[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89615-89616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26185]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE396]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern
United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring
Service Providers
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Approval of Northeast multispecies monitoring service providers
for fishing year 2025.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS has approved nine companies to provide Northeast
multispecies sector at-sea catch monitoring (ASM) and/or electronic
catch monitoring (EM) services in fishing year 2025. Regulations
implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require
ASM and EM companies to meet service provider performance standards to
be approved by NMFS to provide catch monitoring services to sectors.
This action approves service providers that sectors may contract with
for catch monitoring services for fishing year 2025.
DATES: Northeast multispecies at-sea and electronic monitoring service
provider approvals are effective May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring service
providers is available at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/observer-providers-northeast-and-mid-atlantic-programs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Nelson, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9334, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan includes a requirement for industry-funded monitoring
of catch by sector vessels. NMFS approves independent third-party
service providers with which sectors may contract to provide ASM and/or
EM services to their vessels. NMFS requires full applications for
approval from ASM and EM companies that are not currently approved to
be a service provider. Previously approved ASM and EM companies are not
required to submit a full application to maintain their approval status
if they continue to meet all service provider performance standards and
submit required updated information annually. The required updated
information to maintain approval includes an updated Emergency Action
Plan, evidence of adequate insurance coverage, and, if applicable, any
updates to staffing or operations. Regulations at 50 CFR 648.11(h)
describe the criteria for approval of ASM and EM service provider
applications. NMFS approves service providers based on: (1)
Completeness and sufficiency of applications; and (2) determination of
the applicant's ability to meet the performance requirements of a
sector monitoring service provider. Once approved, service providers
must meet specified performance requirements outlined in Sec.
648.11(h)(5) and (6), including required coverage levels, in order to
maintain eligibility. NMFS must notify service providers, in writing,
if NMFS withdraws approval for any reason.
Approved Monitoring Service Providers
On September 3, 2024, NMFS announced an opportunity for new
monitoring companies to apply for approval to provide ASM and/or EM
services in fishing year 2025 and an opportunity for currently approved
providers to submit updated documentation to maintain their approval
status in fishing year 2025. NMFS previously approved nine companies to
provide catch monitoring services to the Northeast multispecies sectors
in fishing year 2024. Five of the nine approved companies provide both
ASM and EM services: A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical Services, LLC;
Fathom Research, LLC; New England Marine Monitoring; and Saltwater,
Inc. The other four approved companies provide EM services only:
Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd.; Flywire Cameras; Satlink US, LLC;
and Teem Fish Monitoring, Inc.
All currently approved ASM and EM companies continue to meet all
service provider performance standards, submitted all required
documentation, and are therefore approved service providers for fishing
year 2025. We did not receive any new ASM or EM provider applications.
Table 1 includes
[[Page 89616]]
the revised list of approved monitoring service providers.
NMFS has the authority to remove a service provider from its
approved status in accordance with the regulations at Sec.
648.11(h)(7). A monitoring service provider that fails to meet the
requirements, conditions, and responsibilities will be notified in
writing that it is subject to removal from the list of approved
monitoring service providers. Withdrawing approval of a service
provider will be based on an evaluation of the service providers
ability to meet the third-party catch monitoring provider standards in
Sec. 648.11(h)(5) and (6). All companies provided proof of holding
insurance consistent with the regulations at 50 CFR 648.11(h)(3)(vii)
as a part of their application. However, companies whose insurance
expires before the end of the 2025 fishing year must submit updated
insurance documents at the time of their current policy's expiration to
maintain approval. NMFS will closely monitor the performance of
approved service providers, and will withdraw approval during the
current approval term if it determines performance standards are not
being met.
NMFS did not solicit applications to provide dockside monitoring
services related to the maximized retention EM program. NMFS suspended
the operation of the MREM program in fishing year 2024, and we are
currently considering whether we will operate the program in 2025.
Table 1--Approved Providers for Fishing Year 2025
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Provider Services Address Phone Fax Website
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A.I.S., Inc......................... ASM/EM............... 540 Hawthorn St, 508-990-9054 508-990-9055.............. https://
Dartmouth, MA 02747. aisobservers.com/.
Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd.... EM................... 525 Head St, Victoria, 250-383-4535 250-383-0103.............. https://
BC V9A 5S1, Canada. www.archipelago.ca/.
East West Technical Services, LLC... ASM/EM............... 91 Point Judith Rd, 860-910-4957 860-223-6005.............. https://www.ewts.com/.
Suite 26 Unit 347,
Narragansett, RI 02882.
Fathom Resources, LLC............... ASM/EM............... 855 Aquidneck Ave., 508-990-0997 508-858-5383.............. https://
Unit 9, Middletown, RI fathomresources.com/.
02842.
Flywire Cameras..................... EM................... PO BOX 55048, 888-315-7796 502-861-6568.............. https://
Lexington, KY 40511. www.flywirecameras.co
m/.
New England Marine Monitoring....... ASM/EM............... 350 Commercial St, 508-269-8138 none...................... https://
Portland, ME 04101. www.nemarinemonitorin
g.com/.
Saltwater, Inc...................... ASM/EM............... 733 N St, Anchorage, AK 907-276-3241 907-258-5999.............. https://
99501. www.saltwaterinc.com/
.
Satlink US, LLC..................... EM................... 16423 Sawgrass Drive, 703-447-5287 none...................... https://www.satlink.es/
Rehoboth Beach, DE en/.
19971.
Teem Fish Monitoring, Inc........... EM................... 309 2nd Ave, Suite 363, 778-884-2598 none...................... https://teem.fish/.
Prince Rupert, BC V8J
3T1, Canada.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: ASM/EM = At-sea and electronic monitoring; EM = Electronic monitoring only.
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)
Dated: November 6, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-26185 Filed 11-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-23-P