[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 178 (Thursday, September 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54274-54275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15263]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 090506B]


Advisory Committee and Species Working Group Technical Advisor 
Appointments

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting nominations to the Advisory Committee to 
the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation 
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for 
technical advisors to the Advisory Committee's species working groups.

DATES: Nominations must be received by October 23, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Nominations to the Advisory Committee or for technical 
advisors to a species working group should be sent to Dr. William T. 
Hogarth, Assistant Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. A copy should 
also be sent to Kelly Denit, Office of International Affairs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, Room 12622, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Denit, 301-713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 971b of the ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et 
seq.) requires that an advisory committee be established that shall be 
composed of: (1) not less than five nor more than 20 individuals 
appointed by the U.S. Commissioners to ICCAT who shall select such 
individuals from the various groups concerned with the fisheries 
covered by the ICCAT Convention; and (2) the chairs (or their 
designees) of the New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, 
and Gulf Fishery Management Councils. Each member of the Advisory 
Committee appointed under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of two 
years and shall be eligible for reappointment. Members of the Advisory 
Committee may attend all public meetings of the ICCAT Commission, 
Council, or any Panel and any other meetings to which they are invited 
by the ICCAT Commission, Council, or any Panel. The Advisory Committee 
shall be invited to attend all nonexecutive meetings of the U.S. 
Commissioners to ICCAT and, at such meetings, shall be given the 
opportunity to examine and be heard on all proposed programs of 
investigation, reports, recommendations, and regulations of the ICCAT 
Commission. Members of the Advisory Committee shall receive no 
compensation for such services. The Secretary of Commerce and the 
Secretary of State may pay the necessary travel expenses of members of 
the Advisory Committee.
    There are currently 20 appointed Advisory Committee members. The 
terms of these members expire on December 31, 2006. New appointments 
will be made as soon as possible, but will not take effect until 
January 1, 2007.
    Section 971b-1 of the ACTA specifies that the U.S. Commissioners 
may establish species working groups for the purpose of providing 
advice and recommendations to the U.S. Commissioners and to the 
Advisory Committee on matters relating to the conservation and 
management of any highly migratory species covered by the ICCAT 
Convention. Any species working group shall consist of no more than 
seven members of the Advisory Committee and no more than four 
scientific or technical personnel, as considered necessary by the 
Commissioners. Currently, there are four species working groups 
advising the Committee and the U.S. Commissioners: a Bluefin Tuna 
Working Group, a Swordfish Working Group, a Billfish Working Group, and 
a BAYS (Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, and Skipjack) Tunas Working Group. 
Technical Advisors to the species working groups serve at the pleasure 
of the U.S. Commissioners; therefore, the Commissioners can choose to 
alter appointments at any time.
    Nominations to the Advisory Committee or to a species working group 
should include a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae. 
Letters of recommendation are useful but not required. Self-nominations 
are acceptable. When making a nomination, please clearly specify which 
appointment (Advisory Committee member or technical advisor to a 
species working group) is being sought. Requesting consideration for 
placement on both the Advisory Committee and a

[[Page 54275]]

species working group is acceptable. Those interested in a species 
working group technical advisor appointment should indicate which of 
the four working groups is preferred. Placement on the requested 
species working group, however, is not guaranteed.

    Dated: September 11, 2006.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15263 Filed 9-13-06; 8:45 am]
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