New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 21752-21753 [2012-8774]

Download as PDF 21752 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES new regulations restrict fishing to the lower portions of the Savannah, Ogeechee, and Altamaha Rivers and close the fishery in the Satilla and St. Mary’s River. The Georgia shad fishery is open from January 1 to as late as April 30 each year, but would typically end March 31. Georgia regulations require that sturgeon captured in shad nets must be released unharmed into the waters from which they were taken. GA DNR would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-reporting by fishermen) and direct observations to monitor the number of sturgeon incidentally captured each month in the commercial shad fishery. GA DNR requests 3-year running averages for takes to account for the potential for a high-take year before or after low-take years. GA DNR estimates that incidental bycatch would not exceed 175 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 525 in a 3-year period) and 140 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 420 in a 3-year period) in the Altamaha River, 75 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 225 in a 3-year period) and 50 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 150 in a 3-year period) in the Savannah River, and 10 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 30 in a 3-year period) and 10 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 30 in a 3-year period) in the Ogeechee River. A mortality rate of approximately 2.3 percent is anticipated based on recent research. Conservation Plan GA DNR’s conservation plan describes measures designed to minimize, monitor, and mitigate the incidental take of ESA-listed sturgeon. The conservation plan includes Georgia’s amended commercial fishing regulations for the Georgia shad fishery, which are expected to minimize the bycatch of sturgeon by closing to shad fishing sections of the rivers that previously had the highest bycatch rates. These closures would also protect known and suspected sturgeon spawning sites. Georgia regulations require that sturgeon captured in shad nets be released unharmed into the waters from which they were taken. GA DNR would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-reporting by fishermen) and direct observations to monitor the incidental take of sturgeon in the commercial shad fishery. Other monitoring or mitigation actions will be undertaken as required. Monitoring would be funded by GA DNR’s Annual Operating Budget. GA DNR considered and rejected two other alternatives: (1) No change to commercial shad regulations, and (2) VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:14 Apr 10, 2012 Jkt 226001 establishing new upper boundaries for commercial shad fishing on the Altamaha and Savannah rivers, while completely closing the Ogeechee, Satilla, and St. Mary’s rivers to commercial shad fishing. National Environmental Policy Act Issuing a permit would constitute a Federal action requiring NMFS to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) as implemented by 40 CFR parts 1500–1508 and NOAA Administrative Order 216–6, Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (1999). NMFS intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment to consider a range of reasonable alternatives and fully evaluate the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts likely to result from issuing a permit. Next Steps This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments received during the comment period to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA. If NMFS determines that the requirements are met, a permit will be issued for incidental takes of ESA-listed sturgeon. The final NEPA and permit determinations will not be made until after the end of the comment period. NMFS will publish a record of its final action in the Federal Register. Dated: April 5, 2012. Lisa Manning, Acting Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–8707 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XB153 New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. AGENCY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold an evening public hearing on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 to obtain SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 public input on measures proposed for inclusion in Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 6 p.m. DATES: The hearing will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355–1900; telephone: (860) 572–0731; fax: (860) 572–0328. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465–0492. ADDRESSES: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tuesday, April 25, 2012 Following the first day of the April 24–26, 2012 New England Fishery Management Council meeting in Mystic, CT, the Council will host a public hearing, the last in a series of coastwide meetings, to obtain public comments on measures under consideration for inclusion in Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Management measures could include adjustments to the fishery management program, reporting requirements and measures to address trip notification, carrier vessels and transfers of herring at-sea. A catch monitoring program also is being considered as well as measures to address river herring bycatch and criteria for midwater trawl vessel access to the year-round groundfish closed areas. Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM 11APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices Dated: April 6, 2012. William D. Chappell, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–8774 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA898 Endangered Species; File Nos. 13599 and 1614 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit modifications. