[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 45 (Thursday, March 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8306-8307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04108]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG838


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and webinar/conference call.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a 3-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in May 2019. The intent of the meeting is 
to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic 
HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The AP meeting and webinar will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
on Tuesday, May 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, 
and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 23.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Silver Spring 
Hotel, 8777 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The meeting 
presentations will also be available via WebEx webinar/conference call.
    The meeting on Tuesday, May 21, Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, 
May 23, will also be accessible via conference call and webinar. 
Conference call and webinar access information are available at: 
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/event/may-2019-hms-advisory-panel-meeting.
    Participants are strongly encouraged to log/dial in 15 minutes 
prior to the meeting. NMFS will show the presentations via webinar and 
allow public comment during identified times on the agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Silva or Peter Cooper at (301) 
427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the 
establishment of an AP to assist in the collection and evaluation of 
information relevant to the development of any FMP or FMP amendment for 
Atlantic HMS. NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views 
of AP members when preparing and implementing FMPs or FMP amendments 
for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.
    The AP has previously consulted with NMFS on: Amendment 1 to the 
Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the 
HMS FMP (December 2003); the Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); and 
Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 to 
the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and 
September 2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, March 
and September 2012, January and September 2013, April and September 
2014, March and September 2015, March, September, and December 2016, 
May and September 2017, and March and September 2018), among other 
things.
    The intent of this meeting is to consider alternatives for the 
conservation and management of all Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, 
and shark fisheries. We anticipate discussing:

[[Page 8307]]

     Three-year review of Amendment 7 on bluefin tuna 
management;
     A proposed rule and draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for pelagic longline bluefin tuna area-based and weak hook management 
measures;
     Scoping for Amendments 13 (bluefin tuna), and spatial 
management research and data collection.
    We also anticipate inviting other NMFS offices and the United 
States Coast Guard to provide updates, if available, on their 
activities relevant to HMS fisheries.
    Additional information on the meeting and a copy of the draft 
agenda will be posted prior to the meeting at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/event/may-2019-hms-advisory-panel-meeting.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Peter Cooper at (301) 427-8503 at least 7 days 
prior to the meeting.

    Dated: March 4, 2019.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-04108 Filed 3-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P