[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54964-54965]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25753]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS45


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of nominations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Atlantic Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the 
comments and views of the AP when preparing and implementing Fishery 
Management Plans (FMPs) or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, 
swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Nominations are being sought to fill 
one-third (10) of the seats 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 November 25, 2009.

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: Brian Parker, Highly Migratory Species Management 
Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
     Fax: 301-713-1917.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Cooper at (301) 713-2347 x112.

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 HMS 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 (November 2003), the 
Consolidated HMS FMP (July 2006),and Amendments 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the 
Consolidated HMS FMP (April 2008, September 2008, February 2009 and 
September 2009, respectively).

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 particular 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 2010 and expiring 
December 2012.

B. Participants

    Nominations for the AP will be accepted to allow representation 
from commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific 
community, and the conservation community who are knowledgeable about 
Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. Current representation on 
the HMS AP, as shown in Table 1, consists of 12 members representing 
commercial interests, 12 members representing recreational interests, 4 
members representing environmental interests, 4 academic 
representatives, and 1 International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee Chairperson. Each AP member 
serves a three-year term with approximately one-third (11) of the total 
number of seats (33) expiring on December 31 of each year. NMFS seeks 
to fill 3 academic, 2 commercial, and 5 recreational vacancies by 
December 31, 2009. NMFS will seek to fill vacancies based primarily on 
maintaining the current representation from each of the sectors, and 
secondarily by species expertise and/or representation from the regions 
(Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and 
Caribbean). Table 1 includes the current representation on the HMS AP 
by sector

[[Page 54965]]

and species. It does not necessarily indicate that NMFS will only 
consider persons who have expertise in the species that are listed.
Table 1. Current expiring representation on the HMS AP by sector and 
species.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Sector                        Species            Date Appointed           Date Term Expires
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Academic                              Tuna                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
                 Academic                             Shark                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
                 Academic                        Tuna/Shark                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
                Commercial                            Shark                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
                Commercial                   Swordfish/Tuna                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
               Recreational                        Billfish                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
               Recreational                       Swordfish                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
               Recreational                             HMS                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
               Recreational                             HMS                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
               Recreational                             HMS                  1/1/2007                12/31/2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Each sector must be adequately represented, and 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.

    Dated: October 20, 2009.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Servce.
[FR Doc. E9-25753 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S