National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 12, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS has received a request from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (L-DEO) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to geophysical surveys of the Guerrero Gap off the coast of Mexico in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its 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-time, 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 authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) will hold the 177th public meeting to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. The meeting will be an in-person/virtual hybrid meeting.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Marine Planning Committee will hold a public meeting.

The SEDAR 77 assessment of the Atlantic stocks of hammerhead sharks will consist of a stock identification (ID) process, data webinars/workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS implements the measures included in Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan as adopted and submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council. This action allows for more controlled access to the scallop resource by the limited access and limited access general category fleets and increases monitoring to a growing directed scallop fishery in Federal waters, including the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area. These management measures are intended to promote conservation of the scallop resource in the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area and to manage total removals from the area by all fishery components. Amendment 21 also expands flexibility in the limited access general category individual fishing quota fishery to reduce impacts of potential decreases in ex-vessel price and increases in operating costs.

This temporary rule implements interim specifications for the 2022 fishing year to address new assessment information regarding the status of the Atlantic mackerel stock. This action is intended to reduce potential Atlantic mackerel overfishing based on new 2021 assessment findings while a rebuilding plan is being developed.