National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council's March 2020 meeting agenda. The meeting is open to the public.

NOAA is soliciting applications to fill up to six membership vacancies on the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB). The new OEAB members will serve initial three-year terms, renewable once.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) through this temporary rule for commercial harvest of king mackerel in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using run-around gillnet gear. NMFS has determined that the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) (equivalent to the commercial quota) for king mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf EEZ has been reached. Therefore, NMFS closes the southern zone to commercial king mackerel fishing using run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf EEZ on February 25, 2020. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS' Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115 (Responsible Party: John Bengtson, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus).

NMFS issues a proposed rule to implement Amendment 109 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) and to implement a regulatory amendment to the regulations governing pollock fishing in the Gulf of Alaska. This proposed rule will reduce operational and management inefficiencies in the Central Gulf of Alaska and Western Gulf of Alaska trawl catcher vessel pollock and Pacific cod fisheries by reducing regulatory time gaps between the pollock seasons, and changing Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod seasonal apportionments to allow greater harvest opportunities earlier in the year. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the GOA FMP, and other applicable laws.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this notice announces that NMFS is preparing a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to supplement information in the 2015 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the Makah Tribe Request to Hunt Gray Whales, which was prepared in response to the Makah Indian Tribe's request that NMFS authorize a limited ceremonial and subsistence hunt of eastern North Pacific (ENP) gray whales in the Makah Tribe's usual and accustomed (U&A) fishing grounds off the coast of Washington State.

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 implements management measures described in Vision Blueprint Recreational Regulatory Amendment 26 (Regulatory Amendment 26) to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). For the recreational sector, this final rule removes the minimum size limits for queen snapper, silk snapper, and blackfin snapper, reduces the minimum size limit for gray triggerfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the east coast of Florida, and modifies the 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit. The purpose of this final rule is to minimize regulatory discards to the extent practicable, improve regulatory compliance among fishers, and increase consistency among regulations.

NMFS closes the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category fishery for the January subquota period. The intent of this closure is to prevent overharvest of the adjusted January subquota.

Notice is hereby given that Michelle Shero, Ph.D., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii).

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the gray triggerfish recreational sector in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2020 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has projected that the 2020 recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf gray triggerfish will be reached by May 2, 2020. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for Gulf gray triggerfish on May 2, 2020, and it will remain closed through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2020. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.

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.

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 (PRA) of 1995.

NMFS closes the southern area Angling category fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action is being taken to prevent further overharvest of the Angling category southern area trophy BFT subquota.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.

NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in Framework Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and Atlantic Region (FMP)(Framework Amendment 7), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). This final rule revises the commercial and recreational minimum size limit for the Gulf zone of the Gulf migratory group of cobia (Gulf cobia). The purpose of this final rule is to reduce harvest of Gulf cobia in the Gulf zone in response to concerns about the status of the stock until additional stock information becomes available.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting via webinar of its Standing, Reef Fish, Mackerel, Shrimp and Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC), in conjunction with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission's Law Enforcement Committee (LEC).

NMFS has received a request from the United States Navy (Navy) for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the change being a minor modification to the effective dates. The initial IHA authorizes take of one species of marine mammal, by Level B harassment only, incidental to pile driving associated with the South Quay Wall Recapitalization Project, Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA has an effective period from February 15, 2020, through February 14, 2021. The Navy has requested re-issuance with new effective dates of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. Therefore, NMFS re-issued the IHA.

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) Renewal to Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) to harass marine mammals incidental to seabird research activities in central California.

We are proposing specifications for the 2020 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit, projected quotas for 2021-2023, and a clarification to the specifications process. The proposed action is intended to establish the allowable 2020 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan. This action is necessary to establish allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing.

NMFS revises regulations to implement Amendment 119 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 107 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). This final rule requires that the operator of a federally permitted catcher vessel using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska retain and land all rockfish (Sebastes and Sebastolobus species) caught while fishing for groundfish or Pacific halibut. This action is necessary to improve identification of rockfish species catch by vessels using electronic monitoring, provide more precise estimates of rockfish catch, reduce waste and incentives to discard rockfish, reduce overall enforcement burden, and promote more consistent management between State and Federal fisheries. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the BSAI FMP, the GOA FMP, and other applicable law.

NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial longline landings for golden tilefish are projected to reach the longline component's commercial quota by February 18, 2020. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on February 18, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. eastern time. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.