National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 14, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 86 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) and Amendment 76 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), (collectively referred to as the FMPs) to NMFS for review. If approved, Amendments 86 and 76 would add a funding and deployment system for observer coverage to the existing North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (Observer Program) and amend existing observer coverage requirements for vessels and processing plants at 50 CFR 679.50. The new funding and deployment system would allow NMFS to determine when and where to deploy observers according to management and conservation needs, with funds provided through a system of fees based on the ex-vessel value of groundfish and halibut in fisheries covered by the new system. This action is necessary to resolve data quality and cost equity concerns with the Observer Program's existing funding and deployment structure. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the FMPs, and other applicable law.

This notice sets forth the schedule and topics of an upcoming workshop hosted by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Invited participants will discuss topics as outlined below. Members of the administrative public, private and academic sectors are invited to attend the workshop, and are required to fulfill a request to RSVP to Karen.L.Miller@noaa.gov by 5 p.m. EDT, Friday, April 27, 2012 if they wish to attend. The workshop is to be held in a federal facility; building-security restrictions preclude attendance for those who do not RSVP by the deadline. Space is also limited to the first 35 responses, but remote access via webinar will be made available for the first 50 participants requesting webinar participation. The remote access participation information will be provided on an individual basis once participation has been confirmed through RSVP. Workshop Date and Time: The workshop will be held on May 3, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 4, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. RSVP Deadline: Anyone wishing to attend the workshop must RSVP no later than 5:00 pm EDT on April 27, 2012.

NMFS announces final 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2012 and 2013 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.