Department of Commerce February 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS issues a proposed rule to amend regulations implementing the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (Observer Program). This action is necessary to avoid expiration of these regulations on December 31, 2007, and ensure uninterrupted observer coverage in North Pacific groundfish fisheries. The proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMPs).

Pursuant to the Notice of Consent Motion To Terminate the Panel Review by the complainants, the panel review is terminated as of February 13, 2007. A panel has not been appointed to this panel review. Pursuant to Rule 71(2) of the Rules of Procedure for Article 1904 Binational Panel Review, this panel review is terminated.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations. These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 1,245 nm\2\ (4,270 km\2\)in February and approximately 387 nm\2\ (1,327 km\2\)in March, southeast of Boston, MA, for 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide protection to an aggregation of northern right whales (right whales).

This Notice announces the availability of grant funds in calendar year 2007 for U.S. manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics. The purpose of this notice is to provide the general public with a single source of program and application information related to the worsted wool grant offerings, and it contains the information about the program required to be published in the Federal Register.

NMFS will hold a three-day Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in March 2007. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS. A scoping meeting will also be held during the AP meeting to consider options for updating HMS essential fish habitat (EFH). Both meetings are open to the public.

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.

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.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 10, 2007, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 2007. This period is the same as the 2007 IFQ and Community Development Quota season for Pacific halibut adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The IFQ halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allocation of the 2007 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component of the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 35068(2)(A)).

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory entities will hold public meetings.

The SEDAR assessments of the Caribbean stocks of yellowfin grouper, mutton snapper, and queen conch will consist of a series of three workshops: a Data Workshop, an Assessment Workshop, and a Review Workshop. This is the fourteenth SEDAR.

The New England Fishery Management Council has cancelled the public meeting of its Multispecies (Groundfish)Committee that was scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, 2007, at 9 a.m., at the Sheraton Ferncroft, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923.

Notice is hereby given that: seven applications have been received for permits to conduct research on free-ranging threatened and endangered Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska; five applications have been received for permits to conduct research on free-ranging northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) in Alaska; and one application has been received for an amendment to a permit for activities with captive Steller sea lions in Alaska.

NMFS announces the availability of a revised list of equipment models that NMFS has approved as meeting the minimum design specifications for the careful release of sea turtles caught in hook and line fisheries. The revised list is available at https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Protected%20Resources/RequiredGear. pdf. The list is not a list of required gears, but is a list of NMFS approved models of equipment that may be used as options to meet the requirements for gear that must be carried on board vessels participating in the Atlantic pelagic and bottom longline fisheries. Equipment may also be fabricated and used by individuals according to the minimum design specifications. The benefit of using these gears is to maximize safe and efficient gear removal from incidentally captured sea turtles thereby minimizing the potential for serious injury or mortality.

NMFS announces the availability, for public review and comment, of proposed Amendment 14 to the FMP for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (Pelagics FMP). The amendment responds to the Secretary of Commerce's determination that overfishing is occurring on bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) Pacific-wide, and on yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The measures in the amendment are designed to end overfishing of bigeye tuna Pacific-wide and yellowfin tuna in the WCPO, as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act). Amendment 14 would establish Federal permitting and reporting requirements for all U.S. Hawaii-based small boat commercial pelagic fishermen. Internationally, Amendment 14 would establish for the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) an internal protocol related to its role in managing pelagic fish stocks that are managed internationally, including its participation in U.S. delegations to meetings of regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs). This amendment also recommends that NMFS and the Department of State work through the RFMOs to immediately end overfishing of bigeye tuna Pacific-wide and WCPO yellowfin tuna, focusing on fisheries with the greatest impact on Pacific bigeye tuna and WCPO yellowfin tuna, i.e., longline and purse seine fisheries.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2007 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod specified for catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI.

The Oceans and Human Health Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108 447) created a national, interagency research program to improve understanding of the role of the oceans in human health. Section 903(a) of this Act authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish an Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI) to coordinate and implement research and activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) related to the role of the oceans, the coasts, and the Great Lakes in human health. Section 903(b) of the OHH Act further authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish an oceans and human health advisory panel to assist in the development and implementation of the NOAA OHHI. This advisory panel is to provide for balanced representation of individuals with multi-disciplinary expertise in the marine and biomedical sciences and is not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). In 2005, authorities provided to the Secretary of Commerce under the OHH Act were delegated to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and then redesignated to the Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management. Initial appointments to the advisory panel were completed by the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management in May 2006. Date and Time: The meeting will be held Thursday March 8, 2007 from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Friday March 9, 2007 from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Location: The meeting will be held at the Hotel Deca, Seattle Washington, 4507 Brooklyn Ave, NE., Seattle, Washington (WA) 98105; (Tel) 206-634-2000. Meeting rooms are the Chancellor and College Rooms and subject to change.