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

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a two-day meeting.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish for vessels participating in the rockfish entry level fishery in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2007 total allowable catch (TAC) of northern rockfish allocated to vessels participating in the rockfish entry level fishery in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

In 2006, NOAA established the Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards Program to annually recognize outstanding performances, achievements and leadership by industries, organizations and individuals who promote best stewardship practices for the sustainable use of living marine resources and ecosystems, and who have fostered change and inspired a stewardship ethic within their community. This notice solicits nominations of qualified individuals for the third annual Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards in six award categories listed in this Notice. NMFS has partnered with the Fish for the Future Foundation for this awards program.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received six scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces the extension of temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations. These restrictions will continue to apply to lobster trap and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 2,305 nm\2\ (7,905 km\2\), south of Portland, Maine, for an additional 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide immediate protection to an aggregation of Northern right whales (right whales).

NMFS announces its intent to issue Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs), Scientific Research Permits (SRPs), Display Permits, Letters of Acknowledgment (LOAs), and Chartering Permits for the collection of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) in 2008. In general, EFPs and related permits would authorize collections of a limited number of tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico for the purposes of scientific data collection, public display, and chartering. Generally, these permits will be valid from the date of issuance through December 31, 2008, unless otherwise specified, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations. These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 2,031 nm\2\ (6,966 km\2\), southeast of Portland, Maine, for 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide protection to an aggregation of northern right whales (right whales).

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia is transferring commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2007 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

Notice is hereby given of the availability of the Proposed Findings Document, Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant Impact for Indiana's Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. Coastal states and territories are required to submit their coastal nonpoint programs to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval. The Findings Document was prepared by NOAA and EPA to provide the rationale for the agencies' decision to approve the state coastal nonpoint pollution control program. Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA), 16 U.S.C. 1455b, requires states and territories with coastal zone management programs that have received approval under section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and implement coastal nonpoint programs. The Environmental Assessment was prepared by NOAA, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. sections 4321 et seq., to assess the environmental impacts associated with the approval of the coastal nonpoint pollution control program submitted to NOAA and EPA by Indiana. NOAA and EPA have proposed to approve, with conditions, the coastal nonpoint program submitted by Indiana. The requirements of 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 (Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations to implement the National Environmental Policy Act) apply to the preparation of these Environmental Assessments. Specifically, 40 CFR section 1506.6 requires agencies to provide public notice of the availability of environmental documents. This notice is part of NOAA's action to comply with this requirement. Copies of the proposed Findings Document, Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant Impact may be found on the NOAA Web site at https://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/assessments/welcome.html or may be obtained upon request from: Allison Castellan, Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, phone (301) 713-3155, extension 125, e-mail allison.castellan@noaa.gov.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BS/AI) groundfish plan teams will meet in Seattle.

NMFS publishes this final rule to enhance the safety of observers and the efficiency of their deployment. The purpose of the final rule is to clarify prohibited actions regarding observers, reinforce that an observer may not be deployed nor stay aboard an unsafe vessel, clarify when a fishing vessel is inadequate for observer deployment and how an owner or operator can resolve discrepancies, clarify when the safety decal requirement applies, and provide for an alternate NMFS safety equipment examination of certain small fishing vessels. This final rule is necessary to maintain and enhance the safety and effectiveness of fisheries observers in carrying out their duties as authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the fishery management plans and regulations adopted under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.