[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3305-3306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01290]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF963


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Workshops

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshops.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold two training workshops for the purpose of providing instruction to 
for-hire operators on electronic reporting of vessel trip reports 
(VTRs).

DATES: The workshops will be held on February 10, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m., and February 24, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[[Page 3306]]


ADDRESSES: The workshop dates and locations are as follows:
     February 10th at the DoubleTree by Hilton Boston North 
Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd., Danvers, MA; phone: (978) 777-2500.
     February 24th at the Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, 
815 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ; phone: (732) 341-6101.
    These workshops have a limited number of spaces. Participants are 
strongly encouraged to register early so that workshop personnel can 
work with each individual prior to the workshop to establish needed 
accounts for reporting systems. To ensure attendance, please register 
at http://www.mafmc.org/forms/evtr-workshop-registration or email the 
workshop coordinator at [email protected].
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. 
State St., Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674-2331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Loftus, eVTR Outreach Workshop 
Coordinator; telephone: (410) 295-5997; email: [email protected] 
or Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D. Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council; telephone: (302) 526-5255. The Council's website, 
www.mafmc.org also has details on the proposed agenda and briefing 
materials.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA Fisheries has issued a final rule 
requiring the use of electronic vessel trip reports (VTRs) by vessel 
owners/operators holding Federal charter or party permits for species 
managed by a Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council FMP while on trips 
carrying passengers for hire. Electronic VTRs must be submitted through 
a NOAA-approved software application within 48 hours following the 
completion of a fishing trip. Vessels with Federal charter or party 
permits for any of the following species will be bound by this rule:

 Atlantic mackerel
 Squid
 Butterfish
 Summer Flounder
 Scup
 Black sea bass
 Bluefish
 Tilefish

    This action takes effect March 12, 2018, and changes only the 
required method of transmitting VTRs and the submission date; the 
required data elements and all other existing reporting requirements 
will not change. These workshops will provide information and training 
on select systems in preparation for this action.
    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: January 19, 2018.
Jeffrey N. Lonergan,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-01290 Filed 1-23-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P