National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration June 13, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2016 allocation of yellowfin sole total allowable catch for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery in the BSAI.

NMFS extends the recreational fishing season for the private angling component for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. NMFS previously determined the private angling component would reach its annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf red snapper by 12:01 a.m., local time, June 10, 2016. However, due to recent severe weather conditions in the eastern Gulf, fishing opportunities were restricted during the recreational fishing season for the private angling component. NMFS has projected the private angling component will not reach its ACT by the current closure date. Therefore, NMFS is extending the recreational red snapper fishing season for the private angling component for 2 days to allow the ACT to be harvested. The intent of this action is to provide the recreational private angling component the opportunity to harvest its red snapper ACT, and the opportunity to achieve the optimum yield for the fishery, thus enhancing social and economic benefits to the fishery.

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

This proposed rule would remove the medium and large vessel bottomfish prohibited fishing areas in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Conditions in the fishery that led to establishing the prohibited areas are no longer present, and the restriction is no longer necessary. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended Amendment 4 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago (FEP) to remove these prohibited areas, and this proposed rule would implement the recommended change. The intent of the proposed rule is to improve the viability of the CNMI bottomfish fishery and promote optimum yield while preventing overfishing. This proposed rule would also make an administrative housekeeping change to the regulations for the CNMI management subarea crustacean fishing.

NMFS' Office of Protected Resources has received a request from NMFS' Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in the Pacific Ocean off the northwest United States, over the course of five years from the date of issuance. As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations to govern that take, and requests comments on the proposed regulations.