National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 21, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 1064, Public Law 104-201 (the 1997 Defense Authorization Act)referred to as the Kyl-Bingaman Amendmentrequires that ``[a] department or agency of the United States may issue a license for the collection or dissemination by a non-Federal entity of satellite imagery with respect to Israel only if such imagery is no more detailed or precise than satellite imagery of Israel that is available from commercial sources.'' Pursuant to this law, the Department of Commerce makes findings as to the level of detail or precision of satellite imagery of Israel available from commercial sources. The Department has found that satellite imagery of Israel is readily and consistently available from non-U.S. commercial sources at a resolution of 0.4 meters Ground Sample Distance (m GSD). The Department has therefore changed the existing resolution limit of 2.0 m GSD to 0.4 m GSD.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate 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's (Council) Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) will hold a meeting.

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area is closed to Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2020 fishing year. No vessel issued a Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota permit may fish for, possess, or land scallops from the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area. Regulations require this action once it is projected that 100 percent of trips allocated to the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the Mid- Atlantic Scallop Access Area will be taken.

NMFS implements management measures described in the Gulf For- hire Reporting Amendment, as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council). The Gulf For-hire Reporting Amendment includes amendments to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and the Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP). This final rule revises reporting requirements for an owner or operator of a charter vessel or headboat (for-hire vessel) with a Federal charter vessel/ headboat permit for Gulf Reef Fish or Gulf CMP species. The purpose of this final rule is to increase and improve fisheries information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Gulf. The information is expected to improve recreational management of the for- hire component of the reef fish and CMP fisheries in the Gulf.