National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 22, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Southeast Regional Office, Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30602 [Thomas Sinclair: Responsible Party], has been issued a permit [File No. 17367] to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) for purposes of scientific research; and also, that the USFWS, Northeast Fishery Center, PO Box 75, Lamar, PA 16848 [Michael Millard: Responsible Party], has been issued a permit [File No. 17364] to take Atlantic sturgeon for purposes of scientific research.

On February 22, 2013, NMFS published a proposed rule for Draft Amendment 8 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to address several new proposed North Atlantic swordfish commercial fishery management measures, including a new open access permit that would allow the retention and sale of swordfish caught with certain handgears. We announced the date and location for six public hearings and a comment period ending on April 23, 2013. In this notice, NMFS announces the dates and logistics for two additional public hearings, and an extension of the comment period from April 23, 2013, to May 8, 2013, to provide additional opportunities for the five Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions, and other interested parties to comment on the swordfish management measures proposed in Draft Amendment 8.