[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 52314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21316]



[[Page 52314]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC193


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a 3-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in September 2012. The intent of the 
meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of 
Atlantic HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The AP meeting will be held September 19, 2012, through 
September 21, 2012. (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further 
details.)

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 
8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace or Margo Schulze-Haugen 
at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the 
establishment of an AP to assist in the collection and evaluation of 
information relevant to the development of any Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) or FMP amendment for Atlantic HMS. NMFS consults with and 
considers the comments and views of AP members when preparing and 
implementing FMPs or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, 
billfish, and sharks.
    The AP has previously consulted with NMFS on: Amendment 1 to the 
Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the 
HMS FMP (December 2003); the Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); 
Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 to the Consolidated HMS FMP 
(April and October 2008, February and September 2009, May and September 
2010, April and September 2011, and March 2012); among other things.
    At the September 2012 AP meeting, NMFS plans to discuss overall 
bluefin tuna management (Amendment 7), shark management measures such 
as rebuilding scalloped hammerhead, dusky, and blacknose sharks 
(Amendment 5) and catch shares, swordfish management measures 
(Amendment 8), and items contained in the Advanced Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking that published on June 1, 2009 (74 FR 26174), which 
considered a variety of potential management options/measures for HMS 
fisheries. The meeting will also include updates on implementation of 
the 2011 ICCAT recommendations; electronic dealer reporting; 
smoothhound shark management; and recreational monitoring methods for 
Atlantic HMS fisheries.
    The AP meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 
September 19; from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 20; and 
from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, September 21. Additional 
information on the meeting and a copy of the draft agenda may be found 
at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Advisory%20Panels/Advisory_Panel.htm.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Jenni Wallace at (301) 427-8503 at least 7 days 
prior to the meeting.

    Dated: August 24, 2012.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-21316 Filed 8-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P