National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 7, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc., 450 Broadway, Suite 3, Buchanan, NY 10511 [Responsible Party: John Ventosa], has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) for purposes of scientific research.

We, NMFS, published a notice on May 16, 2012, announcing that the Proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead (Proposed Plan) was available for public review and comment. Comments were due by July 16, 2012. We have decided to reopen the public comment period for an additional 30 days.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day meeting on September 25-27, 2012 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

This action corrects groundfish regulations that were published in three final rules. The first was published on December 15, 2010, and established various provisions of the trawl rationalization program; the second published on May 11, 2011, and established the 2011-2012 harvest specifications and management measures for groundfish; the third published in December 1, 2011, and made revisions to the trawl program. This rules corrects inadvertent errors that, although they will not modify current fishing practices need to be corrected so that the rule text comports with the intent as expressed in the rules' preambles. This rule includes but is not limited to corrections to coordinates defining depth countours that apply to all fisheries, permit renewal dates, observer requirements, recreational regulations, processor obligations in the MS sector, the forms used to transfer an MS/CV endorsement, and others. Each correction is explained below.