National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS closes the commercial fishery for king mackerel in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the western zone of the Gulf of Mexico. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT), Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Salmon Subcommittee, and Model Evaluation Workgroup (MEW) will review proposed salmon methodology and conservation objective changes in a joint work session, which is open to the public.

NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to blasting and dredging operations in the USMC slipway at the Blount Island facility (MCSF-BI Slipway) in Duval County, FL. NMFS has reviewed the application, including all supporting documents, and determined that it is adequate and complete. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to ACOE and USMC to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activities within the specified geographic region.

NMFS announces approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of collection-of-information requirements contained in regulations implementing Amendment 15 to the Fishery Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region, relating to squid jig fisheries. The intent of this final rule is to inform the public that the associated permitting and reporting requirements have been approved by OMB.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day Council meeting on September 22-24, 2009 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

NMFS proposes regulations to implement measures in Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 10 was developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to bring the FMP into compliance with Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requirements by establishing a rebuilding program that allows the butterfish stock to rebuild and permanently protects the long-term health and stability of the stock; and by minimizing bycatch and the fishing mortality of unavoidable bycatch, to the extent practicable, in the MSB fisheries. Amendment 10 would increase the minimum codend mesh size requirement for the Loligo squid (Loligo) fishery; establish a butterfish rebuilding program with a butterfish mortality cap for the Loligo fishery; establish a 72-hr trip notification requirement for the Loligo fishery; and require an annual assessment of the butterfish rebuilding program by the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). This proposed rule would also make minor, technical corrections to existing regulations.

NOAA and the Coast Guard are defining ``marine debris'' for purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (the Act). The Act requires NOAA and the Coast Guard to jointly develop a definition and promulgate it through regulations; this rule represents the agencies' compliance with the Act. For the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act only, marine debris is defined as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.

In preparation for the 2009 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting, the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to ICCAT will convene the first of two fall meetings.

Notice is hereby given that Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, USA (CNMI), Division of Fish and Wildlife, [Sylvan Igisomar, responsible official] P.O. Box 10007, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 96950, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No.1556-01.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2009 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in these areas by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. NMFS is also announcing the opening and closing dates of the first and second directed fisheries within the harvest limit area (HLA) in areas 542 and 543. These actions are necessary to conduct directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the HLA in areas 542 and 543.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP), a Federal Advisory Committee, will be holding a public meeting in Duluth, Minnesota, on September 23 and 24, 2009. The meeting is contingent on renewal of the HSRP charter.

NMFS announces the approval of Amendment 33 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP). Amendment 33 amends the FMP to allow NMFS to reduce the amount of fees collected under the Crab Rationalization Program to the amount needed to finance the Federal loan program for quota share purchase. The amendment provides NMFS with the flexibility to reserve only the amount of fees necessary to support the loan program, including no fees if none are needed. This FMP amendment does not require modifications to Federal regulations.

The Pacific Management Council (Council) and NMFS will hold a Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Stock Assessment Review (STAR) Panel meeting to review survey results and the current full assessment of Pacific sardine stock status.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a web based meeting of the Standing Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene Scoping Hearings on Spiny Lobster Amendment 10 (in Marathon and Key West, FL only), Generic ACL/AM Amendment and Amendments 18 and 20 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics (CMP) Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule implements a multi- species individual fishing quota (IFQ) program for the grouper and tilefish component of the commercial sector of the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone. In addition, the final rule allows permit consolidation and dual classifications to the shallow-water grouper (SWG) and deep-water grouper (DWG) management units for speckled hind, warsaw grouper, and scamp, and modifies some provisions of the Gulf red snapper IFQ program for consistency with this final rule. NMFS also informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for those collections. This rule is intended to reduce effort in the grouper and tilefish component of the commercial Gulf reef fish fishery.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS issued a new Record of Decision (ROD) on August 10, 2009, for the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Steller Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research. Subsequently, 12 permits were issued to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) throughout their ranges in the United States.

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia is transferring commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2009 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for New York and Virginia.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the 2009 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for Statistical Area 630 in the GOA.

Notice is hereby given that the University of California, Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory and the Channel Islands National Park have applied in due form for permits to take endangered abalone species for purposes of scientific research and enhancement.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Observer Advisory Committee (OAC) will meet at the Alaska Fishery Science Center (AFSC), Traynor Conference Center.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Non- Target Species Committee will meet in Seattle, WA.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) Highly Migratory Species Committee and its Spiny Dogfish Committee will hold a public meeting.

The Pacific Council and its advisory entities will hold public meetings. September 11-17, 2009 Pacific Council meeting, which includes advisory body meetings during this time period as listed in this notice, as well as a September 8, 2009 Pacific Council Enforcement Consultants Telephone Conference.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (L-DEO), a part of Columbia University, to take small numbers of marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to conducting a marine seismic survey in the northeast Pacific Ocean.