National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its NEFMC External Peer Review Management Strategy Evaluation of Atlantic Herring Acceptable Biological Catch Control Rules from 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 issues this notice to inform interested parties that the Washington coastal Dungeness crab sub-loan in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Capacity Reduction (Buyback) Program has been repaid. Therefore, Buyback fee collections on Washington coastal Dungeness crab sub-loan will cease for all landings after January 31, 2017.

NMFS proposes to approve changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (Plan) and codified regulations for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC or Commission) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California (Area 2A). In addition, NMFS proposes to implement the portions of the Plan and management measures that are not implemented through the IPHC. These measures include the sport fishery allocations and management measures for Area 2A. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut, provide angler opportunity where available, and minimize bycatch of overfished groundfish species.

We are approving specifications for the 2017 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit. We are also projecting quotas for 2018-2019. This action is necessary to establish allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action is intended to establish the allowable 2017 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan.

The Tilefish Monitoring Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting.

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2017 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for North Carolina and Virginia.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Board. Board members will discuss and provide advice on the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) in the areas of program evaluation, strategic planning, education and extension, science and technology programs, and other matters as described in the agenda found on the National Sea Grant College Program Web site at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/WhoWeAre/Leadership/ NationalSeaGrantAdvisoryBoard/UpcomingAdvisoryBoardMeetings.a spx. Time and Dates: The announced meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 6, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, and Tuesday, March 7, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.

Notice is hereby given that permits and permit amendments have been issued to the following entities: RIN 0648-XA888; Permit No. 15682-01: Mithriel MacKay, Ph.D., 1394 Alameda Ave., Spring Hill, FL 34609; RIN 0648-XA599; Permit No. 16094-04: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Conservation, 1255 West 8th Street, Juneau, AK 99811- 5526 (Responsible Party: Robert Small, Ph.D.); RIN 0648-XC599; Permit No. 17845-03: Rachel Cartwright, Ph.D., Keiki Kohola Project, 4945 Coral Way, Oxnard, CA 93035; RIN 0648-XE469; Permit No. 19627: NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Room 207, Miami, FL 33149 (Responsible Party: Dr. Bonnie Ponwith); RIN 0648-XE684; Permit No. 20197: NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 025433 (Responsible Party: Dr. Jon Hare); RIN 0648-XE773; Permit No. 20341: Craig Matkin, North Gulf Oceanic Society, 3430 Main St., Suite B1, Homer, AK 99603; RIN 0648-XE913; Permit No. 20452: SMRU Consulting North America, LLC, P.O. Box 764, Friday Harbor, WA 98250; RIN 0648-XE915; Permit No. 20658: Joseph Wilson, 1st Augustine's Yard, Gaunts Lane, Bristol, BS1 5DE, United Kingdom;

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a joint public meeting of its Whiting Committee and Advisory Panel 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 proposes to implement management measures described in Framework Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP) as prepared and submitted jointly by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Councils). For the recreational sector, this proposed rule would establish bag and vessel limits, and revise the minimum size limit and accountability measures (AMs) for Atlantic migratory group cobia (Atlantic cobia). This proposed rule would also establish a commercial trip limit for Atlantic cobia. Framework Amendment 4 and this proposed rule apply to the commercial and recreational harvest of Atlantic cobia in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from Georgia through New York. The purpose of Framework Amendment 4 and this proposed rule is to slow the rate of harvest of Atlantic cobia and reduce the likelihood that landings will exceed the commercial and recreational annual catch limits (ACL), thereby triggering the AMs and reducing harvest opportunities.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society (Society) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during aircraft operations, lighthouse renovation, light maintenance activities, and tour operations on the St. George Reef Lighthouse Station on Northwest Seal Rock (NWSR) in the northeast Pacific ocean, off Del Norte County, California.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 125th Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) meeting; Joint Advisory Group Meeting consisting of the Council's Advisory Panel (AP), Non-Commercial Fisheries Advisory Committee (NCFAC), Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC), and Community Demonstration Projects Program Advisory Panel (CDPP-AP); and its 169th Council Meeting to take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation pollock directed fishing allowance from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2017 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the City of Kodiak (the City) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with pile driving and removal and down hole drilling activities in Kodiak, Alaska.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory entities will hold public meetings.

NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on January 17, 2017, announcing the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Dr. David Kerstetter of Nova Southeastern University to evaluate pelagic longline (PLL) catch and bycatch rates from within the northern portion of the East Florida Coast (EFC) PLL Closed Area and compare those rates to rates from outside the EFC PLL Closed Area. The availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing the impacts of granting the application with certain terms and conditions was also announced in the same Federal Register notice. NMFS provided a 30-day comment period in the January Federal Register notice, but given interest from the public, NMFS is extending the comment period for the action to March 29, 2017, and conducting a public webinar on March 27, 2017, to facilitate public comments.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2017 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of the Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session); Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee; Protected Resources Committee; Spiny Lobster Committee; Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Management Committee; Dolphin Wahoo Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; Mackerel Cobia Committee; Citizen Science Committee; and Executive Finance Committee. There will also be a meeting of the full Council. The Council will take action as necessary. The Council will also hold a formal public comment session.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) District Advisory Panels (DAPs) for Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John, USVI, will hold a joint meeting.

NMFS, in coordination with the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), intends to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to analyze the environmental impacts of the continued authorization and management of U.S. Pacific Island deep-set tuna longline fisheries under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP) and other applicable laws. The analysis would include certain longline fisheries based in Hawaii, the U.S. west coast, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Publication of this notice begins the public scoping process to determine the scope of the environmental issues for consideration in the PEIS and allowing interested parties to suggest fishery management issues to be considered in the PEIS. The PEIS is intended to support management of U.S. pelagic longline fisheries.

NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). This final rule revises the yellowtail snapper commercial and recreational fishing year and removes the requirement to use circle hooks for the commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) south of Cape Sable, Florida. The purpose of this final rule is to increase the operational efficiency of the yellowtail snapper component of the commercial sector of the Gulf reef fish fishery, achieve optimum yield, and decrease the regulatory burden of compliance with differing regulations established by separate regulatory agencies across the adjacent Gulf and South Atlantic jurisdictions.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action delays the effective date of the final rule published on January 19, 2017.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota pollock directed fishing allowance from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2017 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.