[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 231 (Monday, December 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84129-84130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26565]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD556]


Research Track Assessment for Black Sea Bass

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will convene the Research Track Assessment Peer Review 
Meeting for the purpose of reviewing Black Sea Bass. The Research Track 
Assessment Peer Review is a formal scientific peer-review process for 
evaluating and presenting stock assessment results to managers for fish 
stocks in the offshore U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. 
Assessments are prepared by the research track working group and 
reviewed by an independent panel of stock assessment experts from the 
Center of Independent Experts (CIE). The public is invited to attend 
the presentations and discussions between the review panel and the 
scientists who have participated in the stock assessment process.

DATES: The public portion of the Research Track Assessment Peer Review 
Meeting will be held from December 5, 2023-December 7, 2023. The 
meeting will conclude on December 7, 2023 at 4 p.m. eastern standard 
time. Please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the daily meeting 
agenda.

ADDRESSES: 
    The meeting will be held via WebEx: https://noaanmfs-meets.webex.com/noaanmfs-meets/j.php?MTID=m6913d2c21375690b5235caba3fbd2829.
    Meeting number (access code): 2760 957 5065.
    Meeting password: HMzTG9qhd73.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Traver, 508-495-2195; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For further information, please visit the 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/population-assessments/fishery-stock-assessments-new-england-and-mid-atlantic. For additional 
information about research track assessment peer review, please visit 
the NEFSC web page at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/population-assessments/research-track-stock-assessments.

Daily Meeting Agenda--Research Track Peer Review Meeting

    The agenda is subject to change; all times are approximate and may 
be changed at the discretion of the Peer Review Chair.

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                 Time                           Topic                 Presenter(s)                Notes
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                                            Tuesday, December 5, 2023
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9 a.m.-9:15 a.m......................  Welcome/Logistics        Michele Traver,
                                        Introductions/Agenda/    Assessment Process
                                        Conduct of Meeting.      Lead; Larry Alade,
                                                                 Acting PopDy Branch
                                                                 Chief; Olaf Jensen,
                                                                 Panel Chair.
9:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m...................  Introduction/Executive   Anna Mercer (WG chair)/  Biology, movement,
                                        Summary.                 Kiersten Curti           management overview,
                                                                 (assessment lead).       flag areas of major
                                                                                          progress in the
                                                                                          Research Track (new
                                                                                          data sources, indices,
                                                                                          M exploration, discard
                                                                                          mortality exploration,
                                                                                          new model, etc.).

[[Page 84130]]

 
9:45 a.m.-10:30 a.m..................  Term of Reference (TOR)  Kiersten Curti.........  Commercial catch,
                                        #2.                                               Commercial Fisheries
                                                                                          Research Foundation
                                                                                          Research Fleet data.
10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.................  Break..................
10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.................  TOR #2 cont............  Kiersten Curti, Sam      Recreational catch
                                                                 Truesdell, Julia Beaty.  Discard Mortality.
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m....................  Discussion/Summary.....  Review Panel...........
12 p.m.-12:15 p.m....................  Public Comment.........  Public.................
12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m..................  Lunch..................
1:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m...................  TOR #3.................  Kiersten Curti, Sam      NEFSC Bottom Trawl
                                                                 Truesdell, Alex          Survey, NorthEast Area
                                                                 Hansell.                 Monitoring and
                                                                                          Assessment Program,
                                                                                          State Surveys,
                                                                                          Ventless Trap Survey,
                                                                                          Vector Autoregressive
                                                                                          Spatio Temporal
                                                                                          indices.
2:45 p.m.-3 p.m......................  Break..................
3 p.m.-3:45 p.m......................  TOR #3.................  Jeff Brust, Andy Jones.  Recreational CPA and
                                                                                          Commercial Catch Per
                                                                                          Unit Effort.
3:45 p.m.-4 p.m......................  Discussion/Summary.....  Review Panel...........
4 p.m.-4:15 p.m......................  Public Comment.........  Public.................
4:15 p.m.............................  Adjourn................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Wednesday, December 6, 2023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 a.m.-9:05 a.m......................  Welcome/Logistics        Michele Traver,
                                        Introductions/Agenda.    Assessment Process
                                                                 Lead; Olaf Jensen,
                                                                 Panel Chair.
9:05 a.m.-10:30 a.m..................  TOR #1.................  Scott Large, Kiersten    Time varying growth and
                                                                 Curti, Jason McNamee,    maturity,
                                                                 Anna Mercer.             Spatiotemporal
                                                                                          modeling, Ecosystem
                                                                                          indicators, Trophic
                                                                                          ecology, Natural
                                                                                          Mortality, Stakeholder
                                                                                          engagement.
10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.................  Break..................
10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.................  TOR #4.................  Tim Miller, Kiersten     Woods Hole Assessment
                                                                 Curti.                   Model.
12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m..................  Lunch..................
1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m...................  TOR #5.................  Tim Miller, Kiersten     Reference Points.
                                                                 Curti.
2:45 p.m.-3:30 p.m...................  TOR #6.................  Tim Miller, Kiersten     Projections.
                                                                 Curti.
3:30 p.m.-4 p.m......................  Discussion/Summary.....  Review Panel...........
4 p.m.-4:15 p.m......................  Public Comment.........  Public.................
4:15 p.m.............................  Adjourn................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Thursday, December 7, 2023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 a.m.-9:05 a.m......................  Welcome/Logistics,       Michele Traver,          .......................
                                        Introductions/Agenda.    Assessment Process
                                                                 Lead; Olaf Jensen,
                                                                 Panel Chair.
9:05 a.m.-10:15 a.m..................  TOR #4 cont'...........  Gavin Fay, Jason         Stock Structure.
                                                                 McNamee.
10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.................  Break..................
10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.................  TOR #8.................  Kiersten Curti.........  Summarize Woods Hole
                                                                                          Assessment Model
                                                                                          recommended model;
                                                                                          Alternative Assessment
                                                                                          Approach.
10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.................  TOR #7.................  Julia Beaty............  Research
                                                                                          Recommendations.
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m....................  Discussion/Summary.....  Panel..................
12 p.m.-12:15 p.m....................  Public Comment.........  Public.................
12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m..................  Lunch..................
1:15 p.m.-4 p.m......................  Report writing.........  Panel..................
4 p.m................................  Adjourn................
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    The meeting is open to the public; however, during the `Report 
Writing' session on Thursday, December 7th, the public should not 
engage in discussion with the Peer Review Panel.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Special requests should be directed to Michele Traver, via email (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

    Dated: November 29, 2023.
Michael P. Ruccio,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-26565 Filed 12-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P