[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 109 (Monday, June 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32363-32364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13894]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD970


Pacific Whiting; Advisory Panel; Joint Management Committee

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

ACTION: Notice; call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting nominations for appointments to the United 
States Advisory Panel (AP) and the Joint Management Committee (JMC) 
established in the Agreement between the Government of the United 
States of America and the Government of Canada on Pacific Hake/Whiting 
(Pacific Whiting Treaty). Nominations are being sought to fill six 
positions on the AP beginning on September 16, 2015, and

[[Page 32364]]

one position on the JMC starting November 1, 2015. Terms are 4 years, 
and appointees will be eligible for reappointment at the expiration of 
the terms.

DATES: Nominations must be received by July 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations by any of the following methods:
    Email: [email protected].
    Fax: 206-526-6736, Attn: Frank Lockhart.
    Mail: William W. Stelle, Jr., Regional Administrator, West Coast 
Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Lockhart, (206) 526-6142 or 
Miako Ushio, (206) 526-4644

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Pacific Whiting Treaty Committees

    The Pacific Whiting Act of 2006 (Pacific Whiting Act) (16 U.S.C. 
7001-10) implements the 2003 Agreement between the Government of the 
United States of America and the Government of Canada on Pacific Hake/
Whiting. Among other provisions, the Pacific Whiting Act provides for 
the establishment of a JMC and AP.
    The JMC reviews the advice of two scientific bodies and the AP, and 
recommends to the Parties the coast-wide total allowable catch of 
Pacific whiting each year. Four individuals represent the United States 
on the JMC; one official from NOAA, one member of the Pacific Fishery 
Management Council, one representative of the treaty Indian tribes with 
treaty fishing rights to Pacific whiting, and one representative from 
the commercial fishing sector. NMFS is soliciting nominations for the 
representative of the commercial sector of the whiting fishing industry 
concerned with the offshore whiting resource (16 U.S.C. 7001(a)(1)(D)) 
through this notice.
    The AP advises the JMC on bilateral Pacific whiting management 
issues. Eight individuals represent the United States on the AP, and 
nominations for six of those individuals (id. at section 7005) are 
solicited through this notice.
    Members appointed to the U.S. sections of the AP and JMC will be 
reimbursed for necessary travel expenses in accordance with Federal 
Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 
of Title 5. (Id. at section 7008). NMFS anticipates that 1-2 meetings 
of the AP and of the JMC will be held annually, and these meetings will 
be held in the United States or Canada. AP and JMC members will need a 
valid U.S. passport.
    The Pacific Whiting Act of 2006 also states that while performing 
their appointed duties, members ``other than officers or employees of 
the United States Government, shall not be considered to be Federal 
employees while performing such service, except for purposes of injury 
compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of 
title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28.'' (Id.)
    Information on the Pacific Whiting Treaty, including current 
committee members can be found at: www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/whiting/pacific_whiting_treaty.html.

Nominations

    Nomination packages for appointments should include:
    (1) The name of the applicant or nominee, position they are being 
nominated for and a description of his/her interest in Pacific whiting; 
and
    (2) A statement of background and/or description of how the 
following qualifications are met.

Advisory Panel Qualifications

    AP member nominees must be knowledgeable or experienced in the 
harvesting, processing, marketing, management, conservation, or 
research of the offshore Pacific whiting resource; and must not be 
employees of the United States government.

Joint Management Committee Qualifications

    The JMC nominee must be from the commercial sector of the Pacific 
whiting fishing industry concerned with the offshore Pacific whiting 
resource, and must be knowledgeable or experienced concerning the 
offshore whiting resource.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.

    Dated: June 3, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-13894 Filed 6-5-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P