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

The New England Fishery Management Council's is convening an ad-hoc sub-panel of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to conduct a peer review of an interdisciplinary review of Atlantic Cod stock structure in the Western North Atlantic Ocean 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.

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.

Notice is hereby given that ONMS will solicit applications to fill non-governmental seats on its 14 established national marine sanctuary advisory councils and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council (advisory councils), under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Executive Order, respectively. Note, the list of 15 established advisory councils in the Contact Information for Each Site section includes the advisory council established for the Proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary and excludes an advisory council for the recently designated Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary since an advisory has not yet been established. Vacant seats, including positions (i.e., primary and alternate), for each of the advisory councils will be advertised differently at each site in accordance with the information provided in this notice. This notice contains web page links and contact information for each site, as well as additional resources on advisory council vacancies and the application process.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Fisheries Field Office, 11110 Kimages Road, Charles City, VA 23030 (Responsible Party: Albert Spells), has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 20314.

The SEDAR Steering Committee will meet via webinar to discuss the SEDAR stock assessment process and assessment schedule. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold webinar meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The New England Fishery Management Council is convening public hearings of Draft Amendment 23 to Northeast Multispecies Fishery 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 is proposing to adjust the current regulations for North Atlantic swordfish and shark retention limits for certain permit holders in U.S. Atlantic and Caribbean waters. This action considers modifying swordfish retention limits for highly migratory species (HMS) Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit holders, Swordfish General Commercial permit holders, and HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders with a commercial endorsement on a non-for hire (i.e., commercial) trip and modifying shark retention limits for HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit holders. The action also considers adding regulatory criteria for inseason adjustment of swordfish and shark retention limits for the HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit. This proposed action would better align swordfish management measures established for HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit holders under Amendment 4 with those established in Amendment 8 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Swordfish General Commercial permit holders and HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders with a commercial sale endorsement on a commercial trip. A commercial trip in this document is defined as HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders with a commercial sale endorsement on a non-for hire trip catching swordfish with the intent to sell their catch.

NMFS is implementing final measures recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council in Framework Adjustment 8 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan. This action specifies skate catch limits for fishing years 2020 and 2021 and increases seasonal possession limits for both the wing and bait fisheries. This action is necessary to establish skate specifications consistent with the most recent scientific information and the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The intent of this action is to establish catch limits for the skate fishery, while providing operational flexibility to fishery participants.

The Gulf of Mexico (GMFMC) and South Atlantic Fishery Management (SAFMC) Councils will hold a joint workgroup for Section 102 for the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018.

This action corrects an error in the notice of approved industry-funded monitoring service providers published in the Federal Register on April 14, 2020.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 121 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 110 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) (GOA FMP), collectively referred to as Amendments 121/110. If approved, this proposed rule would prohibit directed fishing for sculpins by federally permitted groundfish fishermen and specify a sculpin retention limit in the GOA and BSAI groundfish fisheries. This action is necessary to properly classify sculpins in the BSAI and GOA FMPs. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), Amendments 121/110, the BSAI and GOA FMPs, and other applicable laws.

NMFS, Southeast Region, in collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) intends to prepare a DEIS to describe and analyze management alternatives to be included in Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 53). Amendment 53 will address the conservation and management of Gulf of Mexico red grouper and will consider alternatives to revise the commercial and recreational sector allocation, the overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACLs), and annual catch targets (ACTs). The purpose of this NOI is to solicit public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a meeting.

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 Alaska Marine Lines, Inc. (AML) to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment, marine mammals during pile driving activities associated with the Lutak Dock Project in Haines, Alaska.

NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures as described in an abbreviated framework action to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP). This final rule enables eligible permit holders to replace historical captain endorsements in the reef fish and CMP fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) with standard Federal charter vessel/headboat permits to reduce the regulatory and economic burden on historical captains. In addition, NMFS is correcting an inadvertent error in the final rule for Amendment 20A to the CMP FMP regarding commercial king mackerel permit requirements.

Notice is hereby given that permits and permit amendments have been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Crab Plan Team will meet May 4, 2020 through May 7, 2020.

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.

Notice is hereby given that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 719, Old Lyme, Connecticut 06371 (Responsible Party: Tom Savoy), has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 19641-01.

This announcement provides notice that the Department of Commerce has received a ``Notice of Appeal'' filed by Appellants Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP. Appellants are requesting that the Secretary of Commerce override an objection by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development to a consistency certification for a proposed project to construct and operate a liquified natural gas export terminal and a 229-mile interstate natural gas pipeline and compressor station off the Pacific Coast.

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 Halibut Point Marine Services, LLC (HPMS) to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with the Old Sitka Dock North Dolphins Expansion Project in Sitka, Alaska.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a joint public meeting of its Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee 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.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold joint public meeting of the Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Floating Dry Dock Project at Naval Base San Diego in San Diego, 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 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.