National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 11, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (L-DEO) to incidentally harass marine mammals during survey activities associated with a marine geophysical survey off North Carolina in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

NMFS has received a request from [Oslash]rsted Wind Power North America, LLC ([Oslash]rsted) and its designees, Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC (Garden State) and Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC (Skipjack), for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys in coastal waters off of Delaware and New Jersey. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second identical IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.

Through this final rule, NMFS establishes fishery management measures for the 2023 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California, and the 2024 salmon seasons opening earlier than May 16, 2024, under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The fishery management measures vary by fishery and by area, and establish fishing areas, seasons, quotas, legal gear, recreational fishing days and catch limits, possession and landing restrictions, and minimum lengths for salmon taken in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (3-200 nautical miles (nm); 5.6-370.4 kilometers (km)) off Washington, Oregon, and California. The management measures are intended to prevent overfishing and to apportion the ocean harvest equitably among treaty Indian, non- Indian commercial, and recreational fisheries. The measures are also intended to allow a portion of the salmon runs to escape the ocean fisheries in order to provide for spawning escapement, comply with applicable law, and to provide fishing opportunity for inside fisheries (fisheries occurring in state waters).

Notice is hereby given that John P. Wise, Sr., Ph.D., University of Louisville, Department of Pharmacology, 500 S Preston St., Suite 1319, Louisville, KY 40202 has applied in due form for a permit to receive, import, and export parts from marine mammals, sea turtles, sawfish, and sharks for scientific research purposes.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee (PNCIAC) will meet May 30, 2023.

The SEDAR 74 assessment of Gulf of Mexico red snapper will consist of a Data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a Review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.