National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration August 2, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On June 19, 2007, NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to correct certain provisions of a June 28, 2006, essential fish habitat (EFH) rule for Alaska fisheries. The comment period deadline for written comments for the proposed rule was June 19, 2007. NMFS is reopening the comment period on this proposed rule because the E-mail account listed in the proposed rule for the submission of comments was in error and did not accept comments as intended. The proposed rule would clarify that portions of EFH management areas in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands are located in State of Alaska waters. The proposed action also would apply EFH vessel monitoring system and closure requirements to federally permitted vessels operating in State of Alaska waters adjacent to the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Aleutian Islands subarea. This action is necessary to ensure federally permitted vessels operating in State of Alaska waters comply with EFH protection measures.

NOAA published a final rule on May 24, 2007 that established marine reserves and a marine conservation area in the Channel Islands Natioal Marine Sanctuary. That document contained a few clerical and printing errors. This document corrects and clarifies those three errors.