National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 24 hours. This action is necessary to fully use the A season allowance of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Observer Advisory Committee (OAC) will meet in Seattle, WA.

NMFS will hold a 3-day Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in April 2008. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP).

NMFS is reopening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 48 hours. This action is necessary to fully use the A season allowance of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.

On December 31, 2007, NMFS published in the Federal Register a final rule containing final specifications for the 2008 scup fishery. Inadvertently, table 3 of the final rule contained incorrect values for the 2008 Adjusted Quota Less Overages and Research Set-Aside (RSA) for the scup quota periods. This document corrects those values.

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2008 Atlantic bluefish fishery, including state-by-state commercial quotas, a recreational harvest limit, and recreational possession limits for Atlantic bluefish off the east coast of the United States. The intent of these specifications is to establish the allowable 2008 harvest levels and possession limits to attain the target fishing mortality rate (F), consistent with the stock rebuilding program contained in Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as well as ensuring compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The final specifications are modified from those contained in the proposed rule as a result of more recent information on recreational harvests.

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.

This final rule implements Amendment 15 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fisheries Management Plan (Plan) in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act). This action is intended to provide management flexibility in times of low Klamath River fall-run Chinook (KRFC) abundance, while preserving the long-term productive capacity of the stock and thereby ensuring it continues to contribute meaningfully to ocean and river fisheries in the future.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) will hold a Navassa Island Workshop.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene public hearings on Reef Fish Amendment 30B.

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to operations and information services. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support to resource management. Time and Date: The meeting will be held Wednesday, March 12, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Thursday, March 13, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to the Web page: https:// www.sab.noaa.gov/Meetings/meetings.html for the most up-to-date meeting agenda. Place: The meeting will be held both days at the Hilton Washington DC/Silver Spring, 8727 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please check the SAB Web site https://www.sab.noaa.gov for confirmation of the venue. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 30- minute public comment period on March 12 (check Web site to confirm time). The SAB expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of five (5) minutes. Written comments should be received in the SAB Executive Director's Office by March 7, 2008 to provide sufficient time for SAB review. Written comments received by the SAB Executive Director after March 7, 2008, will be distributed to the SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Matters To Be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) Draft Report from the Working Group to Examine Advisory Options for Improving Communications among NOAA's Partners (Partnerships WG or PWG); (2) Final Report from the Extension, Outreach & Education Working Group (EOEWG); (3) Report on the Final Results from the Ocean Exploration Advisory Working Group workshops; (4) NOAA Response to the SAB High-Performance Computing Recommendations and the Way Forward; (5) Discussion of a proposed SAB standing working group on ecosystems; (6) NOAA Monitoring Research Committee process updates and SAB Benchmark Review Discussion; (7) Discussion of SAB Strategic Planning; (8) the Census of Marine Life (CoML) Program; (9) the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel; (10) results of the Review of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program; (11) Report on NOAA Activities in Support of the International Year of the Reef (IYR); (12) Report on NOAA Activities in Support of the International Polar Year (IPY); and (13) the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC).

In accordance with provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting on-ice marine geophysical research and seismic surveys by CGGVeritas (Veritas) and Shell Offshore, Inc. (SOI) in the U.S. Beaufort Sea, have been issued for a period of one year from the IHAs effective date.

NMFS announces that on February 7, 2008, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) found the State of New Jersey out of compliance with the Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog (ISFMP). Subsequently, the Commission referred the matter to NMFS, under delegation of authority from the Secretary of Commerce, for federal non-compliance review under the provisions of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The Atlantic Coastal Act mandates that NMFS must review the Commission's non-compliance referral and make specific findings within thirty (30) days after receiving the referral. If NMFS determines that New Jersey failed to carry out its responsibilities under the Tautog ISFMP, and if the measures it failed to implement are necessary for conservation, then, according to the Atlantic Coastal Act, NMFS must declare a moratorium on fishing for tautog in New Jersey waters.

NMFS has received applications for take authorizations from 13 power generating stations located on the coast of central and southern California to take small numbers of marine mammals by Level A harassment and mortalities incidental to routine power plant operations for the duration of five years from the date when the authorizations are issued. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing our receipt of these requests for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on these applications.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) is seeking applications for the following vacant seats on its Sanctuary Advisory Council (council): Citizen at LargeUpper Keys (alternate), Conservation and Environment [2 of 2] (member), FishingCharter Sports Fishing (alternate), and South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (member). Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; residency in the Sanctuary area; and philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen for seats normally serve three- year terms, pursuant to the Council's charter.

NMFS is announcing the opening and closing dates of the Atka mackerel directed fishery within the harvest limit area (HLA) in Statistical Area 542 for the vessel participating in the Amendment 80 cooperative. This action is necessary to fully use the 2008 A season HLA limit established for the vessel participating in the Amendment 80 cooperative.

NMFS issues a final rule to modify the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut fishery and sablefish fishery by revising regulations governing the use of commercial halibut quota share (QS) and the processing of non-IFQ species when processed halibut is onboard a vessel. This action amends current regulations to allow persons holding category A halibut QS to process IFQ regardless of whether a QS holder with unused category B, C, or D halibut QS is onboard the vessel. This action also allows catcher/processor vessels to process non-IFQ species regardless of whether any processed IFQ species is onboard the vessel. This action is necessary to improve the efficiency of fishermen fishing on catcher/ processor vessels. The action is intended to allow halibut QS holders greater flexibility in using their QS, allow use of crew who hold unused category B, C, or D halibut QS while onboard a category A halibut QS vessel, and increase the product quality of non-IFQ species harvested incidentally to IFQ halibut.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a joint meeting of its Limited Access Privilege (LAP) Program Workgroup and Committee, LAP Program Committee, a joint meeting of its Executive Committee and Finance Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Law Enforcement Advisory Panel, a joint meeting of its Habitat Committee and Ecosystem-Based Management Committee, Spiny Lobster Committee, Shrimp Committee, Allocation Committee, Standard Operations, Policy and Procedures (SOPPs) Committee, Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Selection Committee, and a meeting of the full Council. In addition, the Council will also hold a public comment period on Amendment 15B to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Redstone Consulting Group will provide a presentation on Limited Access Privilege Programs.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Crab Committee will meet.

This announcement provides notice that the Secretary of Commerce has stayed, for a period of 60 days, closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by AES Sparrows Point, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC (AES Consistency Appeal).

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 2,708 nm\2\ (9,288 km\2\) in February and 2,648 nm\2\ (9,082 km\2\) in March, 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).