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

Notice is hereby given that the North Carolina Zoological Park, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205, has been issued a permit to import two juvenile harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) for the purposes of public display.

The SEDAR assessments of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico stocks of king mackerel will consist of a series of three workshops: a Data Workshop, an Assessment Workshop, and a Review Workshop. This is the sixteenth SEDAR. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The SEDAR assessments of the South Atlantic stocks of Spanish mackerel and vermilion snapper will consist of a series of three workshops: a Data Workshop, an Assessment Workshop, and a Review Workshop. This is the seventeenth SEDAR. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

This final rule implements management measures for the vessel- based bottomfish fishery in the Main Hawaiian Islands, including requirements for non-commercial (recreational and subsistence) permits and data reporting, a closed season, annual total allowable catch limits, and non-commercial bag limits. This action is intended to end the overfishing of bottomfish in the Hawaiian Archipelago.

This final rule implements the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector (Hook Sector) Fishing Year (FY) 2008 Operations Plan and Agreement, approved by the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), and modifies the eligibility criteria for membership for the Hook Sector and the GB Cod Fixed Gear Sector (Fixed Gear Sector). Amendment 13 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 13) authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the Hook Sector. Pursuant to that authorization, the Sector submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Contract entitled, ``Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year 2008-2009 Operations Plan and Agreement'' (together referred to as the Sector Agreement) and an Environmental Assessment (EA), and requested an allocation of GB cod, consistent with the FMP. This action results in authorization of the Sector Operations Plan during the 2008 fishing year and allocation of 658 mt of GB cod to the Sector. This rule also modifies the eligibility criteria for membership in both the Hook Sector and the Fixed Gear Sector by allowing vessels without GB cod landings history to join a sector.

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

NMFS announces the cancellation of the Federal moratorium on fishing for tautog in the State waters of New Jersey. NMFS canceled the moratorium, as required by the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act), based on the determination that New Jersey is now in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Tautog Interstate Fishery Management Plan (Plan).

Notice is hereby given that Karen Holloway-Adkins, East Coast Biologists, Inc., P.O. Box 33715, Indialantic, FL 32903 (File No. 13306) and Kristen Hart, 600 4\th\ Street South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701 (File No. 13307) have applied in due form for permits to take green (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

Notice is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology (Principal Investigator: Dr. Brandon Southall), Silver Spring, MD, has requested an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 1121-1900.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) was established by the Secretary of Commerce to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, its amendments, and such other appropriate matters that the Under Secretary refers to the Panel for review and advice. The purpose of the conference call is to allow Panel members to deliberate and vote on recommendations related to topics presented during a public meeting in Miami, Florida, on March 7, 2008, and to allow members to deliberate and vote on drafted recommendations on the ``Integrated Ocean Observing System Operational Wave Observation Plan.'' Written public comments should be submitted to Captain Steven Barnum, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), by April 15, 2008. Date and Time: The conference call will convene at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, April 18, 2008, and end at or about 3:30 p.m.

The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluation will be conducted pursuant to section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (CZMA) and regulations at 15 CFR Part 923, Subpart L. The National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluations will be conducted pursuant to sections 312 and 315 of the CZMA and regulations at 15 CFR Part 921, Subpart E and Part 923, Subpart L. The CZMA requires continuing review of the performance of states with respect to coastal program implementation. Evaluation of Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its Coastal Management Program document or Reserve final management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA. Each evaluation will include a site visit, consideration of public comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state, and local agencies and members of the public. A public meeting will be held as part of the site visit. Notice is hereby given of the dates of the site visits for the listed evaluations, and the dates, local times, and locations of the public meetings during the site visits. Dates and Times: The Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held May 13-15, 2008. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at 5 p.m. at the Mather Auditorium, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farm, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, Maine. The Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held May 20-23, 2008. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, at 12 noon at the Hope Brown Center, Farnham Farm, Prudence Island, Rhode Island. ONLY in the event the ferry to Prudence Island cannot operate, the public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, at 12 noon at the Foundry, Room 280, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, Rhode Island. The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will be held June 16-20, 2008. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at 6 p.m. at The Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.