Department of Commerce June 6, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS has determined that 14 exempted fishing permit (EFP) applications warrant further consideration and is requesting public comment on the applications. Thirteen EFP applicants request an exemption from a prohibition on the use of unauthorized fishing gear to harvest highly migratory species (HMS), and one EFP applicant requests an exemption from a prohibition on the use of pelagic longline gear in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to harvest HMS under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP). These applicants request the exemption to test the effects and efficacy of using deep-set buoy gear (DSBG), deep-set linked buoy gear (DSLBG), or deep-set short longline (DSSLL) to harvest swordfish and other HMS off of the U.S. West Coast.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) hereby publishes a list of scope rulings and anticircumvention determinations made between January 1, 2017, and March 31, 2017, inclusive. We intend to publish future lists after the close of the next calendar quarter.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by correcting one (1) address for one (1) person listed on the Unverified List (UVL) and removing an extraneous name from one (1) other entry listed on the UVL. These omissions were inadvertent and failure to correct them would cause confusion and possibly compromise national security.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 116 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). If approved, Amendment 116 would limit access to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Trawl Limited Access Sector (TLAS) yellowfin sole directed fishery by vessels that deliver their catch of yellowfin sole to motherships for processing. This proposed rule would establish eligibility criteria based on historical participation in the BSAI TLAS yellowfin sole directed fishery, issue an endorsement to those groundfish License Limitation Program (LLP) licenses that meet the eligibility criteria, and authorize delivery of BSAI TLAS yellowfin sole to motherships by only those vessels designated on a groundfish LLP license that is endorsed for the BSAI TLAS yellowfin sole directed fishery. This proposed action is necessary to prevent increased catcher vessel participation from reducing the benefits the fishery provides to historic and recent participants, mitigate the risk that a ``race for fish'' could develop, and help to maintain the consistently low rates of halibut bycatch in the BSAI TLAS yellowfin sole directed fishery. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Amendment 116, the BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.