National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
Results 451 - 470 of 470
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Maryland Offshore Wind Project Offshore of Maryland
NMFS has received a request from US Wind, Inc., (US Wind) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, of small number of marine mammals over the course of 5 years (2025-2029) incidental to construction of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project offshore of Maryland within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0490 (Lease Area) and associated Export Cable Routes. Project activities likely to result in incidental take include impact pile driving and site assessment surveys using high-resolution geophysical (HRG) equipment. NMFS requests comments on its proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. The proposed regulations, if issued, would be effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029.
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish 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.
North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee Informational meeting will be held.
Fisheries of the Caribbean; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
The SEDAR 84 assessment process of U.S. Caribbean yellowtail snapper and stoplight parrotfish will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop.
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer From MA to RI
NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is transferring a portion of its 2023 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Rhode Island. This adjustment to the 2023 fishing year quota is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2023 commercial quotas for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 49; Correction
NMFS corrects the final rule that implemented management measures described in Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), which published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2023. For greater amberjack, that final rule revised the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), the commercial minimum size limit, the commercial seasonal trip limits, and the April spawning season closure. In addition, Amendment 49 revised the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, annual optimum yield, and sector allocations of the total ACL, as well as removed the recreational annual catch targets for species in the FMP. In that final rule, NMFS inadvertently neglected to include a previously contained commercial quota provision that did not change through Amendment 49, and did not include a commercial trip limit paragraph heading that did not change through Amendment 49. The purpose of this correcting amendment is to fix these errors.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Prohibiting Retention of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks in U.S. Atlantic Waters and Hammerhead Sharks in the U.S. Caribbean Sea
In this final rule, NMFS is prohibiting the retention and possession of oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) in U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and hammerhead sharks (great (Sphyrna mokarran), smooth (S. zygaena), and scalloped (S. lewini) hammerhead sharks) in U.S. waters of the Caribbean Sea. This action is responsive to two Biological Opinions (BiOps) for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS): one for the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery and one for the non- PLL fisheries. The BiOps strongly encouraged the inclusion of the scalloped hammerhead shark Central and Southwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and the oceanic whitetip shark on the list of prohibited sharks for recreational and/or commercial HMS fisheries. These prohibitions apply to all HMS permitted fishermen.
Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review Steering Committee Meeting; Public Meeting
The Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) Steering Committee will convene a public meeting to discuss and approve the 5- year calendar for stock assessments, and to address any other concerns related to the WPSAR process.
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Recreational Advisory Panel 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.
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
The SEDAR 89 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of tilefish will consist of a series of LH-TWG webinars. A SEDAR 89 LH-TWG Webinar is scheduled for January 24, 2024. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Golden Crab Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic; Acceptable Biological Catch Control Rules
NMFS issues regulations to implement amendments to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery, the Golden Crab Fishery, and the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery, referenced here as the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule Amendments. This final rule modifies the ABC control rules, allows the phase-in of subsequent ABC changes, allows some carry-over of an unharvested portion of the annual catch limit (ACL) to the following fishing year, and modifies the FMP framework procedures to implement carry-overs of ACLs when appropriate. NMFS also implements an administrative clarification to existing regulations for the Snapper-Grouper FMP framework procedure. The purpose of this final rule is to ensure catch level recommendations are based on the best scientific information available, prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield, and increase flexibility in setting catch limits.
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) 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.
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
The SEDAR 82 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of Gray Triggerfish will consist of a data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Committee of the Whole (COTW) will hold a 2-day in-person work session that is open to the public.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Nassau Grouper
We, NMFS, designate critical habitat for the threatened Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Specific areas designated as critical habitat contain approximately 2,384.67 sq. kilometers (km) (920.73 sq. miles) of aquatic habitat located in waters off the coasts of southeastern Florida, Puerto Rico, Navassa, and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). We have considered positive and negative economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the critical habitat designation, as well as all public comments that were received.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; 2024 and Projected 2025 Bluefish Specifications
NMFS issues final Atlantic bluefish specifications for the 2024 fishing year and projects specifications for fishing year 2025, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels for the stock to prevent overfishing and promote rebuilding, using the best scientific information available. This action also informs the public of the expected specifications for fishing year 2025.
North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Joint Groundfish Plan Teams will meet on January 17, 2024.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer From NC to NY
NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2023 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of New York. This adjustment to the 2023 fishing year quota is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2023 commercial quotas for North Carolina and New York.
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council's) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a virtual meeting to review the 2023 groundfish stock assessment process and discuss process improvements for the next stock assessment cycle, review proposed revisions to the Terms of Reference for the Groundfish Stock Assessment Review Process for 2025 and 2026, review proposed revisions to the Terms of Reference for the Groundfish Rebuilding Analysis for 2025 and 2026, and update the Accepted Practices Guidelines for Groundfish Stock Assessments document. The SSC Groundfish Subcommittee meeting is open to the public.
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