National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a meeting, via teleconference, of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in August 2007. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

NMFS publishes for public review and comment information regarding a foreign fishing application submitted under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act).

NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, is seeking nominations for the advisory committee established under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (Act). The advisory committee, to be composed of individuals from groups concerned with the fisheries covered by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (Convention), will be given the opportunity to provide input to the United States Commissioners to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (Commission) regarding the deliberations and decisions of the Commission.

Notice is hereby given that the Hawaii Marine Mammal Consortium, PO Box 6107, Kamuela, HI 96743, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on 24 cetacean species found in Hawaiian waters.

The purpose of this notice is to announce a decision by the Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS) to recommend adoption of a standard method for mathematical transformations between the vertical geodetic datums: The National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) and the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). These methods are designated, in descending order of accuracy: (1) The recomputation or readjustment of survey observations method, (2) the mathematical transformation method, and (3) the average shift method. In order to maintain consistency of results and to minimize misuse associated with the mathematical transformation method, FGCS recommends software identified as VERTCON (Vertical Conversion) as a Federal standard.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2007 Pacific ocean perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Eastern Aleutian District of the BSAI.

NMFS announces the completion of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA) Klamath River Coho Salmon Recovery Plan (recovery plan). This document fulfills the requirement that a recovery plan for Klamath River coho salmon be completed and made available to the public by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) within 6 months of the enactment of the MSRA on January 12, 2007.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will begin its plenary session and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold public meetings in Anchorage, AK.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy for an authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar from August 16, 2007, through August 15, 2012. By this document, NMFS is proposing regulations to govern that take. In order to issue Letters of Authorization (LOAs) and final regulations governing the take, NMFS must determine that the taking will have a negligible impact on the affected species or stocks of marine mammals. NMFS regulations must set forth the permissible methods of take and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the affected species or stocks of marine mammals and their habitat. NMFS invites comment on the proposed regulations and findings.

Notice is hereby given of a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Pago Pago, American Samoa. This meeting, the 18th bi-annual meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, provides a forum for coordinated planning and action among federal agencies, state and territorial governments, and nongovernmental partners. Please register in advance by visiting the Web site listed below. This meeting has time allotted for public comment and provides exhibit space. All public comment must be submitted in written format. A written summary of the meeting will be posted on the Web site within two months of its occurrence.

Notice is hereby given that Permit No. 881-1890 for conduct of research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska, held by The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), Seward, AK, has been amended.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Sea Grant Review Panel. The meeting will have two main purposes. Panel members will discuss and provide advice on the National Sea Grant College Program in the areas of program evaluation, strategic planning, education and extension, science and technology programs, and other matters as described below:

This final rule announces inseason changes to management measures in the commercial Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. These actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), are intended to allow fisheries to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.

NMFS announces that the Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, is considering issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit to Limuli Laboratories of Cape May Court House, NJ, to conduct the seventh year of an exempted fishing operation otherwise restricted by regulations prohibiting the harvest of horseshoe crabs in the Carl N. Schuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve (Reserve) located 3 nautical miles (nm) seaward from the mouth of the Delaware Bay. If granted, the EFP would allow the harvest of up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs for biomedical purposes and require, as a condition of the EFP, the collection of data related to the status of horseshoe crabs within the Reserve. This notice also invites comments on the issuance of the EFP to Limuli Laboratories.

Notice is hereby given that Inwater Research Group, Inc. (Michael J. Bresette-Responsible Party), 4160 NE Hyline Dr, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 has been issued a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a public meeting of the Ad Hoc Review Panel for Red Drum.