National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 1, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation's pollock directed fishing allowances from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea directed fisheries. These actions are necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2020 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.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Joint Committee and Advisory Panel via webinar 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 has received a request from Gastineau Channel Historical Society (GCHS) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to Sentinel Island Moorage Float project near Juneau, Alaska. 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 is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal 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 that the date for the Atlantic Shark Identification workshop originally scheduled for April 2, 2020, in Wilmington, NC has been changed to July 2, 2020. Also, NMFS is postponing the Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops originally scheduled for Houston, TX on March 17, 2020; Kitty Hawk, NC on April 1, 2020; and Revere, MA on April 3, 2020. The dates for these workshops have been changed to June 26, 2020, June 29, 2020, and June 16, 2020, respectively. The dates are being changed due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus associated with traveling to, and attending, the originally scheduled workshops. The workshop times and locations remains unchanged: 12 p.m.-4 p.m. for the Atlantic Shark Identification workshop; and, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops. The remaining workshops in May and June 2020 remain unchanged, unless further noticed. Atlantic Shark Identification workshops are mandatory for federally-permitted Atlantic shark dealers. Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops are mandatory for shark and swordfish limited-access permit holders who fish with longline or gillnet gear. Additional free workshops will be conducted during 2020.