[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45147-45148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14924]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD152]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Request for 
Information on Research Priorities for the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council

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

ACTION: Notification; request for information.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
requesting information from the public on research priorities for the 
fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska for its triennial 
review. The Council develops research priorities for fisheries, 
habitats, and other areas necessary for management purposes and reviews 
those priorities every 3 years. This notice invites the public to 
submit written comments on the topic generally and in response to 
specific questions outlined below.

DATES: Comments must be received via the Council's eAgenda meeting 
portal by 5 p.m. AKT on October 31, 2023 (see ADDRESSES for website 
URL).

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments to the Council's eAgenda 
meeting portal at ``Request for Information: Research Priorities 
Triennial Review'', https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2998, 
using either the ``Comment Now'' function on the eAgenda page or by 
using the comment form, https://forms.gle/PPfkFPQ1JCXJrRSN9, by the 
October 31, 2023, deadline.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1007 W 
3rd Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252; telephone: (907) 271-2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Watson, [email protected] 
or by telephone (907) 271-2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) 
requires that regional fishery management councils develop ``multi-year 
research priorities for fisheries, fisheries interactions, habitats, 
and other areas of research that are necessary for management 
purposes'' (16 U.S.C. 1852(h)(7)). This includes research to support 
fishery management plans and associated regulations for fisheries 
requiring conservation and management to prevent overfishing, rebuild 
depleted fish stocks, and ensure sustainable fishing practices. 
Research priorities should be established and updated as necessary. The 
Council reviews its research priorities every 3 years, and the next 
triennial review of research priorities is tentatively scheduled for 
April 2024.
    The MSA identifies the intended audience for Council research 
priorities as the Secretary of Commerce and, the Alaska Fisheries 
Science Center (AFSC), ``for their consideration in developing research 
priorities and budgets'' for Alaska. In past years, Council research 
priorities were provided to the Secretary of Commerce, the AFSC, as 
well as research and funding entities including universities, research 
boards, and other management agencies in the region. Additional 
entities that intersect with the Council management responsibilities 
may also be included as participation in the development of these 
research priorities broadens.

[[Page 45148]]

    In the past, new research priorities were developed and reviewed by 
the Council's four stock assessment plan teams, the Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC), and ultimately the Council, with public 
input provided at those plan team, SSC, and Council meetings. Going 
forward, the Council would like receive input and suggestions from the 
public early in the process of developing new research priorities and 
is now soliciting input from the public through this request for 
information (RFI).
    Opportunities for the public to suggest research priorities will 
occur through October 31, 2023, using either the online submission form 
or the ``Comment Now'' option available on the Council's eAgenda 
meeting portal at ``Request for Information: Research Priorities 
Triennial Review.'' Initial reviews of the submissions will begin in 
early November 2023 and are expected to continue through early 2024. 
The document, ``Proposed Process for Development of NPFMC Research 
Priorities,'' https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=fb8df4b1-60d4-47e8-afbf-cf20690b1d93.pdf&fileName=Research%20Priorities%20Process.pdf, includes 
additional information regarding the process for research priority 
development.
    The most recent Council research priorities from the April 2021 
Research Priorities Triennial Review can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/April-2021-Research-Priorities.
    Council research priority terms and category definitions (critical 
ongoing monitoring, urgent, important, or strategic) can be found here: 
https://tinyurl.com/terms-and-category-definitions.

Request for Information

    The scope of public comments is not limited, but questions that may 
be considered include:
    1. Description of suggested research priority for the Council to 
consider;
    2. Description of the fisheries management concern addressed by the 
suggested research priority;
    3. Category of the suggested research priority: critical ongoing 
monitoring, urgent, important, or strategic;
    4. General subject area of suggested research priority: Bering Sea 
groundfish; Gulf of Alaska groundfish; crab; scallop; halibut; 
ecosystem related; habitat; local knowledge, traditional knowledge, 
subsistence; marine birds; marine mammals; bycatch; electronic 
monitoring; management or policy; or other;
    5. Geographical (ecosystem) area that best fits suggested research 
priority: Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, or Arctic; and,
    6. Approximate timeline of the suggested research priority.
    All new research priority recommendations must be submitted by 
October 31, 2023, to be considered during this upcoming triennial 
review. In addition to submitting research priority ideas as part of 
this request for information, the public will have the opportunity to 
provide comments to subject area Plan Teams and a subgroup of the 
Council's SSC. These advisory bodies will meet, tentatively between 
November 2023 and January 2024, to provide the SSC input on 
prioritizing specific research needs. Additional opportunities to 
provide comment on prioritization will occur at the February 2024 SSC 
meeting and at the April 2024 SSC and Council meetings; however, no new 
research priority submissions will be accepted during the Plan Team, 
SSC, and Council meetings. During the April 2024 SSC meeting, a 
priority list combined across subject areas, consisting of 8 to 12 
research priorities, will be developed to present to the Council for 
the Council's consideration. Once the review is final, the Council will 
submit its research priorities to the Secretary of Commerce (NOAA) and 
the AFSC for their consideration in developing research priorities and 
budgets for the Alaska Region (16 U.S.C. 1852(h)(7)(C)).

Public Comment

    Responses to this request are voluntary. Respondents need not reply 
to all questions. All responses are part of the public record and will 
be posted on a public website. Therefore, confidential business 
information, copyrighted information, or personally identifiable 
information (e.g., name, address) should not be submitted in response 
to this request. NOAA and the Council will not pay for any information 
or administrative costs that you may incur in responding to this RFI, 
or for the use of any information contained in the response. The 
documents and information submitted in response to this RFI become the 
property of the U.S. Government and will not be returned.

    Dated: July 10, 2023.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-14924 Filed 7-13-23; 8:45 am]
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