National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 1, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

ONMS is seeking applications for vacant seats for seven of its 13 national marine sanctuary advisory councils and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council (advisory councils). Vacant seats, including positions (i.e., primary and alternate), for each of the advisory councils are listed in this notice under Supplementary Information. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; views regarding the protection and management of marine or Great Lakes resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary. Applicants chosen as members or alternates should expect to serve two or three-year terms, pursuant to the charter of the specific national marine sanctuary advisory council or Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council.

NMFS is implementing final specifications and management measures for the 2016-2018 Atlantic herring fishery. This action sets harvest specifications and river herring/shad catch caps for the herring fishery for the 2016-2018 fishing years, as recommended to NMFS by the New England Fishery Management Council. The river herring/shad catch caps are area and gear-specific. River herring and shad catch from a specific area with a specific gear counts against a cap for trips landing more than a minimum amount of herring. The specifications and management measures in this action meet conservation objectives while providing sustainable levels of access to the fishery.