National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration June 26, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the final agenda for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and the process by which interested persons can participate in the hearing on issues not previously included in the notice of hearing published on April 5, 2019. The hearing involves a proposed waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and proposed regulations governing the hunting of eastern North Pacific (ENP) gray whales by the Makah Indian Tribe in northwest Washington State. During the prehearing conference, the following new issue of fact was identified: ``Is the ENP stock currently undergoing an Unusual Mortality Event (UME)? If so, does this merit further consideration before a waiver may be granted?''

NMFS is prohibiting retention of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2019 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA has been reached.

Notice is hereby given that Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Trl NW, Seabeck, WA 98380 (Responsible Party: Greg Schorr), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on and import specimens of 38 marine mammal species including the following endangered species and Distinct Population Segments (DPSs): Cook Inlet DPS of beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Main Hawaiian Islands Insular DPS of false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), fin whale (B. physalus), Western North Pacific DPS and Central America DPS of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), Southern resident DPS of killer whale (Orcinus orca), North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), sei whale (B. borealis), and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).