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56868

Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 171 / Friday, September 4, 2026 / Notices

Small Numbers Determination
Under the rule, NMFS may not
authorize incidental take of marine
mammals in an LOA if it will exceed
‘‘small numbers.’’ In short, when an
acceptable estimate of the individual
marine mammals taken is available, if
the estimated number of individual
animals taken is up to, but not greater
than, one-third of the best available
abundance estimate, NMFS will
determine that the numbers of marine
mammals taken of a species or stock are

small (91 FR 20784, April 17, 2026). For
more information, please see NMFS’
discussion of small numbers in the 2026
final rule (91 FR 20784, April 17, 2026).
The take numbers for authorization
are determined as described above and
in the Federal Register notice of
issuance for the original LOA (91 FR
24809, May 7, 2026), are used by NMFS
in making the necessary small numbers
determinations, through comparison
with the best available abundance
estimates (see discussion at 91 FR
20784, 20812, April 17, 2026). For this

comparison, NMFS’ approach is to use
the maximum theoretical population,
determined through review of current
Stock Assessment Reports (SARs;
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
national/marine-mammal-protection/
marine-mammal-stock-assessments)
and model-predicted abundance
information (https://
seamap.env.duke.edu/models/SEFSC/
GOM). Information supporting the small
numbers determinations is provided in
table 1.

TABLE 1—TAKE ANALYSIS 1
Authorized
take

Species
Rice’s whale .................................................................................................................................
Sperm whale ................................................................................................................................
Kogia spp .....................................................................................................................................
Beaked whales ............................................................................................................................
Rough-toothed dolphin ................................................................................................................
Bottlenose dolphin .......................................................................................................................
Clymene dolphin ..........................................................................................................................
Atlantic spotted dolphin ...............................................................................................................
Pantropical spotted dolphin .........................................................................................................
Spinner dolphin ............................................................................................................................
Striped dolphin .............................................................................................................................
Fraser’s dolphin ...........................................................................................................................
Risso’s dolphin .............................................................................................................................
Blackfish 3 ....................................................................................................................................
Short-finned pilot whale ...............................................................................................................

0
0
0
0
14
1,961
0
109
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Abundance 2
51
2,451
1,385
1,038
4,853
166,538
6,136
21,506
50,209
2,991
16,102
1,665
1,974
9,535
3,277

Percent
abundance
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
0.3
1.2
n/a
0.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

1 Scalar ratios were not applied in this case due to brief survey duration.

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2 Best abundance estimate. For most taxa, the best abundance estimate for purposes of comparison with take estimates is considered here to
be the model-predicted abundance (Garrison et al., 2023). For Rice’s whale, Atlantic spotted dolphin, spinner dolphin, and Risso’s dolphin, the
estimated SAR abundance estimate is used.
3 The ‘‘blackfish’’ guild includes melon-headed whales, false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, and killer whales.

Based on the analysis contained
herein of FEC’s proposed survey activity
described in its LOA application, as
subsequently modified by FEC, and the
anticipated take of marine mammals,
NMFS finds that small numbers of
marine mammals will be taken relative
to the affected species or stock sizes
(i.e., less than one-third of the best
available abundance estimate) and
therefore the taking is of no more than
small numbers.

Dated: September 1, 2026.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.

Authorization

Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Reporting Requirements for
the Ocean Salmon Fishery Off the
Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and
California

NMFS has determined that the level
of taking for this LOA modification
request is consistent with the findings
made for the total taking allowable
under the incidental take regulations
and that the amount of take authorized
under the LOA is of no more than small
numbers. Accordingly, we have issued a
modification to the LOA to FEC
authorizing the take of marine mammals
incidental to its geophysical survey
activity, as described above.

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[FR Doc. 2026–18142 Filed 9–3–26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration

The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general

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public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed and continuing
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
via the Federal Register on June 22,
2026, during a 60-day comment period.
This notice allows for an additional 30
days for public comments.
Agency: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
Title: Reporting Requirements for the
Ocean Salmon Fishery Off the Coasts of
Washington, Oregon, and California.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0433.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 40.
Average Hours per Response: 15
minutes.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 10
hours.
Needs and Uses: This is a request for
an extension of a currently approved
information collection. Ocean salmon

