Department of Commerce November 14, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces its intent to issue Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs), Scientific Research Permits (SRPs), Display Permits, Letters of Acknowledgment (LOAs), and Chartering Permits for the collection of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) in 2009. In general, EFPs and related permits would authorize collections of a limited number of tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico for the purposes of scientific data collection and public display. Chartering permits allow the collection of HMS in the high seas or in the Exclusive Economic Zone of other nations. Generally, these permits will be valid from the date of issuance through December 31, 2009, unless otherwise specified, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is providing notification of final criteria and guidelines for American Indian Areas (AIAs) for the 2010 Census. Criteria are those rules and conditions that must be met when defining a geographic entity; guidelines are procedures and measures suggested by the Census Bureau to enhance the utility of statistical geographic areas for presentation and analysis of statistical data. AIAs are geographic entities within the United States defined for the collection, tabulation, and presentation of decennial census data for federally and/or state-recognized American Indian tribes. AIAs will be used to collect, tabulate, and present data for the 2010 Census, period estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS), and potentially other Census Bureau statistical data. More specifically, for the 2010 Census, AIAs consist of the following types of geographic entities: American Indian reservations (AIRs). Off-reservation trust lands (ORTLs). Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs). Tribal-designated statistical areas (TDSAs). State-designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs). Tribal census tracts (tribal tracts). Tribal block groups. Tribal subdivisions on AIRs, ORTLs, and OTSAs. Census designated places (CDPs) on AIRs, ORTLs, and OTSAs. The geographic entities listed above include both legal and statistical geographic entities (see ``Definitions of Key Terms'' section). The Census Bureau is not proposing any new types of AIAs for the 2010 Census. In these final criteria, the Census Bureau announces the following changes for the 2010 Census: Change the term ``State-Designated American Indian Statistical Areas'' (SDAISAs) to ``State-Designated Tribal Statistical Areas'' or SDTSAs. Clarify the definition and purpose of OTSAs. In addition, because all former AIRs in Oklahoma were delineated as OTSAs for Census 2000, the Census Bureau is providing notification that no new OTSAs may be delineated for the 2010 Census, and to the extent possible, OTSA boundaries for the 2010 Census should be consistent with those defined for Census 2000. The Census Bureau also seeks to avoid defining joint use area OTSAs for the 2010 Census. Clarify the definition, purpose, and the criteria and guidelines for TDSAs and SDTSAs. Identify tribal tracts and tribal block groups as separate statistical geographic entities distinct from, and in addition to, ``standard'' county-based census tracts and block groups. The Census Bureau has three geographic partnership programs through which it collects updates to the inventory, boundaries, and attributes of AIAs for the 2010 Census: The annual Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), the State Reservation Program, and the Tribal Statistical Areas Program (TSAP). Both the BAS and the State Reservation Program provide the process for reviewing and updating those AIAs that are legal geographic entities: AIRs and ORTLs under the governmental authority of federally recognized American Indian tribes, tribal subdivisions within these federally recognized AIRs and ORTLs, and AIRs for state- recognized American Indian tribes. The TSAP provides the process for reviewing and updating those AIAs that are statistical geographic entities: OTSAs, tribal subdivisions within OTSAs, TDSAs, SDTSAs, tribal tracts, tribal block groups, and CDPs. Each of these programs is discussed in more detail within the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Federal Register Notice. This Notice announces the Census Bureau's final criteria and guidelines for AIAs for the 2010 Census. In addition, this Notice contains a summary of comments received in response to the April 1, 2008, Federal Register (73 FR 17303), as well as the Census Bureau's responses to these comments. The Census Bureau has considered all comments received regarding the new criteria and guidelines and will enact the proposed criteria and guidelines, unaltered from those presented in the Federal Register (73 FR 17303). For information regarding similar programs for Alaska Native Areas (ANAs), please refer to the Federal Register Notice titled ``Alaska Native Areas (ANAs) for the 2010 CensusFinal Criteria and Guidelines''.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a joint meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee, Law Enforcement Advisory Panel, Limited Access Privilege Program (LAPP) Committee, Personnel Committee (Closed Session), Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session), a meeting of its Standard Operating, Policy and Procedure (SOPPs) Committee, Joint Executive and Finance Committees, Spiny Lobster Committee, Mackerel Committee, Ecosystem-based Management Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Steering Committee, and a meeting of the full Council. The Council will also hold a an informal public question and answer session and may hold a public comment session regarding Interim Rule measures to address overfishing of red snapper if the Council considers an Interim Rule request. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional details.