National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration June 28, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice of Availability and Request for Public Comment on the Joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook
Document Number: 2016-15230
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), issue Endangered Species Act incidental take permits and help applicants develop conservation plans as a prerequisite to obtaining those permits. We announce the availability of and request public comment on a draft revision of our joint Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Handbook, which describes requirements, procedures, and guidance for permit issuance and conservation-plan development. The HCP Handbook initially was released in 1996, and revised by addendum in July 2000.
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; West Coast Region, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Trawl Rationalization Cost Recovery Program
Document Number: 2016-15216
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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.
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; California-Oregon-Washington Coastal Purse Seine Survey.
Document Number: 2016-15215
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Small-Mesh Multispecies Specifications
Document Number: 2016-15202
Type: Rule
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This final rule modifies the specifications for northern and southern red hake for fishing years 2016 and 2017. This action is necessary to implement the Council's recommended measures in response to updated scientific information. These final specifications are intended to help achieve sustainable yield and prevent overfishing on these two red hake stocks.
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Maui and Kona Reef Manta Ray Populations as Threatened Distinct Population Segments Under the Endangered Species Act
Document Number: 2016-15201
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Maui and Kona reef manta ray (Manta alfredi) populations as threatened distinct population segments (DPSs) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition and information in our files do not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that either the Maui or Kona reef manta ray population may qualify as a DPS under the ESA. As such, we find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the Maui and Kona reef manta ray populations are ``species'' eligible for listing under the ESA. However, in response to a previous petition to list the entire reef manta ray species under the ESA, we are currently conducting a status review of M. alfredi to determine if the species warrants listing throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 12-Month Finding on Petition To List the Smooth Hammerhead Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act
Document Number: 2016-15200
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a comprehensive status review of the smooth hammerhead shark in response to this petition. Based on the best scientific and commercial information available, including the status review report (Miller 2016), we have determined that the species does not warrant listing at this time. We conclude that the smooth hammerhead shark is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future.
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2015-2016 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments
Document Number: 2016-15155
Type: Rule
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This final rule announces inseason changes to management measures in the Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. This action, which is authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP), is intended to allow fisheries to attain their allocations and maintain year-round fishing opportunities while keeping harvest within the annual catch limit (ACL) for sablefish north 36[deg] N. lat.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Exempted Fishing Permit
Document Number: 2016-15154
Type: Notice
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Puerto Rico's Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR DNER). If granted, the EFP would authorize the PR DNER to conduct two projects in waters of the Puerto Rico exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to collect fishery-independent data on the abundance, distribution, and reproductive condition of reef fish in eastern and western Puerto Rico. For the first project, the EFP would authorize the PR DNER to harvest reef fish by hook-and-line and bottom longline gear off both the west and east coasts of Puerto Rico. All reef fish, including undersized and seasonally prohibited reef fish species, would be retained, except for goliath grouper, Nassau grouper, and all species of parrotfish. The purpose of the EFP for the first project is to determine spatial and temporal variations in stock abundance of Caribbean reef fish resources off Puerto Rico. The second project in the EFP would authorize the PR DNER to collect various species of recreationally important reef fish by spear gun and hook-and-line fishing in Federal waters off the west coast of Puerto Rico. The purpose of the second project is to obtain information about the annual reproductive cycle and minimum size of sexual maturation of the collected reef fish species.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Endangered Carolina and South Atlantic Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon; Correction
Document Number: 2016-15045
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2016-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS published in the Federal Register of June 3, 2016, a document proposing to designate critical habitat for the endangered Carolina distinct population segment of the Atlantic sturgeon (Carolina DPS of Atlantic sturgeon) and the endangered South Atlantic distinct population segment of the Atlantic sturgeon (South Atlantic DPS of Atlantic sturgeon) pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This correction clarifies what types of man-made structures are not included in the proposed designation.
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