60-day FRN

61378

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 2015 / Notices

maintenance and monitoring duties,
while trying to minimize pinniped
disturbance. It is critical for Point Blue
to keep the California sea lions off of
these structures to prevent severe
damage and ensure the safety of island
staff. However, to do so would be
impossible for Point Blue and its
partners without disturbing a larger
number of California sea lions. Thus,
NMFS proposes to modify the current
Authorization to increase the number of
take by Level B harassment only for
California sea lions to a total of 44,871
for the duration of the current
Authorization which expires on January
30, 2016.

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Findings
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA)—As required by the MMPA,
for the original Authorization, NMFS
determined that: (1) The required
mitigation measures are sufficient to
reduce the effects of the specified
activities to the level of least practicable
impact; (2) the authorized takes will
have a negligible impact on the affected
marine mammal species; (3) the
authorized takes represent small
numbers relative to the affected stock
abundances; and (4) Point Blue’s
activities will not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on taking for subsistence
purposes as no relevant subsistence uses
of marine mammals are implicated by
this action.
Negligible Impact: For reasons stated
previously in the Federal Register
notices for the proposed authorization
(79 FR 76975, December 23, 2014) and
the issued Authorization (80 FR 10066,
February 25, 2015), NMFS anticipates
that impacts to hauled-out California sea
lions during Point Blue’s activities
would be behavioral harassment of
limited duration (i.e., less than one day)
and limited intensity (i.e., temporary
flushing at most). NMFS does not expect
Point Blue’s specified activities to cause
long-term behavioral disturbance,
abandonment of the haul out area, or
stampeding, and therefore injury or
mortality to occur.
With the exception of a proposed
increase in the number of authorized
takes for California sea lions, no other
substantive changes have occurred in
the interim. Based on the analysis
contained herein of the likely effects of
the specified activity on marine
mammals and their habitat, and taking
into consideration the implementation
of the required monitoring and
mitigation measures, NMFS
preliminarily finds that the total marine
mammal take from Point Blue’s survey
activities will have a negligible impact

VerDate Sep<11>2014

21:23 Oct 09, 2015

Jkt 238001

on the affected marine mammal species
or stocks.
Small Numbers: For reasons stated
previously in the Federal Register
notices for the proposed authorization
(79 FR 76975, December 23, 2014) and
the issued Authorization (80 FR 10066,
February 25, 2015), NMFS estimates
that four species of marine mammals
could be potentially affected by Level B
harassment over the course of the
proposed Authorization. With the
exception of a proposed increase in
authorized take for California sea lions,
no other substantive changes have
occurred in the interim. For California
sea lions, the proposed increase in take
is small relative to the population size.
The revised incidental harassment
number represents approximately 15.1
percent of the U.S. stock of California
sea lion.
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)—In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NMFS
prepared an Environmental Assessment
(EA) analyzing the potential effects to
the human environment from the
issuance of a proposed Authorization to
Point Blue for their seabird research
activities. In January 2014, NMFS issued
a Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) on the issuance of an
Authorization for Point Blue’s research
activities in accordance with section
6.01 of the NOAA Administrative Order
216–6 (Environmental Review
Procedures for Implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act, May
20, 1999). No substantive changes have
occurred in the interim.
Endangered Species Act (ESA)—No
marine mammal species listed under the
ESA occur in the action area. Therefore,
NMFS has determined that a section 7
consultation under the ESA is not
required. No substantive changes have
occurred in the interim.
Request for Public Comments
NMFS invites comment on the
proposed revised Incidental Harassment
Authorization to Point Blue. Please
include with your comments any
supporting data or literature citations to
help inform NMFS’ final decision on
Point Blue’s request for a revised
Authorization.
Dated: October 7, 2015.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–25942 Filed 10–9–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

PO 00000

Frm 00045

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Groundfish
Tagging Program
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:

The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before December 14,
2015.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument and instructions should be
directed to John Clary, (206) 526–4039
or email john.c.clary@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:

I. Abstract
This request is for extension of a
currently approved information
collection. The groundfish tagging
program provides scientists with
information necessary for effective
conservation, management, and
scientific understanding of the
groundfish fishery off Alaska and the
Northwest Pacific. The program area
includes the Pacific Ocean off Alaska
(the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Area, and the
Alexander Archipelago of Southeast
Alaska), California, Oregon, and
Washington. Fish movement
information from recovered tags is used
in population dynamics models for
stock assessment. There are two general
categories of tags. Simple plastic tags
(spaghetti tags) are external tags
approximately two inches long, printed
with code numbers. When a tag is
returned, the tag number is correlated
with databases of released, tagged fish to
determine the net movement and
growth rate of the tagged fish. Archival
tags are microchips with sensors

E:\FR\FM\13OCN1.SGM

13OCN1

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 2015 / Notices
encased in plastic cylinders that record
the depth, temperature or other data,
which can be downloaded electronically
from the recovered tags. The groundfish
tagging and tag recovery program is part
of the fishery resource assessment and
data collection that the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducts
under the Magnuson-Stevens Act
authority as codified in 16 U.S.C.
1801 (a)(8).

