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

The SEDAR 74 assessment of Gulf of Mexico red snapper will consist of a Data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a Review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for Statistical Area 630 in the GOA.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (NPFMC) Joint Protocol Committee will meet October 13, 2022.

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.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT) and Scientific and Statistical Committee's (SSC) Salmon Subcommittee will hold an online meeting.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); the Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS) and Record of Decision; and the Consent Decree, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (Louisiana TIG) prepared the Final Phase II Restoration Plan #3.2: Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (Final Phase II RP #3.2). The Final Phase II RP #3.2 presents the Louisiana TIG's OPA evaluation of a proposed 75,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) capacity Mid-Barataria sediment diversion (i.e., Alternative 1, the Proposed MBSD Project) and five alternatives to help restore natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of the DWH oil spill. The Louisiana TIG evaluated these alternatives under criteria identified in the Final Phase II RP #3.2, including those set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations. In accordance with NEPA, the environmental consequences of the MSBD alternatives are evaluated in the associated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District (USACE CEMVN) Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Mid Barataria Sediment Diversion Project, Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes (MBSD FEIS). The Louisiana TIG Federal Trustees participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the MBSD FEIS. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final Phase II RP #3.2, the Louisiana TIG's selection of Alternative 1 as its preferred alternative, and following adoption of the MBSD FEIS, the Louisiana TIG's intention to make an OPA NRDA decision regarding implementation of the preferred alternative.

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.

NMFS closes the General category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the September subquota time period. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. This action also waives the previously-scheduled restricted fishing days (RFDs) for the remainder of the September subquota time period. With the RFDs waived during the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On October 1, 2022, the fishery will reopen automatically and previously scheduled RFDs for the October through November subquota time period will resume.

NMFS received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for the renewal of their currently active IHA to take marine mammals incidental to the Naval Base San Diego Pier 6 Replacement Project in San Diego, California. These activities consist of activities that are covered by the current authorization, but will not be completed prior to its expiration. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prior to issuing the currently active IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. The renewal requirements have been satisfied, and NMFS is now providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed renewal not previously provided during the initial 30-day comment period.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC), in conjunction with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission's Law Enforcement Committee (LEC).

The Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will hold a one-day hybrid (in-person/virtual) meeting of its Joint Council Workgroup for Section 102 of the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018.

This notice announces the Draft Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification is available for public comment. Developed by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification of the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, this Draft Strategic Plan presents an updated vision for how to move Federal agencies toward a better understanding of the process of ocean acidification, its effects on marine ecosystems, and the steps that could be taken to adapt marine resource management to account for it.

This notice announces the date, time, and location of the public meeting being held, in a hybrid format, prior to the 68th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The meeting is open to U.S. citizens only.

On August 1, 2022, NMFS published proposed amendments to the North Atlantic right whale vessel strike reduction rule, with a 60-day comment period ending on September 30, 2022. In response to multiple requests for an extension, NMFS is announcing an extension of the public comment period by an additional 30 calendar days ending on October 31, 2022.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet via hybrid conference October 3, 2022 through October 11, 2022.

NOAA's Marine Debris Program and Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Trash Free Waters Program, on behalf of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (IMDCC), is soliciting public comments regarding the draft Report on Microfiber Pollution. The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act of 2020 requires the IMDCC to complete a report on microfiber pollution. This Report will provide Congress with an overview of the microfiber pollution issue, while also outlining a path forward for Federal agencies, in partnership with other stakeholders, to address this problem.

NMFS has received a request from the Virginia Electric and Power Company, also known as Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion Energy), for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the development of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (CVOW-C) in Lease Area Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)-A-0483 off of Virginia over the course of 5 years beginning on March 4, 2024. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of Dominion Energy'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 Dominion Energy's application and request.

The National Marine Fisheries Service will hold a series of in-person Dolphin (i.e., Dolphinfish or Mahi mahi) Management Strategy Stakeholder workshops on October 4, October 5, and October 6, 2022.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Tilefish Advisory Panel and Communication and Outreach Advisory Panel will meet jointly to discuss future outreach efforts to improve awareness of, and compliance with, private recreational tilefish permitting and reporting requirements.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a public virtual meeting to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Notice is hereby given that Bill Post, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 20528-03.

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.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS proposes regulatory amendments that would apply to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program participants that operate in the non-tribal Pacific whiting fishery. This rulemaking proposes to adjust the primary Pacific whiting season start date for all sectors of the Pacific whiting fishery from May 15 to May 1, remove from regulation the mothership catcher vessel (MSCV) processor obligation deadline of November 30, remove from regulation the Mothership (MS) processor cap of 45 percent, and provide the ability to operate as a Catcher/Processor (CP) and an MS in the same year. This action is necessary to provide MS sector participants with greater operational flexibility by modifying specific regulations that have been identified as potentially contributing to lower attainment of the Pacific whiting allocation compared to the CP and shoreside Pacific whiting sectors. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, and other applicable laws.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and other scientists will hold an online meeting to review an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) acoustic and visual survey for nearshore groundfish. This methodology review will be coupled with a workshop to evaluate Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hook-and-line surveys for groundfish species. Participants will recommend how data generated from these surveys may inform future groundfish stock assessments.