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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 171 / Friday, September 4, 2026 / Notices
fisheries conducted in the U.S.
exclusive economic zone, 3–200
nautical miles off the West Coast states
of Washington, Oregon, and California
are managed by the Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council) and
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (MSA). Management
measures for the ocean salmon fisheries
are set annually, consistent with the
Council’s Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). The FMP
provides a framework for managing the
ocean salmon fisheries in a sustainable
manner, as required under the MSA,
through the use of conservation
objectives, annual catch limits and other
management measures, reference points
and status determination criteria
described in the FMP. To meet these
criteria, annual management measures,
published in the Federal Register by
NMFS, specify regulatory areas, catch
restrictions, and landing restrictions
based on the stock abundance forecasts.
These catch and landing restrictions
include area-, time- and species-specific
quotas for the commercial ocean salmon
fishery and generally require catch and
landings to be reported to the
appropriate state and tribal agencies to
allow for timely and accurate
accounting of the season’s catch (50 CFR
660.404 and 50 CFR 660.408(o)). The
best available catch and effort data and
projections are presented by the state
fishery managers in telephone
conference calls involving the NMFS
Regional Administrator and
representatives of the Council. However,
NMFS acknowledges that unsafe
weather or mechanical problems could
prevent commercial fishermen from
making their landings at the times and
places specified, and the MSA requires
conservation and management measures
to promote the safety of human life at
sea. Therefore, the annual management
measures will include provisions to
exempt commercial salmon fishermen
from compliance with the landing
requirements when they experience
unsafe weather conditions or
mechanical problems at sea, so long as
the appropriate notifications are made
by, for example, at-sea radio and
cellular telephone, and information on
catch and other required information is
given, under this collection of
information.
In addition, NMFS has established
measures to keep fishery impacts within
conservation objectives for the
California Coastal Chinook salmon (50
CFR 660.410(d)(3)). This information
collection assists in the management of

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the landing and possession limits to stay
within established quotas for the
California commercial salmon troll
fishery. The State of California requires
that fish tickets with the number of
Chinook salmon landed be entered into
the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife electronic landing database.
NMFS requires that this be completed
within 24 hours of landing.
The annual management measures
will specify the contents and procedure
of the notifications, and the entities
receiving the notifications (e.g., United
States Coast Guard). Absent this
requirement by the Council, the state
reporting systems would not regularly
collect this specific type of in-season
radio report or electronic landing data.
These provisions, and this federal
collection of information, promote
safety at sea, provide practical utility for
sustainably managing the fishery, and
ensure regulatory consistency across
each state by implementing the same
requirements in the territorial waters off
each state. This information collection
is intended to be general in scope by
leaving the specifics of the notifications
for annual determination, thus
providing flexibility in responding to
salmon management concerns in any
given year.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations.
Frequency: Reporting under this
emergency provision is infrequent.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function and
entering either the title of the collection
or the OMB Control Number 0648–0433.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office
of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2026–18180 Filed 9–3–26; 8:45 am]
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56869

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XG038]

Gulf Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
SUMMARY: The Gulf Fishery Management

Council (Gulf Council) will hold a 2-day
in-person meeting of its Standing
Scientific and Statistical Committee
(SSC).
DATES: The meeting will be held in-

person on Tuesday, September 29 (8:30
a.m.–5 p.m.) and Wednesday,
September 30 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), 2026.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place
at the Gulf Council’s office located at
4107 W. Spruce Street, Suite 200,
Tampa, FL 33607. Hybrid connection
information will be available on the
Council’s website at
www.gulfcouncil.org and clicking on the
‘‘meeting tab’’.
Council address: Gulf Fishery
Management Council, 4107 W Spruce
Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33607;
telephone: (813) 348–1630.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Ryan Rindone, Lead Fishery Biologist,
Gulf Fishery Management Council;
[email protected],
telephone: (813) 348–1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, September 29, 2026; 8:30
a.m.–5 p.m. EDT
The meeting will begin with
introductions and adoption of agenda,
review and approval of Meeting Minutes
and Summary from the July 2026 SSC
meeting, and Scope of Work.
The SSCs will review and discuss
SEDAR 94 West Florida Hogfish Stock
Assessment, Mississippi and Alabama
Creel Surveys, and Results of the 2024
Marine Recreational Information
Program Pilot Study and Data
Recalibration, including presentations,
background materials and SSC
Discussion.
Public comments, if any, will be
heard at the end of the day.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026; 9
a.m.–3 p.m. EDT
The SSC will review and discuss
SEDAR 94 West Florida Hogfish Yield
Projections, SHELF Egg Project, Social
Science Questionnaire for Gulf Species,

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