Department of Commerce September 19, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We (NMFS) announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to designate critical habitat concurrent with the listing. We find that the information in our files presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. We will conduct a status review of the species to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information regarding this species (see below).

NMFS is prohibiting retention of shortraker rockfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2013 total allowable catch (TAC) of shortraker rockfish in the BSAI has been reached.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is amending the Notice published at 78 FR 22237, April 15, 2013, regarding the education industry trade mission to Manila, Philippines and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia scheduled for October 23-October 30, 2013, to revise the mission description from executive-led to non-executive led.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and its Executive Committee, and its Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Committee (MSB) will hold public meetings.

NMFS adopts as final with some changes an interim final rule published April 17, 2013, which reorganized the regulations implementing the fishery management plans (FMPs) for the Southeast Region, NMFS, and amended references to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) information-collection requirements. The new part 622 contains regulations implementing management measures contained in the FMPs for the following domestic fisheries in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic: Caribbean coral, Caribbean reef fish, Caribbean spiny lobster, Caribbean queen conch, Gulf red drum, Gulf reef fish, Gulf shrimp, Gulf coral, Gulf and South Atlantic coastal migratory pelagics, Gulf and South Atlantic spiny lobster, South Atlantic coral, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, South Atlantic shrimp, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, South Atlantic golden crab, and South Atlantic pelagic sargassum. The intended effect of this final rule is to improve the organization of these regulations and simplify their use.