[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3032-3033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00751]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XU006]


Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee

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

ACTION: Notice; extension of nomination period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the period for submission of nominations for 
appointment to a new Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC) task 
force to support its advisory work for the Secretary of Commerce on 
living marine resource matters. The task force will provide expert 
advice on the generation, delivery, and use of electronically reported 
data from private recreational anglers to assist NMFS in fulfilling its 
mission activities. NMFS will appoint the members in consultation with 
MAFAC and they will serve for a term of up to two (2) years. The 
extended comment period closes on February 21, 2020.

DATES: Nominations must be received at the appropriate address or email 
mailbox (see ADDRESSES) on or before February 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent to Heidi Lovett, NMFS Office of 
Policy, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi Lovett, (301) 427-8046; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MAFAC is the only Federal advisory committee 
with the responsibility to advise the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) 
on all matters concerning living marine resources that are the 
responsibility of the Department of Commerce. On November 20, 2019, 
MAFAC announced it would be establishing a Task Force to provide it, 
and subsequently NMFS, expert advice on the generation, delivery, and 
use of electronically reported data from private recreational anglers 
to assist NOAA Fisheries in fulfilling its mission activities. The 
scope of the Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force will fall 
within the objectives and scope of the MAFAC. In response, NMFS has 
received a limited number of qualified applications. NMFS has decided 
to extend the period to submit nominations by 30 days to Friday, 
February 21, 2020 to allow the submission of additional applications.

Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force

    This Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force is being created 
to provide MAFAC, and subsequently NMFS, advice on fulfilling the 
agency's central role in providing useable high quality, accurate data 
on recreational fisheries. Task Force advice will support and 
contribute to the development of an Agency roadmap to advance and guide 
implementation, where appropriate, of electronic data collection in 
private recreational fisheries (both shore and boat mode angling). The 
initial actions for consideration by the Task Force include:
     Identify and prioritize known data gaps relative to NOAA 
Fisheries' role in

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supporting management of marine recreational fisheries that could be 
addressed through mandatory or voluntary private recreational angler 
electronic reporting programs.
     Identify realistic and achievable goals for voluntary 
(also known as opt-in) and mandatory electronic reporting for private 
recreational anglers, as well as associated challenges and solutions, 
where identifiable.
     Provide recommendations on how the aforementioned goals 
could be best supported or achieved by NOAA Fisheries.
    The Task Force will report to MAFAC and will not provide advice or 
work products directly to NMFS. Recommendations generated by this Task 
Force's efforts will not result in any regulatory decision, or obligate 
any party to undertake certain activities.
    This Task Force will consist of approximately 10 individuals who 
have demonstrated subject matter expertise and experience in one or 
more relevant fields including, but not limited to, sampling 
statistics, survey methodologies, citizen science, fishery stock 
assessment science, electronic monitoring or reporting, fisheries 
management, database development and/or management, mobile technology 
applications (apps), and marine recreational fishing. It is not 
intended that all Task Force members be scientists or researchers; 
however, other members should have experience with issues related to 
the generation, delivery, and or use of opt-in electronic data, public 
attitudes about participating in such programs, or similar ecological 
self-reporting data systems from which parallels can be drawn.
    It is intended that the Task Force membership represent a diversity 
of the overall expertise and experience being sought. It will be 
established for an initial period of two (2) years with a possibility 
of extending that term if deemed necessary by NMFS and MAFAC. Task 
Force members should be able to fulfill the time commitments required 
for up to one meeting per month (mostly by webinar or teleconference 
and potentially in-person), and interim work as necessary. Members of 
the Task Force are not compensated for their services, but will upon 
request be provided travel and per diem expenses as authorized by 5 
U.S.C. 5701 et seq. To view the full Recreational Electronic Reporting 
Task Force Terms of Reference, please visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/partners/marine-fisheries-advisory-committee-subcommittees-and-task-forces#task-forces.

Nomination Materials

    Each nomination submission must include: Resume or curriculum vitae 
of the nominee and a cover letter, not to exceed 3 pages, that 
describes the nominee's interest in serving on the Task Force and how 
the nominee's expertise, experience, and other qualifications relate to 
one or more relevant fields noted in the prior section. Self-
nominations are acceptable. The following contact information should 
accompany each nominee's submission: Full name, address, telephone 
number, and email address.
    Nominations should be sent to (see ADDRESSES) and must be received 
by February 21, 2020. Information about MAFAC, its Committee charter, 
current membership, and activities can be viewed on the NMFS' website 
at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/partners#marine-fisheries-advisory-committee.

    Dated January 14, 2020.
Jennifer Lukens,
Federal Program Officer, Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-00751 Filed 1-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P