Department of Commerce December 18, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS issues a final rule that revises the seabird avoidance measures for the Alaska hook-and-line groundfish and halibut fisheries. The final rule strengthens gear standards for small vessels and eliminates certain seabird avoidance requirements that are not needed. This action is necessary to revise seabird avoidance measures based on the latest scientific information and to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and associated costs.

In accordance with 15 U.S.C. Section 1512 and Executive Order 11625, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting competitive applications from organizations to operate a Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) in El Paso, TX. The MBEC operates through the use of business consultants and provides a range of business consulting and technical assistance services directly to eligible minority-owned businesses. Responsibility for ensuring that applications in response to this competitive solicitation are complete and received by MBDA on time is the sole responsibility of the applicant. Applications submitted must be to operate a MBEC and to provide business consultation services to eligible clients. Applications that do not meet these requirements will be rejected. This is not a grant program to help start or to further an individual business.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a joint meeting of The Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

This final rule announces inseason changes to management measures in the commercial Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. These actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), are intended to allow fisheries to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.