[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10136-10137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03371]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC398


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern 
United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring 
Service Providers

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

ACTION: Notice, approved monitoring service providers.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has approved four companies to provide dockside and/or 
at-sea monitoring services to Northeast (NE) multispecies vessels in 
fishing year (FY) 2013. Regulations implementing Amendment 16 to the NE 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Amendment 16) require third-party 
monitoring service providers to apply to, and be approved by, NMFS in a 
manner consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act in order to be 
eligible to provide dockside and/or at-sea monitoring services to 
sectors.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring 
service providers are available at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/sfd/sfdmultisector.html or by sending a written request to:
     Fax: (978) 281-9135, Attn: Mark Grant.
     Mail: 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: 
Mark Grant.
    For service provider contact information, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Grant, Sector Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9145, fax (978) 281-9135, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amendment 16 expanded the sector management 
program, including adding a requirement to ensure accurate monitoring 
of both sector at-sea catch and dockside landings, and common pool 
dockside landings (75 FR 18262; April 9, 2010). Framework Adjustment 45 
to the FMP (Framework 45, 76 FR 23042, April 25, 2011) revised several 
dockside monitoring requirements.

Standards for Approving Sectors

    Regulations at 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for NMFS 
approval of interested at-sea and dockside service providers. Once 
approved, providers must document having met performance requirements 
in order to maintain eligibility (Sec.  648.87(b)(4)(ii)). NMFS can 
disapprove any previously approved service provider during the FY if 
the service provider in question ceases to meet the performance 
standards. NMFS must notify service providers of disapproval in 
writing.
    NMFS first approved service providers for FY 2010, based upon the 
completeness of their application addressing the regulatory 
requirements (Sec.  648.87(b)(4)(i)), and a determination of the 
applicant's ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a 
monitoring service provider. In FY 2011, NMFS approved service 
providers based on completeness of applications, determination of 
ability, and performance during FY 2010. NMFS did not approve any 
providers for FY 2012 because there was no dockside monitoring 
requirement and at-sea monitoring was provided solely by NMFS.
    NMFS is approving service providers for FY 2013 (beginning May 1, 
2013) based on: (1) Completeness of applications; (2) determination of 
the applicant's ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a 
sector monitoring service provider; and (3) performance as NMFS-funded 
providers in FY 2012.
    NE multispecies sectors are required to design and implement 
independent, third-party at-sea monitoring in FY 2013, and are 
responsible for the costs of these monitoring requirements, unless 
otherwise instructed by NMFS. The regulations currently require the NE 
multispecies fishery to hire and pay for dockside monitoring in FY 
2013. In December 2012, the New England Fishery Management Council 
approved measures to modify the at-sea

[[Page 10137]]

monitoring program and eliminate the requirement for dockside 
monitoring for both sector and common pool vessels. As this measure has 
not yet been approved, and a sector may elect to retain dockside 
monitoring through its operations plan, NMFS is also approving dockside 
monitoring service providers.

Approved Monitoring Service Providers

    NMFS received complete applications from three service providers 
intending to provide dockside and/or at-sea monitoring services, and 
one service provider intending to provide only at-sea monitoring 
services. All four applicants were previously approved and provided 
dockside and/or at-sea monitoring services to sectors. The Regional 
Administrator has approved the following service providers as eligible 
to provide dockside monitoring and/or at-sea monitoring services in FY 
2013:

                                                                               Table 1--Approved FY 2013 Providers
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                                        At-Sea       Dockside
           Provider name              monitoring    monitoring             Address                       Phone                         Fax                              Web site
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A.I.S., Inc........................            X             X   89 North Water Street, New   (508) 990-9054.............  (508) 990-9055.............  www.aisobservers.com
                                                                  Bedford, MA 02747.
MRAG Americas......................            X             X   65 Eastern Ave., Unit B2C,   (978) 768-3880.............  (978) 768-3878.............  www.mragamericas.com
                                                                  Essex, MA 01929.
Atlantic Catch Data Ltd............            X             X   99 Wyse Road, Suite 815,     (902) 422-4745.............  (902) 422-9780.............  www.atlanticcatchdata.ca
                                                                  Dartmouth, Nova Scotia,
                                                                  CANADA B3A 4S5.
East West Technical Services, LLC..  ............            X   34 Batterson Drive, New      (860) 223-5165.............  (860) 223-6005.............  www.ewts.com
                                                                  Britain, CT 06053.
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    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 8, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-03371 Filed 2-12-13; 8:45 am]
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