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

In accordance with the regulations implementing the individual fishing quota (IFQ) and Federal dealer reporting specific to the commercial reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) fisheries in the Gulf, the Regional Administrator (RA), Southeast Region, NMFS has determined that Hurricane Idalia has caused catastrophic conditions in the Gulf for certain Florida counties. This temporary rule authorizes any dealer in the affected area described in this temporary rule who does not have access to electronic reporting to delay reporting of trip tickets to NMFS and authorizes IFQ dealers within the affected area to use paper- based forms, if necessary, for basic required administrative functions, e.g., landing transactions. This temporary rule is intended to facilitate continuation of IFQ and dealer reporting operations during the period of catastrophic conditions.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received one Incidental Take Permit (ITP) application for the City of Santa Cruz's Anadromous Salmonid Habitat Conservation Plan (ASHCP). The ASHCP has been submitted pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. NMFS has also prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) describing the potential effects of NMFS' proposed issuance of the Permit associated with the submitted ASHCP. NMFS is furnishing this notice in order to allow other agencies, tribes, and the public an opportunity to review and comment on these documents.

NMFS announces the re-opening of the commercial sector for blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic through this temporary rule. The most recent data for commercial landings of blueline tilefish indicate the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2023 fishing year has not yet been reached. Therefore, NMFS re-opens the commercial sector to harvest blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ for 6 days. The purpose of this temporary rule is to allow for the commercial ACL of blueline tilefish to be harvested while minimizing the risk of exceeding the commercial ACL.

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. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with the Port of Nome Modification Project in Nome, Alaska.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council, NEFMC) will hold a four-day hybrid meeting with both in-person and remote participation to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The SEDAR 79 assessment process for Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic mutton snapper will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS adjusts the 2023 Winter II commercial scup quota and per- trip Federal landing limit. This action is necessary to comply with regulations implementing Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan that established the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I to Winter II period. This notification is intended to inform the public of this quota and trip limit change.

NMFS issues regulations to implement a management measure described in Framework Amendment 12 under the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). This final rule and Framework Amendment 12 modify the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) migratory group of king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel) gillnet component commercial fishing season. The purpose of this final rule and Framework Amendment 12 is to allow the Gulf king mackerel gillnet component of the CMP fishery to fish without interruption from the season start date until NMFS determines that the gillnet quota has been met.

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 Municipality of Skagway (MOS) to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction associated with the Ore Terminal redevelopment project in Skagway, Alaska.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a one-day in-person meeting of its Ecosystem Technical Committee (ETC).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Notice is hereby given that Robin Trayler, Ph.D., University of California, Merced, 5200 N Lake Road, Science and Engineering 1, 283, Merced, CA 95343, has applied in due form for a permit to import marine mammal specimens for scientific research.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)'s Spiny Dogfish and Monkfish Committees (Committees) will hold a public meeting. For agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council's) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to update the Accepted Practices Guidelines for CPS Stock Assessments document. The meeting is open to the public.

Federal commercial tilefish permit holders are prohibited from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring or landing blueline tilefish in the Tilefish Management Unit for the remainder of the 2023 fishing year. This action is required when NMFS projects that 100 percent of the 2023 total allowable landings will be caught by the effective date. This action is intended to prevent over-harvest of blueline tilefish for the fishing year.

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

The NMFS Seafood Inspection Program is notifying program participants that its fee schedule for fiscal year 2024 will remain as established on November 1, 2022.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Partial Coverage Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (PCFMAC) will hold a meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee and Advisory Panel will hold a public webinar meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

NMFS will convene the Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) to convene the Management Track Assessment Peer Review Meeting for the purpose of reviewing Red Hake (North and South), Acadian Redfish, Skate Complex, Atlantic Mackerel, Northern Windowpane Flounder, and Spiny Dogfish stocks. The Management Track Assessment Peer Review is a formal scientific peer-review process for evaluating and presenting stock assessment results to managers for fish stocks in the offshore U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. Assessments are prepared by the lead stock assessment analyst and reviewed by an independent panel of stock assessment experts. The public is invited to attend the presentations and discussions between the review panel and the scientists who have participated in the stock assessment process.

This action proposes regulations that would implement Amendment 32 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed regulations include a suite of changes to non-trawl area management measures seaward of California and Oregon. Specifically, NMFS proposes to: allow increased fishing access with specific gear types to the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for the commercial groundfish limited entry fixed gear sector and vessels that gear switch under the Trawl Individual Fishing Quota program; modify gear restrictions in the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for all non- trawl commercial groundfish sectors; move the seaward boundary of the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area to 75 fathoms (137 meters) for all non-trawl commercial groundfish sectors and the directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery; create new Groundfish Conservation Areas, including new Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas seaward of Oregon and Groundfish Exclusion Areas seaward of Southern California; create new Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas off Oregon; remove the Cowcod Conservation Area seaward of Southern California for all groundfish commercial and recreational non-trawl sectors, and enable the use of Block Area Closures to control the catch of groundfish for all commercial non-trawl sectors. The purpose of Amendment 32 is to provide fishing access to healthy groundfish stocks for non-trawl groundfish fisheries and the directed commercial halibut fishery while still meeting the conservation objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. NMFS also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment that analyzes the potential effects of the associated proposed rule. In addition, this action proposes minor administrative regulatory revisions which would correct the name of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, amend the description of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, add new regulatory definitions for different types of fishing bait, and add new exemptions to Vessel Monitoring System reporting requirements.

NMFS announces a closure for the 2023 fishing season for the red snapper private angling component in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Texas in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The red snapper recreational private angling component in the Gulf EEZ off Texas closes on September 2, 2023 until 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2024. This closure is necessary to prevent the private angling component from exceeding the Texas regional management area annual catch limit (ACL) and to prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.