National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 4, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public joint meeting of its Habitat Advisory Panel and 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. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the individual fishing quota (IFQ), Federal dealer reporting, and Federal charter vessel and headboat (for-hire vessel) reporting programs specific to the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) fisheries in the Gulf, the Regional Administrator (RA), Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined that Hurricane Ian has caused catastrophic conditions that still exist in the Florida counties of Charlotte, Collier, and Lee. This temporary rule authorizes any dealer in the affected areas described in this temporary rule who does not have access to electronic reporting to delay reporting of trip tickets to NMFS and authorizes IFQ participants within the affected area to use paper-based forms, if necessary, for basic required administrative functions, e.g., landing transactions. This rule also authorizes any Federal for-hire owner or operator in the affected areas described in this temporary rule who does not have access to electronic reporting to delay reporting of logbook records to NMFS. This temporary rule is intended to facilitate continuation of IFQ, dealer, and Federal for-hire reporting operations during the period of catastrophic conditions.

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 has received a request from TerraSond Limited (TerraSond) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys in the New York Bight (off of New York and New Jersey) and in the Central Atlantic (from Delaware to North Carolina). 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, 1 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.