Department of Commerce December 26, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2019 Atlantic bluefish fishery, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action is necessary to comply with the implementing regulations of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan that require NMFS to publish specifications for the fishery after providing the opportunity for public comment. The proposed specifications are intended to establish allowable harvest levels for the stock that will prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. This action also informs the public of the proposed fishery specifications, and provides an opportunity for comment.

We are finalizing specifications for the 2019 Atlantic deep- sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit. This action is necessary to fully implement previously projected allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action is intended to establish the allowable 2019 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is correcting an advance notification of sunset review.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating a changed circumstances review to determine if Sunrise Seafoods India Private Limited (SSIPL) is the successor-in-interest to Sunrise Aqua Food Exports (SAFE) in the context of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from India.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Council will hold a meeting of its System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup via webinar.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold a meeting, which is open to the public.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a half day meeting via webinar of its Standing, Reef Fish, and Mackerel Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) to amend NMFS' Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to Navy training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area from November 2018 to November 2023 to cover seven years of the Navy's activities, instead of five. Section 316 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA), signed into law on August 13, 2018, amended the MMPA to extend the maximum period for MMPA incidental take regulations under section 101(a)(5)(A) from five to seven years for military readiness activities. The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2004. The Navy proposes no changes to their specified activities, mitigation measures, monitoring, or reporting and requests that NMFS amend the final rule issued on November 14, 2018, to authorize incidental take of marine mammals for the two additional years now allowed under the statute. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application.