[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 26011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12029]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG249


Public Meeting on the Definition of Fish Aggregating Devices

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a public meeting to seek input on the 
definition of fish aggregating devices (FADs) that could be applied for 
conservation measures by international fishery management organizations 
in which the United States participates.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Friday June 29, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. 
to 1:00 p.m. PDT.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Pacific Conference Room 
(Room 300) at NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 La Jolla 
Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037-1508. Please notify Dawn 
Graham (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) by June 22, 2018, if you 
plan to attend the meeting in person or remotely. The meeting will be 
accessible by webinar--instructions will be emailed to meeting 
participants who provide notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachael Wadsworth by email at 
[email protected], or by phone at (562) 980-4036; or Dawn 
Graham by email at [email protected], or by phone at (858) 546-7081.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS would like to meet with interested 
members of the public to discuss and receive public input on the 
various definitions of FADs used in regional fishery management 
organizations (RFMOs) in which the United States participates. This 
could include the effect of the definitions on the management of FAD 
fishing, tropical tuna stock health, and U.S. fishing interests; 
whether NMFS should pursue efforts to adopt a common definition of FADs 
that could be applied across organizations; and if so, the scope and 
content of that definition. Additionally, NMFS requests public input on 
defining non-entangling FADs and active beacons on FADs. NMFS is also 
interested in any public input on alternative approaches to addressing 
stakeholder concerns related to the management of FAD fishing, tropical 
tuna stock health, and U.S. fishing interests across RFMOs in which the 
United States participates.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting location is physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Dawn Graham (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) by June 15, 2018.

    Dated: May 31, 2018.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-12029 Filed 6-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P