[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80643-80644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27473]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF004


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and webinar/conference call.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a 2-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in December 2016. The intent of the meeting 
is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic 
HMS, specifically Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The AP meeting and webinar will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 
p.m. on Thursday, December 1, 2016, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on 
Friday, December 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 
8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. The meeting presentations 
will also be available via WebEx webinar/conference call.
    The meeting on Thursday, December 1, and Friday, December 2, 2016, 
will also be accessible via conference call and webinar. Conference 
call and webinar access information are available at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/dec-2016/ap-meeting.html.
    Participants are strongly encouraged to log/dial in 15 minutes 
prior to the meeting. NMFS will show the presentations via webinar and 
allow public comment during identified times on the agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Cooper or Margo Schulze-Haugen 
at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the 
establishment of an AP to assist in the collection and evaluation of 
information relevant to the development of any FMP or FMP amendment for 
Atlantic HMS. NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views 
of AP members when preparing and implementing FMPs or FMP amendments 
for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.
    The AP has previously consulted with NMFS on: Amendment 1 to the 
Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the 
HMS FMP (December 2003); the Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); and 
Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 to the 2006 
Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and September 
2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, March and 
September 2012, January and September 2013, April and September 2014, 
March and September 2015, March and September 2016), among other 
things.
    The intent of this meeting is for NMFS to consult with the AP on 
the proposed management measures contained in Draft Amendment 5b to the 
2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP, which proposes a range of 
management measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild dusky sharks. 
These measures are based on a recent stock assessment that determined 
dusky sharks--a prohibited species since 2000--are overfished and still 
experiencing overfishing. Draft Amendment 5b could affect any 
commercial fishermen with HMS permits, any recreational fishermen who 
catch sharks of any species, and any dealers who buy or sell sharks or 
shark products.
    Additional information on the meeting and a copy of the draft 
agenda will be posted prior to the meeting at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/ap_meetings.html.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to

[[Page 80644]]

Peter Cooper at (301) 427-8503 at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: November 9, 2016.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-27473 Filed 11-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P