Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of public meeting and webinar/conference call.

SUMMARY:

NMFS will hold a 2-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in December 2016. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS, specifically Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The meeting is open to the public.

DATES:

The AP meeting and webinar will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 1, 2016, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. The meeting presentations will also be available via WebEx webinar/conference call.

The meeting on Thursday, December 1, and Friday, December 2, 2016, will also be accessible via conference call and webinar. Conference call and webinar access information are available at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/dec-2016/ap-meeting.html.

Participants are strongly encouraged to log/dial in 15 minutes prior to the meeting. NMFS will show the presentations via webinar and allow public comment during identified times on the agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Cooper or Margo Schulze-Haugen at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the establishment of an AP to assist in the collection and evaluation of information relevant to the development of any FMP or FMP amendment for Atlantic HMS. NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views of AP members when preparing and implementing FMPs or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.

The AP has previously consulted with NMFS on: Amendment 1 to the Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the HMS FMP (December 2003); the Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); and Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and September 2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, March and September 2012, January and September 2013, April and September 2014, March and September 2015, March and September 2016), among other things.

The intent of this meeting is for NMFS to consult with the AP on the proposed management measures contained in Draft Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP, which proposes a range of management measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild dusky sharks. These measures are based on a recent stock assessment that determined dusky sharks—a prohibited species since 2000—are overfished and still experiencing overfishing. Draft Amendment 5b could affect any commercial fishermen with HMS permits, any recreational fishermen who catch sharks of any species, and any dealers who buy or sell sharks or shark products.

Additional information on the meeting and a copy of the draft agenda will be posted prior to the meeting at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/ap_meetings.html.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Peter Cooper at (301) 427-8503 at least 7 days prior to the meeting.