National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day meeting to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Navy (Navy) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, two species of marine mammals during construction activities associated with a wharf recapitalization project at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for red porgy in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings for red porgy, as estimated by the Science Research Director (SRD), are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) on December 2, 2013. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for red porgy in the South Atlantic EEZ on December 2, 2013, and it will remain closed through December 31, 2013. This closure is necessary to protect the red porgy resource.

NMFS has received an application from the National Ocean Service's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to rocky intertidal monitoring work and searching for black abalone, components of the Sanctuary Ecosystem Assessment Surveys. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to GFNMS to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a letter of authorization (LOA) has been issued to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, U.S. Navy (Navy), to take three species of seals and sea lions incidental to missile launch operations from San Nicolas Island (SNI), California, a military readiness activity.

This final rule establishes opening dates and adjusts quotas for the 2014 fishing season for the Atlantic commercial shark fisheries. The quota adjustments are based on over- and/or underharvests experienced during 2013 and previous fishing seasons. In addition, NMFS establishes season opening dates based on adaptive management measures to provide, to the extent practicable, fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen in all regions and areas. These actions could affect fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Oversight Committee and Electronic Monitoring Working Group (EMWG) will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS issues this notice to inform interested parties that the Washington pink shrimp sub-loan in the fishing capacity reduction program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery has been repaid. Therefore, buyback fee collections on Washington pink shrimp will cease for all landings after October 31, 2013.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Charter Implementation Committee will meet in Anchorage, AK.

This action corrects a date in a rule published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2013, to close the bigeye tuna longline fishery in the Eastern Pacific Ocean for the remainder of 2013.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a Webinar of the Outreach and Education Advisory Panel.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the 2013 halibut and crab prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands trawl (BSAI) limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives in the BSAI management area. This action is necessary to allow the Amendment 80 cooperatives to fully harvest their 2013 groundfish allocations.

The Scallop Plan Team (SPT) will hold a teleconference (907- 271-2896). You can listen at the Council office in room 205.

We (NMFS) announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list 19 species and 3 subpopulations of sharks as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for 9 species: Centrophorus harrissoni, Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus, Mustelus fasciatus, Mustelus schmitti, Squatina aculeata, Squatina argentina, Squatina guggenheim, Squatina oculata, and Squatina squatina. Therefore, we will conduct a status review of the nine species to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to these petitioned species from any interested party. We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for 10 species and 3 subpopulations: Carcharhinus borneensis, Carcharhinus hemiodon, Carcharias taurus (Southwest Atlantic subpopulation), Cetorhinus maximus (North Pacific subpopulation), Cetorhinus maximus (Northeast Atlantic subpopulation), Haploblepharus kistnasamyi, Hemitriakis leucoperiptera, Holohalaelurus favus, Holohalaelurus punctatus, Lamiopsis temmincki, Squatina formosa, Squatina punctata, and Triakis acutipinna.

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils seek public comment on a draft amendment to all the fishery management plans under their purview. The omnibus amendment would establish a standardized bycatch reporting methodology for each fishery management plan, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

NMFS publishes Fraser River salmon inseason orders to regulate treaty and non-treaty (all citizen) commercial salmon fisheries in U.S. waters. The orders were issued by the Fraser River Panel (Panel) of the Pacific Salmon Commission (Commission) and subsequently approved and issued by NMFS during the 2013 salmon fisheries within the U.S. Fraser River Panel Area. These orders established fishing dates, times, and areas for the gear types of U.S. treaty Indian and all citizen commercial fisheries during the period the Panel exercised jurisdiction over these fisheries.

NMFS has received an application from Tetra Tech EC, Inc. (Tetra Tech), on behalf of the Northeast Gateway[supreg] Energy BridgeTM, L.P. (Northeast Gateway or NEG) and Algonquin Gas Transmission, L.L.C. (Algonquin), for authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to operating, maintaining, and repairing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) port and the Algonquin Pipeline Lateral (Pipeline Lateral) facilities by NEG and Algonquin, in Massachusetts Bay. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an authorization to Northeast Gateway to incidentally take, by harassment, small numbers of marine mammals for a period of 1 year.

NMFS is modifying the reporting requirements for vessels required to use Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) units in Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) fisheries. This final rule requires vessel owners or operators, who have been issued HMS permits and are required to use VMS, to provide hourly position reports 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7) via VMS. The final rule also allows the vessel owners or operators of such vessels to declare out of the HMS fishery when not fishing for or retaining HMS for a period of time encompassing two or more trips. This final action will continue to provide NOAA Office of Law Enforcement needed information on the target fishery and gear possessed in order to facilitate enforcement of closed areas and other HMS regulations, while reducing the reporting burden on vessel owners and operators. This action will also bring HMS fisheries regulations in line with VMS regulations in other fisheries. This rule affects all owners and/or operators of permitted vessels that fish for HMS and are required to use VMS.

In compliance with Executive Order (E.O.) 13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments'' (November 6, 2000), the Department of Commerce (Department) adopted a Tribal Consultation and Coordination policy statement. This policy establishes the manner in which NOAA works with Federally recognized Indian Tribes when developing NOAA policies that have Tribal implications. This Handbook is intended to assist NOAA, including its regional and field staff, in conducting effective government-to- government consultations and fulfill NOAA's obligations under E.O. 13175 and Department Administrative Order 218-8 on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, and the Department of Commerce Tribal Consultation and Coordination Policy.

The SEDAR 38 stock assessment of South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico King Mackerel: A Data Workshop; an Assessment Workshop and webinars; and a Review Workshop. All workshops are open to the public. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice sets forth the proposed schedule and agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC). The members will discuss and provide advice on issues outlined under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.