[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8627-8628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03273]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD710


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 five companies to provide at-sea monitoring 
services to Northeast multispecies vessels in fishing year 2015. 
Regulations implementing Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan require third-party at-sea 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 at-sea monitoring services to sectors.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring 
service providers are available at http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/multispecies/ or by sending a written request to: 55 Great Republic 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: Brett Alger.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Alger, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 675-2153, fax (978) 281-9135, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amendment 16 (75 FR 18262; April 9, 2010) to 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) expanded the 
sector management program, including requirements to ensure accurate 
monitoring of sector at-sea catch and dockside landings, and common 
pool dockside landings. Framework Adjustment 48 to the FMP (Framework 
48, 78 FR 26118, May 3, 2013) revised the goals and objectives for 
sector monitoring programs.

Standards for Approving At-Sea Monitoring Service Providers

    Regulations at 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for NMFS 
approval of at-sea monitoring service providers. NMFS is approving 
service providers for fishing year 2015 (beginning May 1, 2015) 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 fishing year 2014. NE multispecies sectors are required to 
design and implement independent, third-party at-sea monitoring 
programs in fishing year 2015, and are responsible for the costs of 
these monitoring requirements, unless otherwise instructed by NMFS.
    For fishing year 2014, NMFS approved A.I.S., Inc.; East West 
Technical Services, LLC; MRAG Americas, Inc.; Fathom Research, LLC; and 
ACD USA Ltd. as service providers based on the completeness of their 
application, addressing the regulatory requirements (Sec.  
648.87(b)(4)(i)), determination of ability, and performance during 
previous fishing years. 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 fishing year if the service provider in question 
ceases to meet the performance standards. NMFS must notify service 
providers of disapproval in writing.

Approved Monitoring Service Providers

    NMFS received complete applications from five companies interested 
in providing at-sea monitoring services in fishing year 2015; these 
were the same

[[Page 8628]]

five approved in fishing year 2014. The Regional Administrator has 
approved the following service providers as eligible to provide at-sea 
monitoring services in fishing year 2015 because they have met the 
application requirements and applicable performance standards:

                                  Table 1--Approved Fishing Year 2015 Providers
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        Provider name                 Address                Phone                  Fax              Website
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ACD USA Ltd..................  4 Parker St., 2nd     902-422-4745........  902-422-9780........  www.atlanticcat
                                Floor, Gloucester,                                                chdata.ca.
                                MA 01930.
A.I.S., Inc..................  89 N. Water St.,      508-990-9054........  508-990-9055........  aisobservers.co
                                P.O. Box 2093, New                                                m.
                                Bedford, MA 02741.
East West Technical Services,  86 Mumford Rd.,       860-910-4957........  860-223-6005........  www.ewts.com.
 LLC.                           Narragansett, RI
                                02882.
Fathom Research, LLC.........  1213 Purchase St.,    508-990-0997........  508-991-7372........  www.fathomresea
                                New Bedford, MA                                                   rchllc.com.
                                02740.
MRAG Americas, Inc...........  65 Eastern Ave.,      978-768-3880........  978-768-3878........  www.mragamerica
                                Unit B2C, Essex, MA                                               s.com.
                                01929.
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    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 12, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-03273 Filed 2-17-15; 8:45 am]
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