National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration December 27, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The meeting is open to the public offering both in-person and virtual options for participation.

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to designate critical habitat concurrent with the listing. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. Therefore, we are initiating a status review of the species to determine whether listing under the ESA is warranted. To ensure this status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information regarding this species.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of seven species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction associated with the Debris Dock Replacement Project in Sausalito, California. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA was effective from September 1, 2021, through August 31, 2022. The ACOE has requested re-issuance with new effective dates of January 5, 2022 through January 4, 2023. 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. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second identical IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of scoping meetings via webinar pertaining to Amendments 51, 52, and 53 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. The amendments adjust catch levels for snowy grouper, golden tilefish, and gag based on results of the latest stock assessments for those species, respectively, and consider adjusting management measures where needed. In addition, Amendment 52 considers changes to recreational accountability and management measures for blueline tilefish. The Council is also soliciting input on ways to reduce the number of released fish and improve the survival of released fish by the snapper grouper fishery in the South Atlantic region. The Council intends to develop a Release Mortality Reduction Framework Amendment to address this issue across the fishery and revise red snapper catch levels.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a special meeting via webinar to discuss development of its Allocations Decision Tool.