Department of Commerce October 29, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS amends regulations governing salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of salmon bycatch measures by exempting pollock vessels from Chinook and Chum Salmon Savings Area closures if they participate in an intercooperative agreement (ICA) to reduce salmon bycatch, and exempting vessels participating in non- pollock trawl fisheries from Chum Salmon Savings Area closures because these fisheries intercept minimal amounts of salmon. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP).

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has established a program through which each eligible low-power television broadcast station, Class A television station, television translator station, or television booster station, may receive compensation toward the cost of the purchase of a digital-to-analog conversion device that enables it to convert the incoming digital signal of its corresponding full-power television station to analog format for transmission on the low-power television station's analog channel. The conversion devices are necessary so the eligible stations can continue to broadcast in analog after February 17, 2009.\1\ Without converter devices, the eligible facilities will be unable to receive the incoming off-air digital signal for conversion and rebroadcast to consumers within their coverage area.

We, NMFS, completed a status review of the northern right whale and have determined that the right whale in the North Pacific Ocean is a separate and distinct species from the right whales in the North Atlantic Ocean and southern hemisphere. We also find the species to be described in the North Pacific Ocean, the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), is in danger of extinction throughout its range. We have proposed to list this species as endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Here we propose to designate critical habitat for this species. Two specific areas are proposed for designation: one in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and another in the Bering Sea. Our most recent mapping calculation indicates this area comprises a total of approximately 36,800 square miles (95,325 square kilometers) of marine habitat. We solicited comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including information on the economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designation. We may revise this proposal and solicit additional comments prior to final designation to address new information received during the comment period.