[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 148 (Thursday, August 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36128-36129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16362]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF588


Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and 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 54 assessment webinar IV for Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) Sandbar shark.

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SUMMARY: The SEDAR 54 assessment of the HMS Sandbar will consist of a 
series of assessment webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

DATES: The SEDAR 54 assessment webinar IV will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. The webinar is open to 
members of the public. Those interested in participating should contact 
Julie A. Neer at SEDAR (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) to request 
an invitation providing webinar access information. Please request 
webinar invitations at least 24 hours in advance of each webinar.
    SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, 
SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; 
(843) 571-4366; 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 multi-step process including: (1) 
Data Workshop; (2) Assessment Process utilizing webinars; and (3) 
Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop is a data report that 
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 that 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 NGO's; 
International experts; and staff of Councils, Commissions, and state 
and federal agencies.
    The items of discussion in the Assessment Process webinars are as 
follows:
    1. Using datasets and initial assessment analysis recommended from

[[Page 36129]]

the Data Webinar, panelists will employ assessment models to evaluate 
stock status, estimate population benchmarks and management criteria, 
and project future conditions.
    2. Participants will recommend the most appropriate methods and 
configurations for determining stock status and estimating population 
parameters.
    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

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 
business days prior to each webinar.

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


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

    Dated: July 31, 2017.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-16362 Filed 8-2-17; 8:45 am]
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