National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration December 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with the Whittier Ferry Terminal ACF Modification project in Whittier, AK.

NMFS received a request from Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) for the Renewal of their initial incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to seabird and pinniped research activities in central California. These activities are identical to those covered in the initial authorization. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), prior to issuing the initial IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. While Renewal requirements have been satisfied, NMFS is now republishing the proposed Renewal IHA and providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed Renewal not previously provided during the initial 30-day comment period or the first 15-day additional comment period.

The SEDAR 62 stock assessment process for Gulf of Mexico gray triggerfish will consist of an In-person Workshop, and a series of data and assessment webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a meeting of its Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) to discuss issues related to the management of coastal pelagic species (CPS) on the U.S. West Coast. This meeting is open to the public.

The SEDAR 65 assessment of the Atlantic stock of Blacktip Shark will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Data Workshop; Assessment Webinars; and a Review workshop.

NMFS is reapportioning the projected unused amount, 3,342 Chinook salmon prohibited species catch limit, from the vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Central Regulatory area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Western Regulatory area of the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

NMFS has received a request from the Port of Alaska (POA) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving associated with the construction of a new Petroleum and Cement Terminal (PCT) in Knik Arm, Alaska. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue two successive incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on possible one-year renewals that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. 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 the adoption of a Final Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plan for the threatened Puget Sound steelhead Distinct Population Segment (DPS) (herein referred to as steelhead). The Final Recovery Plan for this species (Final Recovery Plan) is now available.

The SEDAR 60 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of Red Porgy will consist of a data webinar, an in-person workshop, and a series assessment webinars.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2020 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Pacific Council documents, as well as the dates and locations of upcoming Pacific Council meetings and public hearings hosted by the Pacific Council. These documents and events comprise the Pacific Council's complete schedule for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April 2020 Pacific Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

The SEDAR 67 stock assessment process for Gulf of Mexico vermilion snapper will consist of a series of data and assessment webinars.

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 comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit of Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the southern zone of the Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 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 fishery.

NMFS published a final rule that implemented Amendment 28 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan in the Federal Register on November 19, 2019 (84 FR 63966). The final rule changed boundaries of closed areas that affect commercial vessels fishing under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan with bottom contacting gear in Federal waters off of Washington, Oregon, and California.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate Change Taskforce will meet January 13, 2020 through January 15, 2020.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scientific & Statistical Committee 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.

This document contains corrections to the DATES caption of the notice of issuance of an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) for the take of marine mammals incidental to the Sand Island Pile Dike System Test Piles Project Near the Mouth of the Columbia River. This action is necessary to correct errors in the effective dates of the issued IHA. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers have not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remain the same.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because a biological assessment of stock condition for Pacific cod in the GOA projects that the spawning biomass will be below 20 percent of the projected unfished spawning biomass during 2020.

NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area over the course of seven years, effectively extending the time period from November 13, 2023, to November 13, 2025. In August 2018, the MMPA was amended by the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 to allow for seven-year authorizations for military readiness activities, as compared to the previously allowed five years. The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2004. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOAs) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

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 comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

We, the NMFS, are issuing a final rule to amend the alternative tow time restriction to require all skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) designed to exclude small sea turtles in their nets. The purpose of this rule is to reduce incidental bycatch and mortality of sea turtles in the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries, and to aid in the protection and recovery of listed sea turtle populations. We are also amending the definition of tow time to better clarify the intent and purpose of tow times to reduce sea turtle mortality, and we are refining additional portions of the TED requirements to avoid potential confusion.

NMFS hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to construction and operation of the Liberty Drilling and Production Island (LDPI) in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.