Department of Commerce April 4, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces that phase 1 of the directed butterfish fishery will be reopened to provide the opportunity for vessels targeting butterfish to fish with a higher possession limit. Vessels issued a longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit may fish for, catch, possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish when using greater than or equal to 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The possession limit remains 2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or calendar day for vessels fishing less than 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The incidental possession limit also remains unchanged at 600 lb (0.27 mt).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS proposes 2014 quota specifications for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fisheries and seeks comments from the public on the allocation of available underharvest among the fishing categories under certain circumstances. This action is necessary to implement binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), as required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and to achieve domestic management objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act).

Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, (Principal Investigator: Michael Rehberg), has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 15324 for taking multiple pinnipeds species in Alaska.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day meeting on April 22-24, 2014 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announces that it will begin accepting applications for the International Buyer Program (IBP) Select service for calendar year 2015 (January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015). This announcement sets out the objectives, procedures and application review criteria for IBP Select. Under IBP Select, the International Trade Administration (ITA) recruits international buyers to U.S. trade shows to meet with U.S suppliers exhibiting at those shows. The main difference between IBP and IBP Select is that IBP offers worldwide promotion, whereas IBP Select focuses on promotion and recruitment in no more than five international markets. Specifically, through the IBP Select, the DOC selects domestic trade shows that will receive DOC assistance in the form of targeted promotion and recruitment in five foreign markets, export counseling to exhibitors, and export counseling and matchmaking services at the trade show. This notice covers selection for IBP Select participation during calendar year 2015. It also announces a new pilot initiative for the IBP Select, which will allow selected trade show organizers to add target markets beyond the five selected markets at a cost.

On March 19, 2014, NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to modify chafing gear restrictions for midwater trawl in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery. The identification number for submitting comments listed in the ADDRESSES heading section of the rule is being corrected.