National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 21, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, NMFS provides notice that we have issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WDF) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, 11 species of marine mammals during the transfer span replacement project at the Port Townsend ferry terminal in Port Townsend Bay, Washington.

NMFS publishes regulations to implement Amendment 86 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 76 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (Amendments 86/76). Amendments 86/ 76 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. The new funding and deployment system allows 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, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, the fishery management plans, and other applicable law.