NMFS solicits nominations for the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views of the HMS AP when preparing and implementing Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Nominations are being sought to fill approximately one-third (10) of the seats on the HMS AP for a 3-year appointment. Individuals with definable interests in the recreational and commercial fishing and related industries, environmental community, academia, and non-governmental organizations are considered for membership in the HMS AP (note that there are no Environmental/NGO terms expiring, so no nominations for that sector will be considered at this time).
DATES: Nominations must be received on or before November 19, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and requests for the Advisory Panel Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of the following methods:
Email: HMSAP.Nominations@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the following identifier: ``HMS AP Nominations.''
Mail: Jenni Wallace, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Fax: 301-713-1917.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace at (301) 427-8503.
Introduction
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided that the Secretary may establish Advisory Panels to assist in the collection and evaluation of information relevant to the development of any Fishery Management Plan (FMP) or FMP amendment for any highly migratory species fishery that is under the Secretary's authority. NMFS has consulted with the HMS AP 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); Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 to the Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and September 2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, and March 2012); among other relevant fishery management issues.
Procedures and Guidelines
A. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the Advisory Panel
Nomination packages should include:
1. The name of the nominee and a description of his/her interest in
HMS or in particular species of sharks, swordfish, tunas, or billfish;
2. Contact information, including mailing address, phone, and email
of the nominee;
3. A statement of background and/or qualifications;
4. A written commitment that the nominee shall actively participate
in good faith in the meetings and tasks of the HMS AP; and
5. A list of outreach resources that the nominee has at his/her
disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups.
Qualifications for HMS AP Membership
Qualification for membership includes one or more of the following:
(1) Experience in HMS recreational fisheries; (2) experience in HMS
commercial fisheries; (3) experience in fishery-related industries
(e.g., marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the
scientific community working with HMS; and/or (5) representation of a
private, non-governmental, regional, national, or international
organization representing marine fisheries; or environmental,
governmental, or academic interests dealing with HMS.
Tenure for the HMS AP
Member tenure will be for 3 years (36 months), with approximately
one-third of the members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year.
Nominations are sought for terms beginning January 2013 and expiring
December 2015.
B. Participants
Nominations for the HMS AP will be accepted to allow representation
from commercial and recreational fishing interests, and the scientific
community, who are knowledgeable about Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS
fisheries. Current representation on the HMS AP, as shown in Table 1,
consists of 12 members representing commercial interests, 12 members
representing recreational interests, 4 members representing
environmental interests, 4 academic representatives, and the
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
Advisory Committee Chairperson. Each HMS AP member serves a 3-year term
with approximately one-third of the total number of seats (33) expiring
on December 31 of each year. NMFS seeks to fill 2 commercial, 5
recreational, and 3 academic vacancies by December 31, 2012. NMFS will
seek to fill vacancies based primarily on maintaining the current
representation from each of the sectors. NMFS also considers species
expertise and representation from the fishing regions (Northeast, Mid-
Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean) to ensure the
diversity and balance of the AP. Table 1 includes the current
representation on the HMS AP by sector, region and species with terms
that are expiring identified in bold. It is not meant to indicate that
NMFS will only consider persons who have expertise in the species or
fishing regions that are listed. Rather, NMFS will aim toward having as
diverse and balanced an AP as possible.
Table 1--Current Representation on the HMS AP by Sector, Region, and Species
[Terms that are expiring are in bold. NMFS tries to maintain diversity and balance in representation among
fishing regions and species; the AP SOPPs only dictate representation by Sector.]
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Date term
Sector Fishing Region Species Date appointed expires
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Academic.......................... All.................. Swordfish/Tuna....... 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Academic.......................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Academic.......................... Southeast/Gulf of Shark................ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Mexico.
Academic.......................... Southeast............ Swordfish/HMS........ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Northeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Commercial........................ Gulf of Mexico....... Tuna/Swordfish....... 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Commercial........................ Southeast............ Shark................ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Southeast............ Swordfish/Tuna....... 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Commercial........................ Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Mid-Atlantic......... HMS/Shark............ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Southeast............ Swordfish............ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Gulf of Mexico....... Shark................ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Commercial........................ Gulf of Mexico....... Shark................ 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Environmental..................... All.................. Shark................ 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Environmental..................... Gulf of Mexico....... HMS.................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Environmental..................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
[[Page 64320]]
Environmental..................... All.................. Tuna................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Gulf of Mexico/ Billfish/Tuna........ 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Southeast.
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... HMS.................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... Tuna................. 1/1/2012 12/31/2014
Recreational...................... Northeast............ Tuna/Shark........... 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Southeast............ Swordfish............ 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Northeast............ Tuna................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Southeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Northeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2010 12/31/2012
Recreational...................... Southeast............ HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Mid-Atlantic......... HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Southeast............ Billfish............. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
Recreational...................... Gulf of Mexico....... HMS.................. 1/1/2011 12/31/2013
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Our intent is to have a group that, as a whole, reflects an
appropriate and equitable balance and mix of interests given the
responsibilities of the HMS AP.
Five additional members on the HMS AP include one member
representing each of the following Councils: New England Fishery
Management Council, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The
HMS AP also includes 22 ex-officio participants: 20 representatives of
the coastal states and two representatives of the interstate
commissions (the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission).
NMFS will provide the necessary administrative support, including
technical assistance, for the HMS AP. However, NMFS will not compensate
participants with monetary support of any kind. Depending on
availability of funds, members may be reimbursed for travel costs
related to the HMS AP meetings.
C. Meeting Schedule
Meetings of the HMS AP will be held as frequently as necessary but
are routinely held twice each year--once in the spring, and once in the
fall. The meetings may be held in conjunction with public hearings.