National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration December 26, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using pot gear to catcher vessels using trawl gear, catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear, and vessels using jig gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2023 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2023 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to catcher/processors using HAL gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Risk Policy Working Group 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 has received a request from Trident Seafoods Corporation (Trident) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal activities associated with the Bunkhouse Dock replacement project in Kodiak, Alaska. 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.

NMFS has received a request from Park City Wind, LLC (Park City Wind), 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 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. 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.

This final rule extends the region-wide moratorium on the harvest of gold corals in the U.S. Pacific Islands through June 30, 2028. NMFS intends this final rule to prevent overfishing and to stimulate research on gold corals.