[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 8428-8429] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-4591] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 021897A] Mid-Atlantic Take Reduction Team AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of establishment of team and public meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Take Reduction Team to address bycatch of harbor porpoise in U.S. mid-Atlantic gillnet fisheries is established February 25, 1997 and will hold its first meeting to develop a Take Reduction Plan as described in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) focusing on reducing bycatch in these fisheries. DATES: The team is established as of February 25, 1997. The first meeting of the team will be held on March 4-5, 1997, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Future meetings are tentatively scheduled for April 23-24, 1997, and June 3-4, 1997. ADDRESSES: The first meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, 3900 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Future meetings are tentatively scheduled for Salisbury, MD, (April) and Washington, D.C. (June). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Cornish, (301) 713-2322. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 30, 1994, the 1994 Amendments to the MMPA were signed into law. Section 117 of the MMPA requires that NMFS complete stock assessment reports for all marine mammal stocks within U.S. waters. Each stock assessment report is required to categorize the status of the stock as one that either has a level of human-caused mortality and serious injury that is not likely to cause the stock to be reduced below its optimum sustainable population; or is a strategic stock, with a description of the reasons therefore; and estimate the potential biological removal (PBR) level for the stock, describing the information used to calculate it, including the recovery factor. Stock Assessment Reports and the calculated PBR were published by NMFS in July 1995. The MMPA defines a ``strategic stock'' as a marine mammal stock for which the level of direct human-caused mortality exceeds the PBR level; which, based on the best available scientific information, is declining and is likely to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) within the foreseeable future; which is listed as a threatened species or endangered species under the ESA, or is designated as depleted under the MMPA. The MMPA further defines the term ``potential biological removal,'' or PBR, as ``the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population.'' Mid-Atlantic gillnet fisheries interact with the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy stock of harbor porpoise (supporting documentation at 60 FR 67063, December 28, 1995). This stock is considered strategic under the MMPA because the level of human-caused mortality is greater than its PBR levels. Section 118(f) of the MMPA requires NMFS to establish a Take Reduction Team to prepare a draft Take Reduction Plan designed to assist in the recovery or prevent the depletion of each strategic marine mammal stock that interacts with certain fisheries. Section 118(f)(6)(C) requires that members of Take Reduction Teams have expertise regarding the conservation or biology of the marine mammal species that the plan will address, or the fishing practices that result in the incidental mortality and serious injury of such species. The MMPA further specifies that members of the team shall include representatives of Federal agencies, each coastal state with fisheries that interact with the species or stock, appropriate Regional Fishery Management Councils, interstate fisheries commissions, academic and scientific organizations, environmental groups, all commercial and recreational fisheries groups and gear types which incidentally take the species or stock, Alaska Native organizations, or Indian tribal organizations, and others as deemed appropriate. As a result of an extended interview process conducted by a NMFS- contracted facilitator, NMFS has asked the following individuals to be a member of the team, which will focus on reducing bycatch of harbor porpoise taken as bycatch in U.S. mid-Atlantic gillnet fisheries: Erik Anderson, independent fisher, New Hampshire, and member of the New England Fishery Management Council; Herb Austin, fishery scientist, Virginia [[Page 8429]] Institute of Marine Science; Susan Barco, marine mammal scientist, Virginia Science Museum; Charles Bergman, independent fisher, New Jersey, and member of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Ernie Bowden, independent fisher, Virginia, and member of the Eastern Shore Watermen's Association; David Bower, fishery manager, Virginia Marine Resources Commission; Kevin Chu, fishery biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service; Victoria Cornish, fishery biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service; Gordon Elliott, independent fisher, North Carolina; Bruce Halgren, fishery manager, New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife; Thomas Hoff, fishery scientist, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; George LaPointe, fishery scientist, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission; Matt Linnell, independent fisher, Massachusetts; Richard Luedtke, independent fisher, New Jersey; Bridget Mansfield, fishery biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service, Rick Marks, fishery scientist, North Carolina Fisherman's Association; Dave Martin, independent fisher, Martin Fish Company; William McLellan, marine mammal scientist, University of North Carolina; Robert Munson, independent fisher, New Jersey; Jeff Oden, independent fisher, North Carolina; Bill Outten, fishery manager, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Andrew Read, marine mammal scientist, Duke University; Tom Smith, independent fisher, Maryland; Michael Street, fishery manager, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries; Leonard Voss, Jr., independent fisher, Delaware; Rob West, independent fisher, North Carolina; Nina Young, conservationist, Center for Marine Conservation; Sharon Young, conservationist, Humane Society of the United States. Other individuals from NMFS, state and Federal agencies may be present as observers or for their scientific expertise. The team will be facilitated by RESOLVE Center for Environmental Dispute Resolution, Washington, DC. The team is officially established upon publication of the first meeting notice in the Federal Register. NMFS fully intends to convene the Take Reduction Team process in a way that provides for national consistency yet accommodates the unique regional needs and characteristics of the team. Take Reduction Teams are not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C.). Meetings are open to the public. Dated: February 19, 1997. Patricia A. Montanio Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 97-4591 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F