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

NMFS Office of Protected Resources, upon request from Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue), NMFS hereby issues regulations and a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to seabird research activities in central California over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP), Mariana Archipelago FEP-Guam AP, Non- commercial Fisheries Advisory Committee (NCFAC), Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC), Hawaii Archipelago FEP AP, and Mariana Archipelago FEP-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) AP to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

The United States Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) is preparing a document containing best practices for Federal government procurement of commercial Earth observation and geospatial data and services, per the 2019 National Plan for Civil Earth Observations. Information from private sector providers and users; academia, and the public is critical to that effort, and therefore USGEO is seeking public input. This notice invites the public to submit written comments on the topic generally and in response to specific questions outlined below, and to attend one of four virtual forums.

The NMFS Seafood Inspection Program is notifying program participants of a revised fee schedule.

NMFS is providing guidelines for the development of Electronic Monitoring Service Plans (EMSP) and Vessel Monitoring Plans (VMPs) by EM service providers and vessel owners applying to participate in the Pacific Coast Groundfish EM Program. An EMSP is required as part of an application for an EM service provider permit and endorsement and describes how an EM Service Provider will provide EM services to contracted vessels. A VMP is required as part of an application for a vessel owner seeking authorization to use EM in lieu of a human observer and documents how the EM system will be used to monitor the vessel. NMFS is required to develop EM Program Guidelines and publish notice of their availability in the Federal Register.

The FWS and NOAA are extending by 60 days the comment period for a draft monument management plan (MMP) for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (Monument). The draft MMP describes proposed goals, objectives, and strategies for managing the Monument over a 15- year period.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda for a meeting of the Science Advisory Board (SAB). The members will discuss issues outlined in the section on Matters to be considered.

The New England Fishery Management Council is convening its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) 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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold three in-person public hearings and two webinar public hearings to solicit public comments on Reef Fish Amendment 53Red Grouper Allocations and Annual Catch Levels and Targets.

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 the City of Hoonah (City) to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment, marine mammals during pile driving activities associated with construction upgrades of a cargo dock at the city-owned Hoonah Marine Industrial Center (HMIC) in Port Frederick Inlet on Chichagof Island in Hoonah, Alaska.

NMFS announces a U.S. stakeholder meeting to discuss North Pacific albacore (NPALB) management. This meeting is intended as a follow-up to a meeting held by the International Scientific Committee on Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean regarding a management strategy evaluation for NPALB. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

NMFS has received a request from Mayflower Wind Energy LLC (Mayflower) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to site characterization surveys off the coast of Massachusetts in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0521) and along potential submarine cable routes to landfall locations at Falmouth, Massachusetts and near Narragansett Bay. NMFS published a proposed incidental harassment authorization (IHA) in the Federal Register on March 1, 2021, Mayflower determined that they needed to add an additional export cable route corridor to the proposed IHA. Therefore, a final IHA was not issued and Mayflower submitted a modified application on April 19, 2021. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its modified 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 has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to construction activities including bulkhead replacement and pile driving activities at Naval Station Newport over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

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.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Off Alaska (Salmon FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review. If approved, Amendment 14 would incorporate the Cook Inlet EEZ Subarea into the Salmon FMP's West Area, thereby bringing the Cook Inlet EEZ Subarea and the commercial salmon fisheries that occur within it under Federal management by the Council and NMFS. Amendment 14 would manage the Cook Inlet EEZ Subarea by applying the prohibition on commercial salmon fishing that is currently established in the West Area to the newly added Cook Inlet EEZ Subarea. Amendment 14 is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Salmon FMP, and other applicable laws.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a one- day meeting via webinar of its Ad Hoc Red Snapper & Grouper-Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Advisory Panel (AP).

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 Ocean Wind, LLC (Ocean Wind) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off of New Jersey in the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Areas OCS-A 0498 and OCS-A 0532 (Lease Area) and potential export cable routes to landfall locations in New Jersey.

This emergency rule temporarily allows at-sea Pacific whiting processing vessels to operate as both a mothership and a catcher-processor during the 2021 Pacific whiting fishery. This action is necessary to ensure catcher vessels in the at-sea whiting sector are able to fully harvest sector allocations. Emergency measures under this rule will allow catcher-processors to operate as motherships and replace mothership processing vessels that are unable to operate in the at-sea whiting sector during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting high economic uncertainty in 2021.

The SEDAR 78 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of Spanish Mackerel will consist of a data scoping webinar and a series of assessment webinars.

Notice is hereby given that Miling Li, Sc.D., University of Delaware, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE 19711, has applied in due form for a permit to import biological samples from beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) for scientific research.

This final rule implements status quo commercial quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2021 and projected status quo quotas for 2022-2026. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels of Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action also continues to suspend the minimum shell size for Atlantic surfclams for the 2021 fishing year. The intended effect of this action is to provide benefit to the industry from stable quotas to maintain a consistent market.