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

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Pelagics Plan Team (PPT), in Honolulu, HI, to discuss fishery issues and develop recommendations for future management.

NMFS has received an application from BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. (BP) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a shallow geohazard survey in Foggy Island Bay, Beaufort Sea, Alaska, during the 2014 open water season. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to BP to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

Notice is hereby given that Tamara McGuire, LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc., 2000 W International Airport Rd, Suite C1, Anchorage, AK 99502, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Cook Inlet beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) will meet May 15, 2014.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is correcting a final rule that published on March 6, 2014, implementing the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska. One table in the document contained errors.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Darlene Ketten, Ph.D., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, to collect, import, export, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Mackerel-Squid-Butterfish (MSB) Monitoring Committee will meet twice via webinar to develop recommendations for future MSB specifications.

NMFS announces the availability of the ``Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Hawaiian monk seal Recovery Actions.'' Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period for the Final PEIS. The purpose of the Final PEIS is to evaluate, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts on the human environment from implementing the alternative approaches for funding, undertaking, and permitting research and enhancement activities on Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi).

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, we hereby give notification that the National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (Authorization) to St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society (Society), to take by harassment incidental to conducting aircraft operations, lighthouse renovation, and light maintenance activities on the St. George Reef Light Station on Northwest Seal Rock in the northeast Pacific Ocean.

NMFS closes the southern area Angling category fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action is being taken to prevent any further overharvest of the Angling category southern area trophy BFT subquota.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will hold a meeting of Golden Crab Advisory Panel (AP), in Dania Beach, FL.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings for vermilion snapper, as estimated by the Science Research Director (SRD), are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the January 1 through June 30, 2014, fishing period on April 19, 2014. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ on April 19, 2014, and it will remain closed until the start of the July 1 through December 31, 2014, fishing period. This closure is necessary to protect the vermilion snapper resource.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement a Generic Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic Regions (Generic Dealer Amendment). The Generic Dealer Amendment amends the following FMPs: Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf, Snapper-Grouper Fishery (including wreckfish) of the South Atlantic Region, Golden Crab Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, Shrimp Fishery (excluding penaeid shrimp) of the South Atlantic Region, Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf and South Atlantic, and Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf and South Atlantic, as prepared by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils). This final rule modifies the permitting and reporting requirements for seafood dealers who first receive species managed by the Councils through the previously mentioned FMPs. These revisions create a single dealer permit for dealers who first receive fish managed by the Councils, require both purchase and non-purchase reports to be submitted online on a weekly basis, prohibit dealers from first receiving fish from federally permitted vessels if they are delinquent in submitting reports, and change the sale and purchase provisions based on the new dealer permitting requirements. This rule also adds regulatory language to clarify the bag limit for private recreational vessels when a trip exceeds one calendar day. The purpose of this rule is to obtain timelier purchase information from dealers to better monitor annual catch limits (ACLs) and achieve optimum yield (OY) in accordance with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

On March 17, 2014, NMFS announced notice of a proposed issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization (Authorization) to the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, to take marine mammals, by harassment incidental to conducting a marine geophysical (seismic) survey in the northwest Atlantic Ocean May through August, 2014. The Federal Register notice indicated that written comments were due by April 16, 2014. However, in response to a request to extend the public comment period, NMFS has decided to extend the public comment period by an additional 30 calendar days.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, as amended, to implement decisions of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). At its eighty-fifth meeting in June 2013, the IATTC adopted a number of resolutions, some of which require rulemaking to implement domestic regulations in the United States. This final rule implements one of these decisions: the Resolution on a Multiannual Program for the Conservation of Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during 2014-2016 (Resolution C-13-01). This final rule extends the effective period of the regulations in the IATTC Convention Area that expired at the end of 2013 and provides purse seine owners with greater flexibility by allowing for an exemption during the closure periods due to force majeure. The expired regulations included a 500-metric ton bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) calendar year catch limit applicable to longline vessels greater than 24 meters in overall length and a 62-day closure period applicable each year to purse seine vessels of class size 4 to 6 (greater than 182 metric tons). The final rule also includes an exemption to the purse seine closures due to force majeure. Implementation of Resolution C-13-01 is necessary for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

With this final rule, NMFS implements new Federal American lobster regulations that will control lobster trap fishing effort by limiting access into the lobster trap fishery in two Lobster Conservation Management Areas. Additionally, this action will implement an individual transferable trap program in three Lobster Conservation Management Areas. The trap transfer program will allow Federal lobster permit holders to buy and sell all or part of a permit's trap allocation, subject to certain restrictions. The limited entry and trap transfer programs respond to recommendations for Federal action in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a joint meeting of its Coral Scientific and Statistical Committee and Coral Advisory Panel.

The SEDAR 38 assessment of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic King Mackerel will consist of a workshop and series of webinars. This notice is for the first two webinars associated with the Assessment portion of the SEDAR process. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS announces that phase 1 of the directed butterfish fishery will be reopened to provide the opportunity for vessels targeting butterfish to fish with a higher possession limit. Vessels issued a longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit may fish for, catch, possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish when using greater than or equal to 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The possession limit remains 2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or calendar day for vessels fishing less than 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The incidental possession limit also remains unchanged at 600 lb (0.27 mt).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting.

The Assistant Administrator (AA) for Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announces approval of the Area 2A (waters off the U.S. West Coast) Catch Sharing Plan (Plan), with modifications recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), and implementing regulations for 2014. These actions are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and further the goals and objectives of the Council. The regulations of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) were published on March 12, 2014 and the sport fishing management measures in this rule are an additional subsection of those regulations.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Risk Policy Working Group (formerly called ABC Control Rule Working Group) to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

NMFS publishes a regulatory amendment to revise the identification marking requirements for fishing gear marker buoys (buoys) used in Federal waters off Alaska. This final rule eliminates the requirement that hook-and-line, longline pot, and pot-and-line buoys be marked with the vessel's name. The requirement to mark buoys with either the vessel's Federal fisheries permit number or Alaska Department of Fish and Game number remains in effect. This action is needed to remove a regulatory requirement that is unnecessary. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI Groundfish FMP), the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA Groundfish FMP), and other applicable laws.