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

NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial longline landings for golden tilefish are projected to reach the longline component's commercial quota by February 10, 2021. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on February 10, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. local time. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2021 total allowable catch (TAC) of catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The National Sea Grant College Program is requesting letters of intent from eligible applicants to become a Sea Grant Institutional Program serving the United States territory of Guam. An Institutional Program can be defined as a program that has demonstrated competence as a Coherent Area Program and has shown the ability to support broad responsibilities for the development of Sea Grant state, regional, and national activities, engaging all of the institutions of higher learning in the region. Only institutions that have been the host entity of a Sea Grant Coherent Area Program for at least three years are eligible to apply. The National Sea Grant College Act of 1976, as amended by 33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq. (the ``Act'' hereinafter) authorizes the NOAA to designate a Sea Grant institution on the basis of merit and that such designation is consistent with the goals of the Act.

We, NMFS, are extending the public comment period by 30 days for our proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2020, to designate critical habitat for 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) under the Endangered Species Act. On December 23, 2020 the comment period was extended 30 days. The end of the public comment period is extended again from February 25, 2021, to March 27, 2021.

NMFS announces a public meeting of the Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) to advise the U.S. Commissioners to the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC) on March 18, 2021. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The U.S. Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) Program, which is managed by NOAA and assisted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard, requests input from all interested persons on the U.S. authorization of Return Link Service (RLS) acknowledgment Type 1 capable Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz distress beacons. Through this Request for Information (RFI), the SARSAT Program seeks the public's views on the inclusion of this optional feature on U.S. country-coded beacons.

NMFS has received a request from the Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture (CTJV) for the Renewal of their currently active incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project (PTST) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. These activities are identical to those covered in the current authorization. The project has experienced delays and most of the work covered in the initial IHA will not be completed by the time it expires. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prior to issuing the currently active IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. The Renewal requirements have been satisfied, and NMFS is now providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed Renewal not previously provided during the initial 30-day comment period.

Notice is hereby given that America Films, Ltd., Embassy House, Queens Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1SB, United Kingdom, (Responsible Party: Tom Stephens), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial or educational photography on gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus).

Notice is hereby given that a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public comment on a summer steelhead hatchery program and trap and haul program in the Skykomish River Basin, Washington. A Hatchery and Genetics Management Plan (HGMP) was submitted to NMFS for review and determination under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 4(d) Rule. The trap and haul program would be permitted under section 10 of the ESA.

NMFS has approved six companies to provide Northeast multispecies sector at-sea and/or electronic monitoring services in fishing years 2021 and 2022. Regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require at-sea and electronic monitoring companies to apply to, and be approved by, NMFS in order to be eligible to provide monitoring services to sectors. This action will allow sectors to contract for at-sea and electronic monitoring services with any of the approved service providers for fishing years 2021 and 2022.

The SEDAR 71 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of gag grouper will consist of a data webinar and a series assessment webinars.

The SEDAR 80 stock assessment of U.S. Caribbean queen triggerfish will consist of a series of data webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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 U.S. Navy (Navy) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during activities associated with the Naval Base San Diego Pier 6 Replacement Project in San Diego, California.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2021 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2021 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online meeting of its Habitat Committee (HC) to consider information on marine planning and offshore development activities. This meeting is open to the public.

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 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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) will hold five public hearings via webinar and a written comment period to solicit public comments on a developing management action to consider potential changes to the allocation of total catch or landings between the commercial and recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin Wahoo FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 12 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP (Amendment 12) would add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP and designate them as ecosystem component (EC) species. The purpose of Amendment 12 is to acknowledge the ecological role of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as forage fish and to achieve the ecosystem management objectives in the Dolphin Wahoo FMP.