[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 21 (Thursday, February 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9059-9060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02194]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF165


Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic; Southeast 
Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 48 Data Workshop for Southeastern U.S. black 
grouper.

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SUMMARY: The SEDAR 48 assessment of Southeastern U.S. black grouper 
will consist of a Data Workshop; an assessment workshop and series of 
Assessment webinars; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

DATES: The SEDAR 48 Data Workshop will be held from 9 a.m. on March 15, 
2017 until 3 p.m. on March 17, 2017; the Assessment Workshop and 
webinars and Review Workshop dates and times will publish in a 
subsequent issue in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting address: The SEDAR 48 Data Workshop will be held at the 
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, 333 1st Street, Saint Petersburg, FL 
33701; telephone: (727) 894-5000.
    SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC 
29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; phone: 
(843) 571-4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; fax: (843) 769-4520; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 
Caribbean Fishery Management Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions 
have implemented the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 
process, a multi-step method for determining the status of fish stocks 
in the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a three-step process including: (1) 
Data Workshop; (2) Assessment Process utilizing workshops and webinars; 
and (3) Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop is a data 
report, which compiles and evaluates potential datasets and recommends 
which datasets are appropriate for assessment analyses. The product of 
the Assessment Process is a stock assessment report, which describes 
the fisheries, evaluates the status of the stock, estimates biological 
benchmarks, projects future population conditions, and recommends 
research and monitoring needs. The assessment is independently peer 
reviewed at the Review Workshop. The product of the Review Workshop is 
a Summary documenting panel opinions regarding the strengths and 
weaknesses of the stock assessment and input data. Participants for 
SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, 
and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast 
Regional Office, HMS Management Division, and Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center. Participants include: Data collectors and database 
managers; stock assessment scientists, biologists, and researchers; 
constituency representatives including fishermen, environmentalists, 
and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); international experts; and 
staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and federal agencies.
    The items of discussion in the Data Workshop agenda are as follows:
    1. An assessment data set and associated documentation will be 
developed.
    2. Participants will evaluate all available data and select 
appropriate sources for providing information on life history 
characteristics, catch statistics, discard estimates, length and age 
composition, and fishery dependent and fishery independent measures of 
stock abundance, as specified in the Terms of Reference for the 
workshop.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to 
take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the 
Council office (see ADDRESSES) at least 10 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.


[[Page 9060]]


    Dated: January 30, 2017.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-02194 Filed 2-1-17; 8:45 am]
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