[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38108-38109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09878]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD893]


Applications for Membership to the American Fisheries Advisory 
Committee

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

ACTION: Notice; request for applications.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Applications are being sought for appointment by the Secretary 
of Commerce (Secretary) for 9 membership positions to serve on the 22-
member American Fisheries Advisory Committee (AFAC or Committee). 
Individuals selected to serve on the Committee will serve a term of 
three years, unless otherwise stipulated.

DATES: Applications must have an email date stamp on or before June 20, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Applications should be submitted by email to: 
[email protected], or by mail to: Clifford Cosgrove, 
American Fisheries Advisory Committee Designated Staff Member, NMFS 
Office of Management and Budget, 1315 East-West Highway, Rm. #14456, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cliff Cosgrove, American Fisheries 
Advisory Committee Designated Staff Member, NMFS Office of Management 
and Budget, by email, at [email protected]; or by phone at 
(301) 427-8736. Please visit the Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) Research and 
Development Program web page at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-financial-services/saltonstall-kennedy-research-and-development-program, or contact Cliff Cosgrove, American Fisheries 
Advisory Committee Designated Staff Member, NMFS Office of Management 
and Budget, by email, at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AFAC Committee was created from Public 
Law (Pub. L. 117-121) signed on May 12, 2022. The Committee meets no 
more than 3 times annually and membership is comprised of 22 
individuals appointed by the Secretary with the following geographic 
representation:
    Region 1 consisting of Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, and the Territories of Guam and American 
Samoa;
    Region 2 consisting of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode 
Island, and Connecticut;
    Region 3 consisting of Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
Florida, Arkansas, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of the Virgin Islands 
of the United States;
    Region 4 consisting of California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho;
    Region 5 consisting of New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, 
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia; and
    Region 6 consisting of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, 
Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
    Membership for each region will be composed of highly qualified, 
diverse individuals with experience in one or more of the following 
areas of expertise, and in as many seafood species as possible: seafood 
harvesting or processing; recreational or commercial fishing; growing 
seafood; fisheries science; and/or food distribution, marketing, 
retail, or food service.
    Four at-large members shall also be appointed by the Secretary as 
follows: one individual with experience in food distribution, 
marketing, retail, or food service; one individual with experience in 
the recreational fishing industry supply chain, such as fishers, 
manufacturers, retailers, and distributors; one individual with 
experience in the commercial fishing industry supply chain, such as 
fishers, manufacturers, retailers, and distributors; and one individual 
who is an employee of NMFS with expertise in fisheries research.
    AFAC is responsible for making recommendations to the Secretary for 
financial assistance awards under the S-K Grant Competition under the 
Department of Commerce. AFAC will also make recommendations to the 
Secretary to assist in the development of the annual Notice of Funding 
Opportunities (NOFO) for submission to the S-K Grant Competition. This 
may include identifying the needs of the fishing communities (program 
priorities), establishing individual award funding limits, specifying 
the application review criteria and selection processes, and other 
sections of the NOFO as appropriate and allowable. Applicants for these 
nine membership positions must have demonstrable experience listed 
below in as many seafood species as possible from the specific AFAC 
fisheries regions as follows:
     Region 1, one individual with experience in the Fisheries 
Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council;
     Region 2, one individual with experience as a Recreational 
or Commercial Fisher and/or Experience Growing Seafood;
     Region 3, two positions, one individual with experience as 
a Recreational or Commercial Fisher and/or Experience Growing Seafood 
and one individual with experience as a Seafood Harvester or Processor;
     Region 4, two positions, one individual with experience in 
the Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council, 
one individual with experience as a Recreational or Commercial Fisher 
and/or Experience Growing Seafood;

[[Page 38109]]

     Region 5, one individual with experience as a Recreational 
or Commercial Fisher and/or Experience Growing Seafood;
     Region 6, one individual with experience as a Seafood 
Harvester or Processor; At-Large Region, one individual with experience 
in Food Distribution, Marketing, Retail, or Food Service.
    Members must be able to fulfill the time commitments required for 
up to two annual in-person meetings and one virtual meeting. The in 
person meetings rotate between regions and last up to four business 
days, subject to the time needs of each meeting. The virtual meeting is 
one business day for approximately four to six hours.
    Committee membership is voluntary and, except for reimbursable 
travel and related expenses per federal travel regulations, service is 
without compensation.
    Each nominee must submit a cover letter and a resume/curriculum 
vitae (CV) in PDF format. The cover letter shall include a brief 
statement as to their interest in serving on the Committee and their 
qualifications. The resume/CV shall detail the applicant's contact 
information (address, telephone number, email address) and specific 
qualifications/experience/expertise as referenced in Public Law 117-
121. Any applicants selected for Committee membership shall be required 
to complete a conflict of interest form. The first Committee meeting of 
members selected from this notice will be September 17 through 
September 20, 2024.
    Applications must be submitted by email to 
[email protected], and must be received or email date 
stamped by June 20, to be considered. The full text of Public Law 117-
121 and other relevant documents can be viewed on the Saltonstall-
Kennedy web page at the following link: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-financial-services/saltonstall-kennedy-research-and-development-program

    Dated: April 30, 2024.
Daniel A. Namur,
Acting Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-09878 Filed 5-2-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P