National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 27, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes regulations to amend the recordkeeping and reporting requirements for the Pacific halibut guided sport fishery in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) and Area 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). If approved, these regulations would revise federal requirements regarding the location and time period for submission of Alaska Department of Fish and Game Saltwater Sport Fishing Charter Trip Logbook data sheets and modify logbook recording requirements. This action is necessary because NMFS relies on the state logbook data for managing halibut and to improve consistency between federal and State of Alaska requirements for the submission of the logbook data sheets and the logbook reporting format. This action is intended to achieve the halibut fishery management goals of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and to support the conservation and management provisions of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982.

Notice is hereby given that National Marine Fisheries Service, National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), Alaska Fisheries Science Center, (Dr. John Bengtson, Responsible Party), 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, Washington 98115-6349, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct scientific research in the Pacific, Southern, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans on 33 cetacean species, including endangered blue (Balaenoptera musculus), sei (B. borealis), fin (B. physalus), sperm (Physeter macrocephalus), North Pacific right (Eubalaena japonica), bowhead (Balaena mysticetus), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), Southern Resident killer (Orcinus orca), and Cook Inlet beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) whales.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 21 (Framework 21) to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Framework 21 proposes the following management measures for the 2010 scallop fishery: Total allowable catch (TAC); open area days-at-sea (DAS) and Sea Scallop Access Area (access area) trip allocations; DAS adjustments if an access area yellowtail flounder (yellowtail) TAC is caught; limited access general category (LAGC) access area trip allocations; management measures to minimize impacts of incidental take of sea turtles as required by the March 14, 2008, Atlantic Sea Scallop Biological Opinion (Biological Opinion); minor adjustments to the limited access general category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IFQ) program; and minor adjustments to the industry- funded observer program. This action also proposes changes to regulatory language to eliminate duplicative and outdated text, and to clarify provisions in the regulations that are currently unclear.

In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has initiated a review of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS or sanctuary) management plan, to evaluate substantive progress toward implementing the goals for the Sanctuary, and to make revisions to the plan and regulations as necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA (73 FR 53161). The management plan review process occurs concurrently with a public process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). This notice confirms that NOAA will coordinate its responsibilities under NEPA with those under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA, 16 U.S.C. 470).