[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 237 (Friday, December 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89065-89066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29575]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XF026
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 sectors in fishing years 2017 and
2018. Regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan require at-sea monitoring companies to apply to, and be
approved by, NMFS in order to be eligible to provide at-sea monitoring
services to sectors. This action will allow sectors to contract at-sea
monitoring services with any of the approver providers for fishing
years 2017 and 2018.
ADDRESSES: 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: Kyle Molton.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle Molton, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9236, 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 a requirement for industry-funded
monitoring of catch by sector vessels. Framework Adjustment 48 to the
FMP (78 FR 26118; May 3, 2013) revised the goals and objectives for
sector monitoring programs. Sectors must employ approved independent
third-party monitoring companies to provide at-sea monitoring services
to their vessels.
Standards for Approving At-Sea Monitoring Service Providers
We are transitioning from an annual approval process to biennial
approval to provide sectors additional stability and flexibility in
negotiating contracts with monitoring companies. Applications approved
this year will cover both fishing year 2017 and fishing year 2018 (May
1, 2017, through April 30, 2019). There will be an opportunity in 2017
for additional monitoring companies to apply for approval to provide
services in fishing year 2018.
The regulations at 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for
approval of at-sea monitoring service providers. We approve service
providers 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 in the prior fishing year. We can
disapprove any previously approved service provider during the fishing
year if the provider fails to meet the performance standards, including
[[Page 89066]]
required coverage levels. We must notify service providers of
disapproval in writing.
Approved Monitoring Service Providers
We received complete applications from five companies: A.I.S.,
Inc.; East West Technical Services, LLC; MRAG Americas, Inc.; Fathom
Research, LLC; and ACD USA Ltd. These five companies were approved for
fishing year 2016. We approve all five companies to provide at-sea
monitoring services in fishing years 2017 and 2018 because they have
met the application requirements, documented their ability to comply
with service provider standards, and have met the service provider
performance criteria to date in fishing year 2016.
Table 1--Approved Fishing Year 2016 Providers
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Provider name Address Phone Fax Website
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ACD USA Ltd.............................. 1801 Hollis St., Suite 902-749-5107 902-749-4552 www.atlanticcatchdata.ca.
1220, Halifax, Nova
Scotia, Canada B35 3N4.
A.I.S., Inc.............................. 14 Barnabas Rd., P.O. Box 508-990-9054 508-990-9055 aisobservers.com.
1009, Marion, MA 02738.
East West Technical Services, LLC........ 1415 Corona Ln., Vero 860-910-4957 860-223-6005 www.ewts.com.
Beach, FL 32963.
Fathom Research, LLC..................... 1213 Purchase St., Suite 508-990-0997 508-991-7372 www.fathomresearchllc.com.
302, New Bedford, MA 02740.
MRAG Americas, Inc....................... 1810 Shadetree Circle, 978-768-3880 978-768-3878 www.mragamericas.com.
Anchorage, AK 99502.
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Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 6, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-29575 Filed 12-8-16; 8:45 am]
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