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

In 2021, four observed mortalities or serious injuries (M&SI) of false killer whales occurred incidental to the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Hawaii on January 18, 2021, March 26, 2021, April 17, 2021, and November 19, 2021. These M&SI met the established annual trigger of four observed M&SI for closing the Southern Exclusion Zone (SEZ) to deep-set longline fishing under the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan (Plan) regulations. In accordance with the Plan regulations a closure of the SEZ is required through the end of the fishing year. Because the injury determination for the fourth interaction meeting the trigger was not available until January 2022, the timeframe for closing the SEZ in 2021 had passed, and the SEZ was not closed. In accordance with the Plan regulations, the requirements for closure of the SEZ were met in 2021, therefore, if the trigger is met in 2022, the process for closure of the SEZ will follow the procedures described in the Plan regulations.

NMFS is proposing to modify the baseline annual U.S. quota and subquotas for Atlantic bluefin tuna and the baseline annual U.S. North Atlantic albacore (northern albacore) quota. This action is necessary to implement binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted in 2021, as required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and to achieve domestic management objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes as regulations the 2022 annual management measures governing the Pacific halibut fishery that have been recommended by the IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of State. These measures are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and further the goals and objectives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

We propose to approve allocations of annual catch entitlements to groundfish sectors for the 2022 fishing year and approve changes to previously approved sector operations plans. This rule also proposes to disapprove four novel sector exemption requests. The action is necessary because sectors must receive allocations in order to operate in fishing year 2022. This action is intended to allow limited access permit holders to continue to operate or form sectors, as authorized under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, and to exempt sectors from certain effort control regulations to improve the efficiency and economics of sector vessels.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 6, 2022, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2022. This period is the same as the 2022 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures.

The NMFS Seafood Inspection Program is notifying program participants of a revised fee schedule.

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, notification is hereby given that NMFS has modified a Letter of Authorization (LOA) issued to Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell) on December 2, 2021, for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public meeting of its Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Monitoring Committee. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

NMFS has received a request from the City of Seattle (City) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Pier 58 Reconstruction Project and Pier 63 Removal Project in Seattle, Washington. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue two incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to the City to incidentally take, by Level A and Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on possible one- time, one-year renewals of each IHA that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

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

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a joint 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 announces final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of the 2022 and the start of the 2023 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The 2022 harvest specifications supersede those previously set in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications, and the 2023 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2023 when the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications are published. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

This action proposes to approve and implement Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. This proposed rule would establish a rebuilding plan for herring, adjust accountability measure catch threshold triggers when catch exceeds a herring annual catch limit or management area sub-annual catch limit, and revise existing regulations to clarify area closure and possession limit restrictions and add prohibitions that were inadvertently omitted from previous management actions. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information and to achieve the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild the overfished herring stock, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.

NMFS is implementing a temporary emergency rule to prohibit trap/pot fishery buoy lines between Federal and State waters within the Massachusetts Restricted Area during the month of April 2022 to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in commercial lobster and Jonah crab trap/ pot fisheries. This emergency rule is necessary to reduce the risk of right whale mortality and serious injury in buoy lines in an area with a high co-occurrence of whales and buoy lines.

NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the South Carolina Aquarium. If granted, the EFP would authorize the South Carolina Aquarium to collect, with certain conditions, various species of snapper-grouper, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, golden crab, dolphin, wahoo, Atlantic cobia, spiny lobster, and shrimp in the Federal waters off South Carolina and North Carolina in the South Atlantic. The specimens would be used in educational exhibits displaying native marine species at the South Carolina Aquarium located in Charleston, SC.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four commercial surfclam and ocean quahog vessels to conduct at-sea paralytic shellfish poisoning testing in the Closed Area II scallop access area in statistical area 562. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will hold a public meeting of their joint Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP). See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting comments from the public regarding a proposed revision of the management plan for the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR or Reserve). A management plan provides a framework for the direction and timing of a reserve's programs; allows reserve managers to assess a reserve's success in meeting its goals and to identify any necessary changes in direction; and is used to guide programmatic evaluations of the reserve. Plan revisions are required of each reserve in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System at least every five years. This draft revised plan is intended to replace the plan approved in 2008.

This proposed rule would implement electronic monitoring (EM) program regulations for vessels using groundfish bottom trawl and non- whiting midwater trawl gear in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program. The proposed action would allow vessels using bottom trawl and non-whiting midwater trawl gear to use EM in place of human observers to meet requirements for 100 percent at-sea catch monitoring. The proposed action is intended to increase operational flexibility and reduce monitoring costs for vessels in the groundfish trawl fishery. The proposed rule would also revise some existing regulations for EM vessels and EM service providers to clarify and streamline EM program requirements.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)'s Executive Committee will hold a webconference March 14, 2022.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate Change Taskforce will meet March 15, 2022 through March 17, 2022.