National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 5, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NOAA, the Department of the Interior (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon are collectively referred to as the Trustee Council for this case. The Trustee Council is providing notice that the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and Draft Restoration Plan are being released for public comment. The Restoration Plan identifies a restoration approach to compensate for injuries to natural resources in Portland Harbor in the Lower Willamette River. The Trustees seek damages from potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of natural resources and services injured by the release of hazardous substances in Portland Harbor. This notice provides details on the availability of and opportunity to comment on the Draft PEIS and Restoration Plan. Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally at a public meeting.

NMFS extends the recreational fishing season for the red snapper component of the reef fish fishery in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). NMFS previously determined the recreational red snapper quota would be reached by 12:01 a.m., local time, July 11, 2012. However, due to severe weather conditions in the central and northeastern Gulf during the first 26 days in June, fishing opportunities were restricted during the beginning of the recreational fishing season. NMFS has projected the quota will not be reached by the current closure date. Therefore, NMFS is extending the recreational red snapper fishing season for 6 days to allow the remainder of the quota to be harvested. The intent of this action is to provide fishermen the opportunity to harvest the recreational red snapper quota, and the opportunity to achieve the optimum yield for the fishery, thus enhancing social and economic benefits to the fishery.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of ``other rockfish'' in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2012 total allowable catch (TAC) of ``other rockfish'' in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached.