National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 7, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application submitted by Limuli Laboratories of Cape May Court House, NJ, contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. The proposed EFP would allow the harvest of up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs from the Carl N. Shuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve (Reserve) for biomedical purposes and require, as a condition of the EFP, the collection of data related to the status of horseshoe crabs within the reserve. The Director has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Horseshoe Crab Interstate Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow up to two commercial fishing vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations promulgated under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The EFP would allow for an exemption from the Reserve. Regulations under the Atlantic Coastal Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

In accordance with section 304(a) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), and based on the resources and boundaries described in the community-based nomination submitted to NOAA on December 2, 2014 (www.nominate.noaa.gov/nominations), NOAA is initiating a process to consider designating an area of Wisconsin's Lake Michigan as a national marine sanctuary. The designation process, as required by the NMSA, will be conducted concurrently with a public process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). This notice also informs the public that NOAA will coordinate its responsibilities under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470) with its ongoing NEPA process, pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(a), including the use of NEPA documents and public and stakeholder meetings to also meet the requirements of section 106. The public scoping process is intended to solicit information and comments on the range of issues and the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in an environmental impact statement related to designating this area as a national marine sanctuary. The results of this scoping process will assist NOAA in moving forward with the designation process and in formulating alternatives for the draft environmental impact statement and proposed regulations, including developing national marine sanctuary boundaries. It will also inform the initiation of any consultations with federal, state, or local agencies and other interested parties, as appropriate.

NMFS corrects the final rule that implemented management measures described in Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coral, Coral Reefs, and Live/Hard Bottom Habitats of the South Atlantic Region (FMP)(Amendment 8), which published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2015. The Amendment 8 final rule contained some incorrect waypoints for the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC)(Oculina Bank HAPC) as well as incorrect language regarding the gear stowage requirements for vessels with rock shrimp onboard transiting through the Oculina Bank HAPC. The purpose of this correcting amendment is to fix these errors.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources (CMP) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP) (Framework Amendment 3), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would modify the trip limit, accountability measures (AMs), dealer reporting requirements, and gillnet permit requirements for commercial king mackerel landed by run- around gillnet fishing gear in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The purpose of this proposed rule is to increase the efficiency, stability, and accountability, and to reduce the potential for regulatory discards of king mackerel in the commercial gillnet component of the CMP fishery.

We, NMFS, issue a final rule to list three foreign corals and the dusky sea snake under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We considered comments submitted on the proposed listing rule and have determined that the three foreign corals (Cantharellus noumeae, Siderastrea glynni, and Tubastraea floreana) and the dusky sea snake (Aipysurus fuscus) should be listed as endangered species. We will not designate critical habitat for any of the species because the geographical areas occupied by these species are entirely outside U.S. jurisdiction, and we have not identified any unoccupied areas within U.S. jurisdiction that are currently essential to the conservation of any of these species.

NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolution C-14-02 of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) by establishing requirements for any U.S. commercial fishing vessel that is 24 meters (78.74 feet) or more in overall length engaging in fishing activities for either tuna or tuna-like species in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This rule is necessary to ensure full U.S. compliance with its international obligations under the IATTC Convention.