[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2856-2857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-836]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS98


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 Advisory Panel (AP) for 
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Southeast Data, Assessment, and 
Review (SEDAR) Workshops (this AP is also called the ``SEDAR Pool''). 
The SEDAR Pool is comprised of a group from which individuals will be 
selected to review and/or provide the data and analyses and advise NMFS 
regarding the scientific information, including but not limited to 
data, analyses, and models, used in stock assessments for sharks in the 
Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Nominations are 
being sought for a three-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 on the SEDAR Pool.

DATES: Nominations must be received on or before February 18, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and request the SEDAR Pool 
Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of the 
following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910. Include on the envelope the following identifier: ``SEDAR Pool 
Nomination.''
     Fax: 301-713-1917.
    Additional information on SEDAR and the SEDAR guidelines can be 
found at http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, (301) 713-2347, 
ext. 111.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    Section 302(g)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., states 
that each Council shall establish such advisory panels as are necessary 
or appropriate to assist it in carrying out its functions under the 
Act. For the purposes of this section, NMFS considers the above 
provisions to be applicable to the HMS Management Division. As such, 
NMFS is establishing the SEDAR Pool under this section. The SEDAR Pool 
will be a group from which individuals will be selected to review and/
or provide the data and analyses and advise NMFS regarding the 
scientific information, including but not limited to data, analyses, 
and models, used in stock assessments for sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, 
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. While the SEDAR Pool is being 
created specifically for Atlantic sharks, it may be expanded to include 
other HMS, as needed. Under section 302(i)(1), the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) shall not apply to advisory panels established 
under section 302(g).
    The primary purpose of the individuals in the SEDAR Pool is to 
review and/or provide, at SEDAR workshops, the scientific information, 
including but not limited to data, analyses, and models, used in stock 
assessments that are used to advise NMFS, as a delegate to the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), about the conservation and 
management of the Atlantic HMS, specifically but not limited to, 
Atlantic sharks. Individuals in the SEDAR Pool may be selected to 
participate in the various data, assessment, and review workshops 
during the SEDAR process of any HMS stock assessment. Individuals that 
participated in a data and/or assessment workshop for a particular 
stock assessment may also be asked to attend and/or provide information 
during the review workshop to ensure that any questions the reviewers 
may have can be answered quickly and accurately. To ensure that the 
peer review is unbiased, individuals who participate in a data and/or 
assessment workshop for a particular stock assessment will not be asked 
to participate in the review workshop.
    Members of the SEDAR Pool may serve as members of other APs 
concurrent with or following their service on the SEDAR Pool, except 
that members of the SEDAR Pool that were invited to participate in the 
data and/or assessment workshops for any particular species during a 
specific stock assessment may not participate in the relevant review 
workshop for that stock assessment.

Procedures and Guidelines

A. Participants

    The SEDAR Pool will be comprised of representatives of: commercial 
and recreational fisheries for Atlantic HMS, the environmental 
community active in the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS, 
and the academic community that have relevant research either with 
sharks or shark-like species and/or stock assessment methodologies for 
any marine fish species. Members of the SEDAR Pool must have 
demonstrated experience in the fisheries, related industries, research, 
teaching, writing, conservation, or management of marine organisms. The 
distribution of representation among the interested parties is not 
defined and the number of members in the SEDAR Pool is not limited.
    Additional members of the SEDAR Pool may also include 
representatives from each of the five Atlantic Regional Fishery 
Management Councils, each of the 18 constituent states, both the U.S. 
Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and each of the constituent interstate 
commissions: the Atlantic States Marine

[[Page 2857]]

Fisheries Commission and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.
    If NMFS requires additional members to ensure a diverse pool of 
individuals to draw from for data or assessment workshops, NMFS may 
request individuals to be members of the SEDAR Pool outside of the 
annual nomination period.
    Panel members serve at the discretion of the Secretary. Not all 
members will attend each SEDAR workshop. Rather, NMFS will invite 
certain members to participate at specific stock assessment workshops 
dependent on their ability to participate, discuss, and recommend 
scientific decisions regarding the species being assessed. If an 
invited SEDAR Pool member is unable to attend the workshop, the member 
may send a designee who may represent them and participate in the 
activities of the workshop. In order to ensure the designee meets the 
requirements of participating in the data and/or assessment workshop, 
the designee must receive written approval of the Director of the 
Office of Sustainable Fisheries at least six weeks in advance of the 
beginning of the relevant data and/or assessment workshop. Written 
notification must include the name, address, telephone, e-mail, and 
position of the individual designated. A designee may not name another 
designee.
    NMFS is not obligated to fulfill any requests (e.g., requests for 
an assessment of a certain species) that may be made by the SEDAR Pool 
or its individual members. Members of the SEDAR Pool who are invited to 
attend stock assessment workshops may be reimbursed for their travel-
related expenses to attend such workshops.

B. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the SEDAR Pool

    Member tenure will be for three years. Nominations are sought for 
terms beginning February 2010 and expiring January 2013. Nomination 
packages should include:
    1. The name, address, phone number, and e-mail of the applicant or 
nominee;
    2. A description of his/her interest in Atlantic shark stock 
assessments or the Atlantic shark fishery;
    3. A statement of background and/or qualifications; and
    4. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall 
participate actively and in good faith in the tasks of the SEDAR Pool, 
as requested.

C. Meeting Schedule

    Individual members of the SEDAR Pool meet to participate in stock 
assessments at the call of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS. 
Stock assessment timing, frequency, and relevant species will vary 
depending on the need determined by NMFS and SEDAR staff. Meetings and 
meeting logistics will be determined according to the SEDAR Guidelines. 
All meetings are open for observation by the public.

    Dated: January 12, 2010.
Emily Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-836 Filed 1-15-10; 8:45 am]
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