[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 211 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61866-61867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21534]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD46


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Highly Migratory Species 
(HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the 
comments and views of the AP when preparing and implementing FMPs or 
FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish. 
Nominations are being sought to fill one-third of the posts on the HMS 
AP for a 3-year appointment. Individuals with definable interests in 
the recreational and commercial fishing and related industries, 
environmental community, academia, and non-governmental organizations 
will be considered for membership in the AP.

DATES: Nominations must be received on or before December 3, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and requests for the Advisory 
Panel Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of 
the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following identifier: ``HMS AP Nominations.''
     Mail: Margo Schulze-Haugen, Chief, Highly Migratory 
Species Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.
     Fax: 301-713-1917.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Rilling at (301) 713-2347 x109.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the 
establishment of Advisory Panels to assist in the collection and 
evaluation of information relevant to the development of any Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) or FMP amendment. The AP has consulted with NMFS 
on the HMS FMP (April 1999), Amendment 1 to the Billfish FMP (April 
1999), Amendment 1 to the HMS FMP (December 2004), the Consolidated HMS 
FMP (March 2006), and Amendments 1 and 2 to the Consolidated HMS FMP 
(October 2007).

Procedures and Guidelines

A. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the Advisory Panel

    Nomination packages should include:
    1. The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of his/
her interest in HMS or in one species of sharks, swordfish, tunas, or 
billfish;
    2. A statement of background and/or qualifications;
    3. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall
    actively participate in good faith in the tasks of the AP; and
    4. A list of outreach resources that the applicant has at his/her 
disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups.
Tenure for the HMS AP
    Member tenure will be for 3 years (36 months), with approximately 
one-third of the members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year. 
Nominations are sought for terms beginning January 2008 and expiring 
December 2010.

B. Participants

    Nominations for the AP will be accepted to allow representation 
from recreational and commercial fishing interests, the conservation 
community, and the scientific community. The HMS AP consists of members 
who are knowledgeable about the fisheries for Atlantic HMS. Table 1 
outlines the current representation of AP members whose terms are 
expiring by sector (i.e. commercial, recreational, environmental, or 
academic) and species (HMS, Tunas, Swordfish, Billfish, or Sharks). 
NMFS solicits nominations for these vacancies. Current representation 
on the HMS AP consists of 12 members representing commercial and/or 
recreational interests, 4 members representing environmental or 
academic interests, and 1 ICCAT Advisory Committee Chairperson. NMFS 
will seek to fill vacancies based principally on maintaining the 
current representation from each of the sectors, and secondarily by 
representation from the regions and/or species expertise.

[[Page 61867]]



  Table 1. Representation on the HMS AP by sector and species for terms
                     expiring on December 31, 2007.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Sector                               Species
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Commercial                                 HMS
                         Commercial                                 HMS
                         Commercial                                 HMS
                         Commercial                                Tuna
                         Commercial                                Tuna
                        Environmental                             Shark
                        Environmental                               HMS
                        Environmental                               HMS
                        Recreational                           Billfish
                        Recreational                           Billfish
                        Recreational                                HMS
                        Recreational                               Tuna
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    NMFS does not believe that each potentially affected organization 
or individual must necessarily have its own representative, but each 
sector must be adequately represented. The intent is to have a group 
that, as a whole, reflects an appropriate and equitable balance and mix 
of interests given the responsibilities of the AP. Criteria for 
membership include one or more of the following: (1) experience in the 
HMS recreational fishing industry; (2) experience in the HMS commercial 
fishing industry; (3) experience in fishery-related industries (e.g., 
marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the scientific 
community working with HMS; and/or (5) representation of a private; 
non-governmental; regional, national, or international organization 
representing marine fisheries, environmental, governmental, or academic 
interests dealing with HMS.
    Five additional members on the AP include one member representing 
each of the following Councils: New England Fishery Management Council, 
the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, and 
the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The AP also includes 22 ex-
officio participants: 20 representatives of the coastal states and two 
representatives of the interstate commissions (the Atlantic States 
Marine Fisheries Commission and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries 
Commission).
    NMFS will provide the necessary administrative support, including 
technical assistance, for the AP. However, NMFS will not compensate 
participants with monetary support of any kind. Depending on 
availability of funds, members may be reimbursed for travel costs 
related to the AP meetings.

C. Meeting Schedule

    Meetings of the AP will be held as frequently as necessary but are 
routinely held twice each year in the spring and fall. The meetings may 
be held in conjunction with public hearings.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 29, 2007.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-21534 Filed 10-31-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S