National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 25, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce a 90-day finding on a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity to revise the critical habitat designation for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In November 2006 we issued a final rule designating approximately 2,560 square miles (6,630 square km) of inland waters of Washington State as critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale DPS. The petition requests we revise this critical habitat to include inhabited Pacific Ocean marine waters along the West Coast of the United States that constitute essential foraging and wintering areas. Additionally, the petition requests that we adopt protective in-water sound levels as a primary constituent element for both currently designated critical habitat and the proposed revised critical habitat. We find that the petition to revise critical habitat, viewed in the context of information readily available in our files, presents substantial scientific information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted. We are hereby initiating a review of the currently designated critical habitat to determine whether revision is warranted. To ensure a comprehensive review, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to this action.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2014 Greenland turbot initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) ad hoc Lower Columbia River Natural Coho Workgroup (LRC Workgroup) will hold a public work session in Portland, OR. The meeting is open to the public, but is not intended as a public hearing. Public comments will be taken at the discretion of the LRC Workgroup chair as time allows.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for recreational gray triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish fishery for the 2014 fishing year through this temporary final rule. Based on the 2013 recreational annual catch limit (ACL) overage, NMFS reduces the 2014 recreational annual catch target (ACT) and ACL for gray triggerfish to 0 lb (0 kg) through this temporary rule. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for gray triggerfish in the Gulf EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time, May 1, 2014, until January 1, 2015. This action is necessary to reduce overfishing of the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Regulatory Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) (Regulatory Amendment 14), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this rule would revise the fishing years for greater amberjack and black sea bass, revise the commercial trip limits for gag grouper (gag) and black sea bass, and revise the recreational accountability measures (AMs) for black sea bass and vermilion snapper. The purpose of this rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) and enhance socio-economic opportunities within the snapper-grouper fishery in accordance with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).