[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 6380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03323]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG814


Public Conference Call Regarding Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Management 
Strategy Evaluation

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

ACTION: Notice of public conference call.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is holding a stakeholder meeting by conference call to 
provide information on recent progress related to the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) bluefin tuna 
management strategy evaluation (MSE). NMFS will also receive input on 
issues to be considered at an upcoming intersessional meeting of 
ICCAT's Panel 2, which will focus on initial operational management 
objectives for the bluefin tuna MSE. The conference call is open to the 
public.

DATES: An operator-assisted conference call that is open to the public 
will be held on February 28, 2019, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST. (phone 
number 800-857-9879; verbal password ``ICCAT''). Participants are 
strongly encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terra Lederhouse at (301) 427-8360.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is hosting an intersessional 
meeting of its Panel 2 on March 4-7, 2019, in Madrid, Spain. ICCAT's 
Panel 2 is responsible for keeping under review the conservation and 
management of northern temperature tunas, including albacore and 
Atlantic bluefin. At its March 4-7 intersessional meeting, ICCAT's 
Panel 2 will seek to advance ongoing development of a management 
strategy evaluation (MSE) for Atlantic bluefin tuna. An MSE is a 
simulation that allows stakeholders (e.g., industry, managers, 
scientists, and non-governmental organizations) to assess how well 
different management strategies, such as harvest control rules, could 
meet the objectives of the fishery. Specifically, in accordance with 
the outcomes from the 21st Special Meeting of ICCAT, the intersessional 
meeting will focus on developing initial operational management 
objectives for the MSE.
    For the conference call, NMFS will provide stakeholders with 
updates on the progress related to ICCAT's bluefin tuna MSE work, 
including recent meetings of ICCAT's Standing Committee on Research and 
Statistics (SCRS), ICCAT's scientific branch. Additionally, NMFS is 
interested in learning from stakeholders about preferred management 
objectives. NMFS will provide reasonable opportunity for public input 
and will announce the timing and format for such input at the beginning 
of the conference call.

    Dated: February 21, 2019.
Paul Doremus,
Acting Director, Office of International Affairs and Seafood 
Inspection, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-03323 Filed 2-26-19; 8:45 am]
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