651]]
Table 1--Approved Fishing Year 2016 Providers
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Provider name Address Phone Fax Web site
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ACD USA Ltd....................... 1801 Hollis St., 902-749-5107 902-749-4552 www.atlanticcatchdata
Suite 1220, Halifax, .ca.
Nova Scotia, Canada
B35 3N4.
A.I.S., Inc....................... 14 Barnabas Rd., P.O. 508-990-9054 508-990-9055 aisobservers.com.
Box 1009, Marion, MA
02738.
East West Technical Services, LLC. 1415 Corona Ln., Vero 860-214-2435 860-223-6005 www.ewts.com.
Beach, FL 32963.
Fathom Research, LLC.............. 1213 Purchase St., 508-990-0997 508-991-7372 www.fathomresearchllc
New Bedford, MA .com.
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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Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 25, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-09970 Filed 4-28-16; 8:45 am]
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