Department of Commerce August 22, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to United Launch Alliance (ULA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to harbor activities related to the Delta IV/Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) at south Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA (VAFB).

This proposed rule would designate deepwater shrimp of the genus Heterocarpus as management unit species (MUS), and require Federal permits and data reporting for deepwater shrimp fishing in Federal waters of the western Pacific. The proposed rule is intended to improve information on deepwater shrimp fisheries and their ecosystem impacts, and to provide a basis for future management of the fisheries, if needed.

This notice advises the public that the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), has submitted applications to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for incidental take permits (Permit(s)) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). As required by the ESA, ODF has also prepared a Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) designed to minimize and mitigate any such take of endangered or threatened species. The Permit applications are related to forest management and timber harvest activities on the Elliott State Forest in Coos and Douglas Counties, Oregon. The FWS and NMFS (together, the Services) are co-lead agencies in this effort. The Permit applications include the proposed Plan and a draft Implementation Agreement (IA). The Services also announce the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed action. The Services are requesting comments from the public on the Permit applications, the Plan, the IA, and DEIS, all of which are available for review. The Services are furnishing this notice to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on these documents. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review pursuant to the ESA. For locations to review the documents, please see the \SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION\ section below. A 90-day comment period, rather then a standard 60-day comment period, is being provided to allow the public sufficient time to comment on the draft documents.

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the semi-annual quota period, May 1, 2008 - October 31, 2008, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, August 20, 2008, federally permitted spiny dofish vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until November 1, 2008, when the Period 2 quota becomes available. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Period 1 quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.