National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 3, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On November 13, 2009, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) published a notice of availability of funds to establish three new NOAA cooperative institutes (CIs): (1) A CI To Support NOAA Research Facilities in the Pacific Northwest, (2) A CI for Southwestern U.S. Marine Ecosystems, Climate and Ocean Studies, and (3) A Southeastern Regional CI for Atmospheric and Marine Studies. OAR publishes this notice to announce an extension to the application solicitation period. The date when applications must be received at NOAA is being extended from February 10, 2010 until February 12, 2010.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to military readiness training activities to be conducted in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) for the period beginning December 2010 and ending December 2015. Pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing our receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

This action implements 2010 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB). Specifically, this action maintains quotas for Atlantic mackerel (mackerel), Illex squid (Illex), Loligo squid (Loligo), and butterfish at the same levels as 2009. This action also modifies accounting procedures for underages of Trimester 1 quotas in the Loligo fishery so that Trimester 1 quota underages that are greater than 25 percent of the Trimester 1 quota will be allocated equally to Trimesters 2 and 3, and underages that are less than 25 percent of the Trimester 1 quota will be allocated to Trimester 3. Additionally, this action will increase the minimum mesh size requirement for codend covers in the Loligo fishery from 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) to 5 inches (12.7 cm). These specifications and management measures promote the utilization and conservation of the MSB resource.

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.