National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 27, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council); Public Meetings
Document Number: 2020-26242
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The GMFMC and SAFMC will host informational webinars on behalf of NOAA Fisheries regarding the implementation of the Southeast For- Hire Electronic Reporting Program.
Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
Document Number: 2020-26241
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The SEDAR 68 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic scamp will consist of a series of data and assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
Document Number: 2020-26240
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The SEDAR 73 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of red snapper will consist of a data scoping webinar, a workshop, and a series of assessment webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: 2020-26238
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) is conducting four online workshops as part of its Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate and Communities Initiative. Each workshop will have a regional focus (see Supplementary Information).
Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
Document Number: 2020-26237
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The SEDAR 72 assessment of Gulf of Mexico gag grouper will consist of a series of data and assessment webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2020 Commercial Closure for South Atlantic Gray Triggerfish
Document Number: 2020-26233
Type: Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial sector of gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects commercial landings of gray triggerfish will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the July through December season by November 29, 2020. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic EEZ on November 29, 2020. This closure is necessary to protect the gray triggerfish resource.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries
Document Number: 2020-26218
Type: Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is transferring 19.5 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the General category. This action is intended to provide additional opportunities for General category fishermen to participate in the December General category fishery, which is scheduled to reopen on December 1, 2020, and is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments. This action would affect Atlantic tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
Document Number: 2020-26217
Type: Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern Aleutian district (EAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in the EAI allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
Document Number: 2020-26213
Type: Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Bering Sea subarea and Eastern Aleutian District (BS/EAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in the BS/EAI allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of a 5-Year Review for the Arctic, Okhotsk, Baltic, and Ladoga Subspecies of the Ringed Seal
Document Number: 2020-26212
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces its intent to conduct a 5-year review of the threatened Arctic (Pusa hispida hispida), Okhotsk (Pusa hispida ochotensis), Baltic (Pusa hispida botnica), and endangered Ladoga (Pusa hispida ladogensis) subspecies of the ringed seal. NMFS is required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that listing classifications of species are accurate. The 5-year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We request submission of any such information on these ringed seal subspecies, particularly information on their status, threats, and recovery, that has become available since their listing on December 28, 2012 (77 FR 76706).
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Arctic Subspecies of Ringed Seal Under the Endangered Species Act
Document Number: 2020-26211
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We (NMFS) announce a negative 90-day finding on a petition to delist the Arctic subspecies of ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition and information readily available in our files does not present new information or analyses that had not been previously considered and therefore does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. Nevertheless, we note that we are separately initiating a five-year review of the status of the Arctic ringed seal pursuant to section 4(c)(2) of the ESA, including whether the best scientific and commercial data available indicate delisting is warranted.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing, Scientific Research, Display, and Shark Research Fishery Permits; Letters of Acknowledgment
Document Number: 2020-26193
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces its intent to issue exempted fishing permits (EFPs), scientific research permits (SRPs), display permits, letters of acknowledgment (LOAs), and shark research fishery permits for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) in 2021. EFPs and related permits would authorize collection of a limited number of Atlantic HMS, including tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks, from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico for the purposes of scientific research, data collection, the investigation of bycatch, and public display, among other things. LOAs acknowledge that scientific research activity aboard a scientific research vessel is being conducted. Generally, EFPs and related permits would be valid from the date of issuance through December 31, 2021, unless otherwise specified in the permit, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits.
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meetings
Document Number: 2020-26142
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold public meetings of the Council.
Fisheries Off West Coast States; West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Rebuilding Chinook Salmon Stocks
Document Number: 2020-26042
Type: Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS issues a final rule under the authority of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to approve and implement rebuilding plans recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) for two overfished salmon stocks: Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon (KRFC) and Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon (SRFC). NMFS determined in 2018 that these stocks were overfished under the MSA, due to spawning escapement falling below the required level for the three-year period 2015-2017. The MSA requires overfished stocks to be rebuilt, generally within 10 years.
Federal Consistency Appeal by Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP
Document Number: 2020-25721
Type: Notice
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This announcement provides notice that the decision record has closed for an administrative appeal filed by Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP (collectively, ``Appellants'') under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Appellants have requested that the NOAA Administrator, pursuant to authority delegated by the Secretary of Commerce to decide Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) federal consistency appeals, 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 liquefied natural gas export terminal and a 229-mile natural gas pipeline and compressor station off the Pacific Coast.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Caribbean Corals
Document Number: 2020-21229
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, NMFS, propose to designate critical habitat for the threatened Caribbean corals: Orbicella annularis, O. faveolata, O. franksi, Dendrogyra cylindrus, and Mycetophyllia ferox pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Twenty-eight mostly overlapping specific occupied areas containing physical features essential to the conservation of all these coral species are being proposed for designation as critical habitat; these areas contain approximately 15,000 square kilometers (km\2\; 5,900 square miles (mi\2\)) of marine habitat. We have considered positive and negative economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designations, and we propose to exclude one area from the critical habitat designations due to anticipated impacts on national security. We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including our identification of the geographical area and depths occupied by the species, the physical and biological feature essential to the coral species' conservation and identification, areas not included and excluded, and consideration of impacts of the proposed action.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Indo-Pacific Corals
Document Number: 2020-21226
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2020-11-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the seven threatened corals in U.S. waters in the Indo-Pacific (Acropora globiceps, Acropora jacquelineae, Acropora retusa, Acropora speciosa, Euphyllia paradivisa, Isopora crateriformis, and Seriatopora aculeata) pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Seventeen specific occupied areas containing physical features essential to the conservation of these coral species are being proposed for designation as critical habitat; these areas contain approximately 600 square kilometers (km\2\; 230 square miles) of marine habitat. We have considered positive and negative economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designations, and we propose to exclude two areas from the critical habitat designations due to anticipated impacts on national security. We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including our identification of the geographical area and depths occupied by the species, the physical and biological feature essential to the coral species' conservation and identification, areas not included and excluded, and consideration of impacts of the proposed action.
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