National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 4, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational harvest of gag in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2023 fishing year. NMFS has projected that the 2023 recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for gag will be reached by October 19, 2023. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for gag to protect the gag resource.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting applications for membership on the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee (the Committee), which is a Federal advisory committee. Members of the Committee will fulfill the requirements of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (the Act). The Committee provides advice to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and to the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee on the planning, integrated design, operation, maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS). U.S. IOOS promotes research to develop, test, and deploy innovations and improvements in coastal and ocean observation technologies and modeling systems, addresses regional and national needs for ocean information, gathers data on key coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes variables and ensures timely and sustained dissemination and availability of these data for societal benefits. U.S. IOOS benefits national safety, the economy, and the environment through support for national defense, marine commerce and forecasting, navigation safety, weather, climate, energy siting and production, economic development, ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal areas, conservation of ocean and coastal resources and public safety.

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 Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Navy to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction associated with Mole Pier Floating Dry Dock project at Naval Base San Diego.

NMFS announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to analyze the impacts of alternatives related to NMFS's issuance of an incidental take statement (ITS) for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) affected by salmon fisheries in Southeast Alaska (SEAK) that are managed consistent with the provisions of the 2019 Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) Agreement. Compliance with the ITS would exempt participants in these fisheries from the ESA's prohibition on take of threatened and endangered species. This notice is necessary to inform the public of NMFS's intent to prepare this EIS and to provide the public with an opportunity to provide input for NMFS's consideration.