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

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.

Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, NMFS issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to Hilcorp Alaska LLC (Hilcorp) to take marine mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska.

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.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season apportionment of the 2021 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher/processors using pot gear in the BSAI.

The Research Steering Committee (RSC) of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2021 ocean salmon fisheries off the U.S. West Coast. This notice informs the public of opportunities to provide comments on the development of 2021 ocean salmon management measures.

NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolution C-20-05 (Conservation of Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean During 2021), which was adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC or Commission) on December 22, 2020. All of the provisions of Resolution C-20-05 are identical in content to the previous resolution on tropical tuna management that expired at the end of 2020. This interim final rule implements the C-20-05 fishing management measures for tropical tuna (i.e., bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). The fishing restrictions in this interim final rule are applicable in 2021 only and apply to purse seine vessels of class sizes 4-6 (carrying capacity of 182 metric tons (mt) or greater) and longline vessels greater than 24 meters (m) in overall length that fish for tropical tuna in the EPO. This interim final rule is necessary for the conservation of tropical tuna stocks in the EPO and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issues final regulations to implement the expansion of the boundaries of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS or sanctuary) and revise the sanctuary's terms of designation. The purpose of this action is to expand the sanctuary to include portions of 14 additional reefs and banks in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, representing approximately a 104 square mile increase in area. With this action, the existing FGBNMS regulations will apply to the expanded locations.

NMFS, upon request from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activities conducted by oil and gas industry operators, and those persons authorized to conduct activities on their behalf (collectively ``industry operators''), in Federal waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOA) to industry operators for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframe, 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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council's March 2021 meeting agenda. This meeting is open to the public.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Local Knowledge, Traditional Knowledge, and Subsistence Taskforce (LKTKS) will be held March 16, 2021 through March 17, 2021.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Committee (IFQ Committee) will meet via web conference March 25, 2021 through March 26, 2021.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Tilefish Monitoring Committee (MC) will hold a public meeting.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring 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 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.

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

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workshop (EWG) and Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel (EAS) will hold online meetings, which are 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.

NMFS announces its intent to conduct a 5-year review of the threatened Beringia and Okhotsk distinct population segments (DPSs) of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies Erignathus barbatus nauticus. 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 bearded seal DPSs, particularly information on their status, threats, and recovery, that has become available since their listing on December 28, 2012.

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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of public scoping meetings via webinar pertaining to Amendment 10 to the Coral, Coral Reef and Live Hard Bottom Habitat Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The amendment addresses establishing a Shrimp Fishery Access Area along the eastern border of the northern extension of the Oculina Bank Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC).

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online work session of its Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) to develop reports and products for upcoming Pacific Council meetings. This meeting is open to the public.