[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20677-20678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07859]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XX051]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern 
United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Approved Industry-Funded 
Monitoring Service Providers

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

ACTION: Notice of approved industry-funded monitoring service 
providers.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has approved four companies to provide industry-funded 
monitoring services (observing, at-sea monitoring, and/or portside 
sampling) to Atlantic herring vessels during industry-funded monitoring 
years 2020-2021 (April 1, 2020-March 31, 2022). Monitoring coverage 
regulations require that any entities seeking to provide monitoring 
services, including services for industry-funded monitoring programs, 
must apply for and obtain approval from NMFS. This action will allow 
Atlantic herring vessels to secure industry-funded monitoring services 
from any of the approved providers during 2020-2021.

ADDRESSES: The list of NMFS-approved industry-funded monitoring service 
providers is available at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/fisheries-observers/industry-funded-monitoring-northeast, 
or by sending a written request to: 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: Maria Fenton.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Fenton, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The New England Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) Omnibus Amendment 
created an IFM program in the Atlantic herring fishery and set a 50-
percent monitoring coverage target on vessels issued an All Areas 
(Category A) or Areas 2/3 (Category B) limited access Atlantic herring 
permit. This 50-percent coverage target includes a combination of 
Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) coverage and IFM 
coverage. Prior to any trip declared into the herring fishery, 
representatives for vessels issued Category A or B permits are required 
to notify NMFS for monitoring coverage. If NMFS informs a vessel that a 
trip is selected for IFM coverage, the vessel is required to obtain at-
sea monitoring coverage from a NMFS-approved service provider for that 
trip. Midwater trawl vessels may also obtain an IFM observer coverage 
in order to fish in a Groundfish Closed Area on a trip that was not 
selected for SBRM or IFM coverage.
    Some midwater trawl herring vessels may enroll in an Exempted 
Fishing Permit (EFP) to use an electronic monitoring and portside 
sampling program in lieu of carrying a human at-sea monitor to fulfill 
the requirements of the IFM Amendment. If NMFS informs a vessel 
participating in the EFP that a trip has been selected for IFM 
coverage, that vessel would be required to obtain portside sampling 
services for that trip. Vessels participating in the EFP could also 
obtain portside sampling coverage in lieu of carrying an observer in 
order to fish in a Groundfish Closed Area on a trip that was not 
selected for SBRM or IFM coverage.

Monitoring Service Provider Approval Process

    Monitoring coverage regulations at Sec.  648.11(h)(1) require that 
any entities seeking to provide monitoring services, including services 
for IFM programs, must apply for and obtain approval from NMFS. The 
regulations at Sec.  648.11(h)(4) describe the criteria for evaluating 
and approving a monitoring services provider application. NMFS approves 
service providers based on: (1) Completeness of the applications; and 
(2) determination of the applicant's ability to perform the duties and 
responsibilities of a monitoring service provider, as demonstrated in 
the application. Once approved, service providers must meet the 
requirements, conditions, and responsibilities specified at Sec.  
648.11(h)(5) and (6) in order to maintain eligibility. NMFS must notify 
service providers, in writing, if approval is withdrawn for any reason.

Approved Industry-Funded Monitoring Service Providers

    NMFS received complete applications from four companies to provide 
IFM services to Atlantic herring vessels during IFM years 2020-2021: 
Fathom Resources, LLC; A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical Services LLC; 
and Saltwater Inc. We approved all four companies to provide IFM 
services to Atlantic herring vessels during IFM years 2020-2021 because 
they have met the application requirements and demonstrated their 
ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a monitoring 
service provider. Fathom Resources, LLC; A.I.S., Inc.; and East West 
Technical Services LLC are currently approved to provide at-sea 
monitoring services for the Northeast multispecies fishery and 
industry-funded observer services for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. 
A.I.S. Inc. and Saltwater Inc. are currently permitted to provide 
observer services for the North Pacific Observer Program. NMFS will 
closely monitor the performance of approved providers and will be 
prepared to withdraw approval during the current approval term, or 
disapprove a future application to provide monitoring services, if it 
is determined that monitoring provider requirements, conditions, and 
responsibilities are not being met.

[[Page 20678]]



                       Table 1--Companies Approved To Provide IFM Services to Atlantic Herring Vessels During IFM Years 2020-2021
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               Provider                 Approved IFM service(s)           Address                Phone               Fax                 Website
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Fathom Resources, LLC................  Industry-funded           855 Aquidneck Ave, Unit        508-990-0997       508-991-7372  www.fathomresources.com
                                        observer, at-sea          9, Middletown, RI 02842.                                        .
                                        monitoring, portside
                                        sampling.
A.I.S., Inc..........................  Industry-funded           540 Hawthorn St, North         508-990-9054       508-990-9055  www.aisobservers.com.
                                        observer, at-sea          Dartmouth, MA 02747.
                                        monitoring, portside
                                        sampling.
East West Technical Services LLC.....  At-sea monitoring,        PO Box 643864, Vero            860-910-4957       860-223-6005  www.ewts.com.
                                        portside sampling.        Beach, FL 32964.
Saltwater Inc........................  Portside sampling.......  733 N St, Anchorage, AK        907-276-3241       907-258-5999  www.saltwaterinc.com.
                                                                  99501.
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    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: April 9, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07859 Filed 4-13-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P