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that National Ocean Service Marine Forensic Lab [Responsible Party: Julie Carter], 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412 [Permit No. 13599], and the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region Protected Resources Division [Responsible Party: Mary Colligan], One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 [Permit No. 1614], have been issued modifications to their scientific research permits. ADDRESSES: The modifications and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930–2298; phone (978) 281–9300; fax (978) 281–9394; and Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727) 824–5312; fax (727) 824– 5309. SUMMARY: exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222–226). Permit No. 13599, issued December 16, 2008 (73 FR 78724), authorizes the permit holder to receive, import, export, transfer, archive, and conduct analyses of marine mammal and endangered species parts. Permit No. 1614, issued February 28, 2008 (73 FR 11873), authorizes the permit holder to collect, receive and transport 100 dead shortnose sturgeon, or parts thereof, annually. Researchers are also authorized the receipt and transport of up to 350 captive bred, dead shortnose sturgeon annually from any U.S. facility authorized to hold captive sturgeon. The permit modifications add Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus), an ESA-listed species not included in the previous permits, for the receipt, importation, exportation, and transfer of Atlantic sturgeon parts and carcasses. No live animal takes or incidental harassment of animals is authorized under these permits. The permit holders are authorized for Atlantic sturgeon parts and samples would be used to support law enforcement actions, research studies (primarily genetics), and outreach education. Atlantic sturgeon samples would be obtained from individuals authorized to collect them in the course of scientific research, salvage activities, or taken during other authorized activities. Issuance of these modifications, as required by the ESA, was based on a finding that such modifications (1) were applied for in good faith, (2) will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened species, and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Dated: April 5, 2012. Tammy C. Adams, Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–8773 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Colette Cairns, (301) 427–8401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 27, 2011, notice was published in the Federal Register (76 FR 80890) that modifications of Permit Nos. 13599 and 1614, had been requested by the above-named organizations. The requested modifications have been granted under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:14 Apr 10, 2012 Jkt 226001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA936 Marine Mammals; File No. 17011 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 21753 Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to NHK Enterprises, Inc., Nature & Science Programs, 5–20 Kamiyama-cho, Ogawa Bldg., Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan to conduct commercial or educational photography. ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; and Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone (907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Laura Morse, (301) 427–8401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 18, 2012, notice was published in the Federal Register (77 FR 2513) that a request for a permit to conduct commercial/educational photography of Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) had been submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit has been issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216). NHK Enterprises, Inc. will film gray whale and killer whale interactions in the Aleutian Islands from Unimak Pass to Sand Point, Alaska using a 100ft boat, a 21ft aluminum skiff, and a helicopter. Up to 100 gray whales and 300 killer whales may be approached and filmed during the life of the permit. Species that may be incidentally harassed during filming activities include: 60 White-sided dolphins (Lagenorhyncus obliquidens), 20 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), 60 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), 40 northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), and 40 Dall’s porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli). Footage would be used to create a film that would document the hunting behavior of transient killer whales and to document the food chain that develops from this predation. The permit will expire on March 31, 2017. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM 11APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21752-21753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8774]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB153


New England 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 New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
an evening public hearing on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 to obtain public 
input on measures proposed for inclusion in Amendment 5 to the Atlantic 
Herring Fishery Management Plan.

DATES: The hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan 
Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355-1900; telephone: (860) 572-0731; fax: (860) 
572-0328.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Tuesday, April 25, 2012

    Following the first day of the April 24-26, 2012 New England 
Fishery Management Council meeting in Mystic, CT, the Council will host 
a public hearing, the last in a series of coastwide meetings, to obtain 
public comments on measures under consideration for inclusion in 
Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Management 
measures could include adjustments to the fishery management program, 
reporting requirements and measures to address trip notification, 
carrier vessels and transfers of herring at-sea. A catch monitoring 
program also is being considered as well as measures to address river 
herring bycatch and criteria for midwater trawl vessel access to the 
year-round groundfish closed areas.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council action will 
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and 
any issues arising after publication of this notice that require 
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
provided that the public has been notified of the Council's intent to 
take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.


[[Page 21753]]


    Dated: April 6, 2012.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-8774 Filed 4-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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