[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41296-41297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15026]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE656


Availability of the Draft Report to Congress: Section 404 
Fisheries Research

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is releasing the draft Report to Congress on Fisheries 
Research in accordance with section 404 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (MSA) for public review and comment. 
Additional information, including the draft Report for download, may be 
found at: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/strategic-plan/MSA-Section-404-Report-2016/msa-section-404-report-to-congress-2016.

[[Page 41297]]


DATES: NMFS must receive comments on the draft Report by July 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified NOAA-
NMFS-2016-0064, by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0064. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: Send written comments to Mark Chandler, NMFS, 
Fisheries Biologist, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
Include on the envelope the following identifier, ``Section 404 Report 
Public Comment.''
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publically accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required field if you wish to remain 
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted on 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Please include 
the page number and line number in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Chandler, 301-427-8114.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Section 404 of the MSA requires the Secretary of Commerce to 
publish, in the Federal Register, a strategic plan for fisheries 
research for the five years immediately following its previous 
publication in the Federal Register. The MSA requires that the plan 
address four major areas of research: (1) Research to support fishery 
conservation and management; (2) conservation engineering research; (3) 
research on the fisheries; and (4) information management research. The 
MSA specifies that this plan shall contain a limited number of priority 
objectives for each of these research areas; indicate goals and 
timetables; provide a role for commercial fishermen in such research; 
provide for the collection and dissemination of complete and accurate 
information concerning fishing activities; and be developed in 
cooperation with the Regional Fishery Management Councils and affected 
states. This draft Report on Fisheries Research is consistent with the 
requirements of section 404 and with NOAA's Next Generation Strategic 
Plan located on the web at http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/NOAA_NGSP.pdf.
    NMFS currently conducts a comprehensive program of fisheries 
research and involves industry and others interested in fisheries 
planning and implementing its objectives. The scope of the present 
draft document focuses only on the four major areas of research 
specified in section 404 of the MSA. It does not include the regulatory 
and enforcement components of the NMFS mission.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1881.

    Dated: June 20, 2016.
Ned Cyr,
Director, Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-15026 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P