Dated: October 6, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.

II. Method of Collection

RIN 0648–XE231

This is a volunteer program requiring
the actual tag from the fish to be
returned, along with recovery
information. Reporting forms with preaddressed and postage-free envelopes
are distributed to processors and catcher
vessels.

Endangered and Threatened Species;
Recovery Plans

III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0276.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a currently approved
collection).
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions; State, local, or tribal
government; business or other for-profit
organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
265.
Estimated Time per Response: 5
minutes for returning a regular tag, and
20 minutes for returning an internal
archival tag.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 59.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting
costs.

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.

VerDate Sep<11>2014

21:23 Oct 09, 2015

Jkt 238001

[FR Doc. 2015–25848 Filed 10–9–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration

National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:

We, NMFS, announce that the
Proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Recovery Plan for Oregon Coast Coho
Salmon (Proposed Plan) is available for
public review and comment. The
Proposed Plan addresses the Oregon
Coast Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus
kisutch) evolutionarily significant unit
(ESU) listed as threatened under the
ESA. The geographic area covered by
the Proposed Plan is the Pacific Ocean
and freshwater habitat (rivers, streams
and lakes) from the Necanicum River
near Seaside, Oregon, on the northern
end to the Sixes River near Port Orford,
Oregon on the south. As required under
the ESA, the Proposed Plan contains
objective, measurable delisting criteria,
site-specific management actions
necessary to achieve the Proposed
Plan’s goals, and estimates of the time
and costs required to implement
recovery actions. We are soliciting
review and comment from the public
and all interested parties on the
Proposed Plan.
DATES: We will consider and address, as
appropriate, all substantive comments
received during the comment period.
Comments on the Proposed Plan must
be received no later than 5 p.m. Pacific
daylight time on December 14, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the Public Draft Recovery Plan by the
following methods:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
electronic public comments via:
2015CohoPlan.WCR@noaa.gov. Please
include ‘‘Comments on Oregon Coast
Coho Salmon Recovery Plan’’ in the
subject line of the email.
• Facsimile: (503) 872–2737.
• Mail: Robert Walton, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 1201 NE.
Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100, Portland,
OR 97232.
SUMMARY:

PO 00000

Frm 00046

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

61379

Instructions: Comments must be
submitted by one of the above methods
to ensure comments are received,
documented, and considered by NMFS.
Comments sent by any other method, to
any other address or individual, or
received after the end of the comment
period, may not be considered.
Attachments to electronic comments
will be accepted in Microsoft Word,
Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Electronic copies of the Proposed Plan
are available on the NMFS Web site at:
http://
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
protected_species/salmon_steelhead/
recovery_planning_and_
implementation/oregon_coast/oregon_
coast_recovery_plan.html. Persons
wishing to obtain an electronic copy on
CD ROM of the Proposed Plan may do
so by calling Nancy Johnson at (503)
230–5442 or by emailing a request to
nancy.johnson@noaa.gov with the
subject line ‘‘CD ROM Request for
Oregon Coast Coho Salmon Recovery
Plan.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Walton, NMFS Oregon Coast
Coho Salmon Recovery Coordinator, at
(503) 231–2285, or rob.walton@
noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We are responsible for developing and
implementing recovery plans for Pacific
salmon and steelhead listed under the
ESA of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.). Recovery means that the
listed species and their ecosystems are
sufficiently restored, and their future
secured, to the point that the protections
of the ESA are no longer necessary.
Section 4(f)(1) of the ESA requires that
recovery plans include, to the maximum
extent practicable: (1) Objective,
measurable criteria which, when met,
would result in a determination that the
species is no longer threatened or
endangered; (2) site-specific
management actions necessary to
achieve the plan’s goals; and (3)
estimates of the time required and costs
to implement recovery actions. The ESA
requires the development of recovery
plans for each listed species unless such
a plan would not promote its recovery.
We believe it is essential to have local
support of recovery plans by those
whose activities directly affect the listed
species and whose continued
commitment and leadership will be
needed to implement the necessary
recovery actions. We therefore support
and participate in locally led,
collaborative efforts to develop recovery
plans that involve state, tribal, and

E:\FR\FM\13OCN1.SGM

13OCN1