[Federal Register: August 14, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 157)]
[Notices]               
[Page 52951-52952]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14au02-69]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 080102C]

 
Advisory Committee and Species Working Group Technical Advisor 
Appointments

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

ACTION: Nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting nominations to the Advisory Committee to 
the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation 
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for 
technical advisors to the Advisory Committee's species working groups.

DATES: Nominations are due by September 16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Nominations to the Advisory Committee or as technical 
advisor to a species working group should be sent to Dr. William T. 
Hogarth, Assistant Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20912. A copy should 
also be sent to Erika Carlsen, International Fisheries Division, Office 
of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, Room 13137, 1315 East West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Carlsen, 301-713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 971b of the ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et 
seq.) requires that an advisory committee be established that shall be 
composed of (1) not less than 5 nor more than 20 individuals appointed 
by the U.S. Commissioners to ICCAT who shall select such individuals 
from the various groups concerned with the fisheries covered by the 
ICCAT Convention; and (2) the chairs (or their designees) of the New 
England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf Fishery 
Management Councils. Each member of the Advisory Committee appointed 
under item (1) shall serve for a term of 2 years and shall be eligible 
for reappointment. Members of the Advisory Committee may attend all 
public meetings of the ICCAT Commission, Council, or any Panel and any 
other meetings to which they are invited by the ICCAT Commission, 
Council, or any Panel. The Advisory Committee shall be invited to 
attend all nonexecutive meetings of the U.S. Commissioners to ICCAT 
and, at such meetings, shall be given the opportunity to examine and be 
heard on all proposed programs of investigation, reports, 
recommendations, and regulations of the ICCAT Commission. Members of 
the Advisory Committee shall receive no compensation for such services. 
The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State may pay the 
necessary travel expenses of members of the Advisory Committee.
    There are currently 20 appointed Advisory Committee members. The 
terms of these members expire on December 31, 2002. New appointments 
will be made as soon as possible, but will not take effect until 
January 1, 2003.
    Section 971b-1 of the ACTA specifies that the U.S. Commissioners 
may establish species working groups for the purpose of providing 
advice and recommendations to the U.S. Commissioners and to the 
Advisory Committee on matters relating to the conservation and 
management of any highly migratory species covered by the ICCAT 
Convention. Any species

[[Page 52952]]

working group shall consist of no more than seven members of the 
Advisory Committee and no more than four scientific or technical 
personnel, as considered necessary by the Commissioners. Currently, 
there are four species working groups advising the Committee and the 
U.S. Commissioners. Specifically, there is a Bluefin Tuna Working 
Group, a Swordfish Working Group, a Billfish Working Group, and a BAYS 
(Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, and Skipjack) Tunas Working Group. 
Technical Advisors to the species working groups serve at the pleasure 
of the U.S. Commissioners; therefore, the Commissioners can choose to 
alter appointments at any time.
    Nominations to the Advisory Committee or to a species working group 
should include a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae. 
Letters of recommendation are useful but not required. Self-nominations 
are acceptable. When making a nomination, please clearly specify which 
appointment (Advisory Committee member or technical advisor to a 
species working group) is being sought. Requesting consideration for 
placement on both the Advisory Committee and a species working group is 
acceptable. Those interested in a species working group technical 
advisor appointment should indicate which of the four working groups is 
preferred. Placement on the requested species working group, however, 
is not guaranteed.

    Dated: August 8, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-20654 Filed 8-13-02; 8:45 am]
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