[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 79308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31946]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE349


Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Workshop to discuss design considerations for a potential 
citizen science program.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
considering developing a comprehensive citizen science program. This 
workshop will be convened to consider program goals and design, and 
gather input from constituents and potential regional partners and 
collaborators. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

DATES: The workshop will be held 1 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday, January 19, 
2016; 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday, January 20, 2016; and 8:30 a.m.-5 
p.m., Thursday, January 21, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 
Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; phone: (843) 571-1000.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Carmichael, Science and 
Statistics Program Manager, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North 
Charleston, SC 29405; phone: (843) 571-4366 or toll free (866) SAFMC-
10; fax: (843) 769-4520; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Citizen science is a growing field in which 
trained members of the public collaborate and engage with scientists in 
the inquiry and discovery of new knowledge. Public participation in 
scientific research advances science, research, and policy and fosters 
an informed and engaged citizenship. The Council recognizes the desire 
of constituents to get involved and the need to have a well-designed 
program and accompanying sampling protocols to ensure that information 
collected through such efforts is useful. To meet this growing need, 
the Council intends to develop a comprehensive Citizen Science Program. 
The first step in this process is a workshop where interested citizens, 
fisheries managers and scientists, and citizen science practitioners 
will gather to develop recommendations for designing such a program. 
The product of this workshop will be a report to the Council addressing 
the workshop goals. The Council provided the following goals for the 
workshop:

1. Document and evaluate existing citizen science and cooperative 
research experiences;
2. Identify existing funding opportunities;
3. Develop objectives for the South Atlantic Citizen Science Program;
4. Develop a framework for achieving program objectives, considering:
    (a) Research and monitoring activities appropriate for citizen 
science;
    (b) Funded and unfunded opportunities and avenues to support 
citizen science;
    (c) The full range of data needs;
    (d) Potential web-based platforms;
    (e) Outreach and education needs, short and long term; and
    (f) Governance, including ongoing staff support, management, and 
oversight
5. Develop a prioritized list of citizen science project candidates, 
and identify 2-5 high priority projects that could be implemented 
within 1 year of the workshop.

Discussion topics for consideration at this workshop:

1. Introduction to citizen science.
2. Selected citizen science case studies.
3. Identifying potential projects for the South Atlantic.
4. Design requirements and attributes of successful projects.
5. Recommendations addressing workshop goals.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests 
for auxiliary aids should be directed to the SAFMC office (see 
ADDRESSES) at least 10 business days prior to the meeting.

    Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are 
subject to change.


    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 16, 2015.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-31946 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
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