National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, NMFS, announce initiation of the 5-year review of the endangered daggernose shark (Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus). The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires us to conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years to determine whether a species should be removed from the list (i.e., delisted), reclassified from an endangered species to a threatened species (i.e., downlisted), or reclassified from a threatened species to an endangered species (i.e., uplisted). The determination must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. Therefore, we request relevant information (e.g., biology, threats, and conservation efforts) that has become available since our previous review of the species.

We, NMFS, announce the initiation of the 5-year review of the threatened island grouper (Mycteroperca fusca). The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires us to conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years to determine whether a species should be removed from the list (i.e., delisted), reclassified from an endangered species to a threatened species (i.e., downlisted), or reclassified from a threatened species to an endangered species (i.e., uplisted). The determination must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. Therefore, we request relevant information (e.g., biology, threats, and conservation efforts) that has become available since our previous review of the species.

The SEDAR 98 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico red snapper will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center will convene an online pre- assessment workshop to review proposed data and modeling approaches to inform a groundfish stock assessment for yellowtail rockfish in the area north of 40[deg]10' N. latitude, scheduled for assessment during 2025. The workshop is open to the public.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad- hoc Sacramento River Fall Chinook (SRFC) Workgroup will hold a two-day online meeting in January, 2025.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a joint meeting of its Archipelagic Plan Team (APT) and Pelagic Plan Team (PPT) to discuss fishery management issues and develop recommendations for future management of fisheries in the Western Pacific Region.

NMFS announces the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on NMFS Office of Protected Resources' (OPR) role coordinating the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). The STSSN responds to and documents sick, injured, and dead sea turtles that are found in coastal areas under U.S. jurisdiction along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean Territories. Although the STSSN has been in operation for several decades, the National Coordination role formally shifted to the OPR in 2022, which prompted an evaluation of STSSN operations and development of a formal Operating Procedures Handbook, which are subject to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. NMFS is requesting comments on the draft EA.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting via webinar of its Habitat Joint Committee and 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.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold a webinar, which is open to the public.

NMFS announces 13 inseason actions for the 2024-2025 ocean salmon fishing season. These inseason actions modify the recreational and commercial salmon troll fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to Humbug Mountain, OR.

As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS has considered public comments for revisions of the 2023 marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs). This notice announces the availability of 66 final 2023 SARs that were updated and finalized.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a half-day virtual meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC).

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

NMFS has received a request from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ALDCNR) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to fisheries independent research programs in Mobile Bay and adjacent waters of Alabama over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the ALDCNR's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the ALDCNR's application and request.

NMFS publishes the individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The fee percentage for 2024 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2024 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2025.

NMFS announces that the 2024 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New York has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New York for the remainder of calendar year 2024, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise New York that the quota has been harvested, and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in New York.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management, will hold a virtual public meeting to solicit input on the performance evaluation of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JCNERR). NOAA also invites the public to submit written comments.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda for a meeting of the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB). OEAB members will discuss and provide advice on the Federal ocean exploration program, with a particular emphasis on the topics identified in the section on Matters to Be Considered.

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.

This interim final rule makes an in-season adjustment to the 2025 Atlantic herring specifications and sub-annual catch limits for the four Atlantic herring management areas (including Area 1A, 1B, 2, and 3). This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information from a 2024 herring management track stock assessment and achieve the goals and objectives of the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. This action reduces current 2025 catch limits to lessen the risk overfishing and help rebuild the stock.

NMFS is adjusting the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) pollock and Pacific cod fisheries. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are incorrectly specified, as they are not informed by the most recent specifications recommended by the Council for the start of the 2025 fishing year. This action will ensure the GOA pollock and Pacific cod TACs are the correct, appropriate amount based on the best scientific information available for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP).

The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will hold a public meeting of their joint Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a webinar of its Risk Policy Working Group 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's National Ocean Service (NOS) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), hereafter NOAA, in partnership with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is working to build on existing spatial planning capacity in the United States (U.S.) Gulf of Mexico region. Through this Request for Information, NOAA is seeking public input to identify coastal and marine spatial data or other critical information to inform spatial analyses for transmission planning in state and Federal waters off Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The input we receive from the data development workshop meeting, as well as the responses to the items listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document, will be used to inform potential coastal and ocean development activities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico region, such as renewable energy development.

NMFS is implementing regulations for Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan/Framework Adjustment 6 to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan, which the New England and Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Councils jointly recommended and NMFS approved. This action establishes area-based gear requirements for vessels fishing with gillnets in the monkfish fishery, starting on January 1, 2026, and for vessels fishing with gillnets in the spiny dogfish fishery starting on May 1, 2025. This action is necessary to minimize bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the monkfish and spiny dogfish fisheries to the extent practicable and fulfill requirements of the Biological Opinion on Ten Fishery Management Plans in the Greater Atlantic Region and the New England Fishery Management Council's Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2.