National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration August 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

NOAA is soliciting nominations for Indigenous, Tribal, Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian stakeholders from the Alaska or Pacific Ocean basin regions to join the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB). The purpose of the OEAB is to advise the NOAA Administrator on matters pertaining to ocean exploration including (1) priority areas for survey and discovery; (2) development of a five-year strategic plan for the fields of ocean, marine, and Great Lake science, (3) exploration and discovery; and, (4) the annual review of the NOAA Ocean Exploration Competitive Grants Program process. The OEAB functions as an advisory board in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App., with the exception of section 14. It reports to the NOAA Administrator, as directed by 33 U.S.C. 3405 and is provided staffing and other support by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued two incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)Portland District (Corps) to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with a Tillamook South Jetty Repairs in Tillamook Bay, Oregon.

This Alabama Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) Alabama Swift Tract Living Shoreline Project: Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Final Supplemental EA) describes, and in conjunction with the associated Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), selects the preferred restoration alternative, which consists of the removal of rocks from the Bon Secour Bay bottom near the original Swift Tract Living Shoreline Project's action area and the placement of the removed rocks on a nearby breakwater. The proposed action falls within the general scope of the purpose and need for the original Swift Tract Living Shoreline Project, which was identified and evaluated in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Phase III ERP/PEIS). The proposed action is also consistent with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS), as it focuses on the restoration of injuries to Alabama's natural resources and servicesin particular to Restoration Type: ``Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats,'' using funds made available in early restoration and through the DWH Consent Decree. The Federal Trustees of the Alabama TIG have determined that the implementation of the Final Supplemental EA is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the context of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Therefore, they have concluded a FONSI is appropriate, and, therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared.

The SEDAR 82 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of Gray Triggerfish will consist of a data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Notice is hereby given that two public meetings will be held for the purpose of providing information and receiving comments on the preliminary recommendation by the State of Wisconsin that portions of the Green Bay coastal area of Lake Michigan be proposed to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for designation as a National Estuarine Research Reserve.

NMFS announces the extension of the public comment period on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Makah Tribe Request to Hunt Gray Whales. We announced a 45-day comment period to end on August 15, 2022. Today, we extend the public comment period on the recommended decision by 60 days to October 14, 2022. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to fully use the 2022 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch (POP) specified for the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.

NMFS is soliciting nominations (which may include self- nominations) to the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for Technical Advisors to the Advisory Committee's species working groups.

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 Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application submitted by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Advisory Panel to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This meeting will be held in-person without a webinar option. Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

Notice is hereby given that the Chicago Zoological Society (Michael J. Adkesson, D.V.M., Responsible Party), 3300 South Golf Road, Brookfield, Illinois 60513, has applied in due form for a permit to import and export marine mammal parts for scientific research.

NMFS announces ten inseason actions in the 2022 ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modify the commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to the U.S./Mexico border.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 22 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 22 was developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to revise summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass commercial and recreational sector allocations. Amendment 22 is intended to ensure that the best available science is used to determine commercial and recreational sector allocations.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Advisory Panel to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This meeting will be held in-person with a webinar option. Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

NMFS closes the General category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the June through August subquota time period. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. This action also waives the previously- scheduled restricted fishing days (RFDs) for the remainder of the June through August subquota time period. With the RFDs waived during the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag- and-release programs. The fishery will reopen automatically and previously scheduled RFDs for September will resume.

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 20 to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan for review and approval by the Secretary of Commerce. We are requesting comments from the public on the amendment. Amendment 20, also known as the Excessive Shares Amendment, would establish limits to the amount of surfclam or ocean quahog individual transferable quota share or annual allocation in the form of cage tags that an individual or their family members could hold.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the red grouper recreational sector in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2022 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has projected that the 2022 recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf red grouper will have been reached by August 30, 2022. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for Gulf red grouper on August 30, 2022, and it will remain closed through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2022. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf red grouper resource.

Nominations are being sought for appointment by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to serve on the American Fisheries Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Secretary for financial assistance awards under the Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) Grant Competition under the Department of Commerce. The Committee will also make recommendations to the Secretary to assist in the development of the annual Notice of Funding Opportunities (NoFO) for submission to the S-K Grant Competition. This may include identifying the needs of the fishing communities (program priorities), establishing individual award funding limits, specifying the application review criteria and selection processes, and other sections of the NoFO as appropriate and allowable. Nominees should have demonstrable experience in one or more of the following areas of expertise, and in as many seafood species as possible: seafood harvesting or processing; recreational or commercial fishing; growing seafood; fisheries science; and/or food distribution, marketing, retail, or food service. Nominees must be able to fulfill the time commitments required for up to two annual meetings. It is anticipated that meetings will be in person, rotating between regions and possibly lasting up to four business days, subject to the time needs of each meeting. Individuals selected to initially serve on the Committee will serve staggered terms of two, three, and four years. Terms of all future Committee members will be for three years and may not exceed more than two consecutive terms if re- appointed.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel will hold one public meeting.

Notice is hereby given that the Matson Laboratory (Carolyn Nistler, Responsible Party), 135 Wooden Shoe Lane, Manhattan, MT 59741, has applied in due form for a permit to import, export, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of ``other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 total allowable catch of ``other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA.

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 that the State of Maryland is transferring a portion of its 2022 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for Maryland and Rhode Island.