National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

In response to a petition by Defenders of Wildlife, we, NMFS, are issuing a final rule to list the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharinus lonigmanus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have reviewed the status of the oceanic whitetip shark, including efforts being made to protect the species, and considered public comments submitted on the proposed listing rule as well as new information received since publication of the proposed rule. Based on all of this information, we have determined that the oceanic whitetip shark warrants listing as a threatened species. At this time, we conclude that critical habitat is not determinable because data sufficient to perform the required analyses are lacking; however, we solicit information on habitat features and areas in U.S. waters that may meet the definition of critical habitat for the oceanic whitetip shark.

NOAA is soliciting nominations for two individuals to serve as U.S. Commissioners to the IPHC. This action is necessary to ensure that the interests of the United States and all of its stakeholders in the Pacific halibut fishery are adequately represented. Nominations are open to all qualified individuals and may include current Commissioners.

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.

The SEDAR 51 assessment of the Gulf of Mexico Gray Snapper will consist of: A Data Workshop; an Assessment Workshop and series of Assessment webinars; and a Review Workshop. This notice is to indicate a change of date for the Review Workshop for SEDAR 51. The original Review Workshop dates were February 13-15, 2018. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a 5-day meeting in February/March to discuss Action 3 of the Island Based FMP, including the ABC control rule and its application to stock complexes, and the items contained in the agenda in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors on February 27-February 28, 2018. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils and NMFS, including issues related to the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act. Agenda items include discussions on budget allocations for FY2018 and budget planning for FY2019; an update on current joint science initiatives, including Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management; the FY2018 legislative outlook; updates on aquaculture initiatives, Council Member voting recusals, the NMFS National Standard 1 implementation, Marine Recreational Information Program updates; and other topics related to implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act. All sessions are open to the public.

NMFS is hereby making technical amendments without altering the substance of the regulations that govern importation into the United States of tuna product and dolphin-safe tuna labeling in the United States under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act (DPCIA). The intent of this action is to update existing regulations containing Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses, more commonly referred to as internet web page addresses. The URL updates are necessary because NMFS is revising all agency URLs under the NOAA Fisheries Web Modernization Project. These changes are solely administrative in nature.

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 a revised, and continuing information collection described below, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit of Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Atlantic southern zone to 1,500 lb (680 kg), in round or gutted weight, per day. This commercial trip limit reduction is necessary to maximize the socioeconomic benefits of the quota.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Hawaii Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP) to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold two training workshops for the purpose of providing instruction to for-hire operators on electronic reporting of vessel trip reports (VTRs).

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) and Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS) will hold a joint meeting via webinar that is open to the public.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season apportionment of the 2018 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3m) LOA using pot gear in the BSAI.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2018 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS has received a request from Partnership for Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to rocky intertidal monitoring surveys at locations in Oregon and California. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce. The intent of Amendment 4 is to bring descriptions of the management context for highly migratory species (HMS) fisheries up to date, better describe the Council's role in the process of making stock status determinations including evaluations of the best scientific information available (BSIA), and change the schedule of the Council's three-meeting biennial management cycle for HMS stocks. The amendment is administrative in nature and is not expected to affect activities authorized under the FMP or their harvest levels.

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.

NMFS establishes the annual harvest guideline for the commercial lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for calendar year 2018 at zero lobsters.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB). OEAB members will discuss and provide advice on Federal ocean exploration programs, with a particular emphasis on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) activities; discuss nontraditional ocean exploration platforms; discuss National Ocean Exploration Forums; and conduct its annual review of the OER federal funding opportunity process; and other matters as described in the agenda found on the OEAB website at https:// oeab.noaa.gov.

We, NMFS, announce a final rule to list the giant manta ray (Manta birostris) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have reviewed the status of the giant manta ray, including efforts being made to protect this species, and considered public comments submitted on the proposed rule as well as new information received since publication of the proposed rule. We have made our final determinations based on the best scientific and commercial data available. At this time, we conclude that critical habitat is not determinable because data sufficient to perform the required analyses are lacking; however, we solicit information on habitat features and areas in U.S. waters that may meet the definition of critical habitat for the giant manta ray.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of meetings of its Citizen Science Advisory Panel Finance and Infrastructure Action Team via webinar.