National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 2025 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 memorandum of January 20, 2025, from President Donald J. Trump, entitled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2025, this action delays the effective date of the final rule NMFS published in the Federal Register on December 13, 2024, regarding the finalization of the 2025 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery specifications.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center will convene a virtual pre- assessment workshop to review proposed data and modeling approaches to inform groundfish stock assessments for rougheye/blackspotted rockfish and sablefish scheduled for assessment during 2025. The workshop is open to the public.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a one day in-person meeting of its Ad Hoc Red Snapper Grouper/ Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Programs Advisory Panel (AP).

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC; Council) will hold a meeting of its Citizen Science Projects Advisory Panel (AP) via webinar.

Notice is hereby given of a hybrid meeting of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee). The meeting is open to the public and an opportunity for oral and written comments will be provided.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) webinar to support public engagement and provide information related to the Council's upcoming discussion of the Programmatic Evaluation will meet on March 6, 2025.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its annual preseason process to develop regulations to manage the 2025 ocean salmon fisheries off the U.S. West Coast. This notice informs the public of opportunities to provide oral and written comments on the development of the regulations.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to Viridien for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the GOM.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the Pacific cod sideboard limit by non-exempt American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher vessels in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the annual 2025 Pacific cod sideboard limit established for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2025, from President Donald J. Trump, entitled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2025, this action delays the effective date of the final rule NMFS published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2024, regarding the reclassification of the pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus) on the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory bodies will meet March 4-11, 2025, in Vancouver, WA and via webinar. The Council meeting will be live streamed with the opportunity to provide public comment remotely.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a one day in-person meeting of its Shrimp Advisory Panel (AP).

On January 3, 2025, NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a U.S. stakeholder meeting to discuss North Pacific albacore management would be held virtually on February 20, 2025. This notice announces the cancellation of that meeting.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its Mariana Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Advisory Panel (AP), CNMI Regional Ecosystem Advisory Committee (REAC), Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC), Mariana Archipelago FEP Guam AP, and the Guam REAC to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

This serves as the notice of a public meeting for the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) Federal Advisory Committee from March 4th through March 5th, 2025, in St. Petersburg, FL. The agenda for the HSRP public meeting will be posted in advance of the meeting on the HSRP website. Individuals or groups who would like to comment on NOAA navigation, observation, and positioning services topics are encouraged to submit public comments in advance of the HSRP public meeting via email, during the public meeting in person, or during the public meeting via the "Questions" function in the meeting webinar if joining the public meeting virtually.

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.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee and Advisory Panel will hold a joint public meeting.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online meeting of its Ad Hoc Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fisheries Innovation Workgroup (FIW) to discuss procedures to facilitate the development of new HMS gears and achieve the goals of the HMS Roadmap. This meeting is open to the public.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) will hold a joint in-person meeting of their Standing Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs), followed by an in-person meeting of the Gulf Council's SSC.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will host a Best Fishing Practices Outreach Evaluation Workshop (Workshop) on February 20 and 21, 2025.