National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 29, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS corrects the notice, published on September 13, 2005, soliciting proposals for research activities to be conducted under the 2006 Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program to be consistent with the full Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FFO). Specifically, NMFS is correcting the ``Evaluation Criteria'' contained in the September 13, 2005, notice to be consistent with the ``Evaluation Criteria'' contained in the FFO. All other requirements remain the same.

NMFS received a petition dated May 19, 2005 co-signed by Defenders of Wildlife, International Fund for Animal Welfare, International Wildlife Coalition, National Environmental Trust, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana, The Humane Society of the United States, The Ocean Conservancy, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, requesting that NMFS ``promulgate emergency regulations, within sixty days, to slow and/or re-route vessels within right whale habitat, as a means of protecting the species until such time as permanent measures can be enacted. Such emergency regulations should require all ships entering and leaving all major East Coast ports to travel at speeds of 12 knots or less within 25 nautical miles of port entrances during expected right whale high-use periods.'' NMFS has determined that the petition is not warranted at this time.