National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 7, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on June 2, 2011, proposing to revise critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal under the Endangered Species Act and requesting information related to the proposed action. As part of that proposal, we provided a 90-day comment period, ending August 31, 2011. We have received requests for an extension of the public comment period. In response to these requests, NMFS is reopening the public comment period for the proposed action.

Notice is hereby given that Paul Ponganis, Ph.D., University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 14676.

NMFS is implementing approved measures in Amendment 11 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan, developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The approved measures include: A tiered limited access program for the Atlantic mackerel fishery; an open access incidental catch permit for mackerel; an update to essential fish habitat designations for all life stages of mackerel, longfin squid, Illex squid, and butterfish; and the establishment of a recreational allocation for mackerel.

NMFS announces that the provisions implemented in a final rule published on May 11, 2011, pursuant to NFMS' emergency authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) will remain in effect for the remainder of the 2011 groundfish fishery. The provisions included a new rebuilding plan for petrale sole, revised rebuilding plans for other overfished species, and revised status determination criteria, harvest specifications and a precautionary harvest control rule for assessed flatfish species. This announcement is required in order to maintain the current rebuilding plans, harvest specifications and harvest control rule for assessed flatfish species.

NMFS announces temporary removal of the 2,000-lb (907.2 kg) trip limit for the Atlantic herring fishery in Management Area 3 because recent catch data indicate that 95 percent of the sub-annual catch limit in Area 3 has not been fully attained. Vessels issued a Federal Atlantic herring permit may resume fishing for and landing herring, in amounts greater than 2,000 lb (907.2-kg), consistent with their Atlantic herring permit category, effective 0001 hr, November 7, 2011, through 0001 hr, November 10, 2011. At 0001 hr, November 10, 2011, vessels will again be prohibited from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring, or landing more than 2,000 lb (907.2-kg) of Atlantic herring per trip or calendar day.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Amendment 5 to the FMP for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Amendment 3 to the FMP for the Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Amendment 3 to the FMP for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment) prepared by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would: Establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for reef fish, spiny lobster, and aquarium trade species which are not determined to be undergoing overfishing; allocate ACLs among island management areas and, in Puerto Rico only, among commercial and recreational sectors; establish recreational bag limits for reef fish and spiny lobster; remove eight conch species from the queen conch FMP; and establish framework procedures for the spiny lobster and Caribbean corals and reef associated plants and invertebrates FMPs. The 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment would also revise management reference points and status determination criteria for selected reef fish, spiny lobster, and aquarium trade species. The intended effect of the rule is to prevent overfishing of reef fish, spiny lobster, and aquarium trade species while maintaining catch levels consistent with achieving optimum yield (OY).

NMFS received an application from Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leases in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to Shell to take, by Level B harassment only, eight species of marine mammals during the specified activity.