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

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.

The National Marine Fisheries Service published a document in the Federal Register of February 23, 2022, regarding a meeting of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Technical Advisory Panel (EBFM TAP). The document omitted a meeting location.

This action increases the possession and trip limits of Gulf of Maine cod, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, and witch flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2021 fishing year. This action will provide the common pool fishery greater opportunity to harvest, but not exceed, the annual quotas for these stocks.

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2022 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. This adjustment to the 2022 fishing year quota is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2022 commercial quotas for North Carolina and Virginia.

NMFS proposes Atlantic spiny dogfish specifications for the 2022 fishing year, and an adjustment to the commercial trip limit, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while enabling optimum yield, using the best scientific information available. This rulemaking also informs the public of the proposed fishery action and provides an opportunity for comment.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting.

Notice is hereby given that Peggy Stap, Marine Life Studies, 6 Carlton Drive, Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on marine mammals.

Notice is hereby given that Jay Rotella Ph.D., Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii).

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and a Consent Decree with BP Exploration & Production Inc. (BP), the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Federal natural resource trustee agencies for the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group (Alabama TIG) have prepared a Draft Swift Tract Living Shoreline Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Draft Supplemental EA). This Draft Supplemental EA evaluates the proposed removal of rocks from the bay bottom near the Swift Tract project action area and the placement of the removed rocks on a nearby breakwater. The proposed action falls within the general scope of the purpose and need for the original project, Swift Tract Living Shoreline, identified in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Phase III ERP/PEIS) and is consistent with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS), as it focuses on the restoration of injuries to Alabama's natural resources and servicesin particular to Restoration Type: ``Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats,'' using funds made available in early restoration and through the DWH Consent Decree (see Final PDARP/PEIS [DWH Trustees 2016: Chapter 10]). The Alabama TIG evaluated the environmental consequences of the alternatives in accordance with NEPA. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Draft Supplemental EA and to seek public comments on the document.

NMFS announces a public meeting to discuss a Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) long-term harvest strategy. This meeting is intended to prepare for potential discussions at the 2022 meeting of the Joint Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Northern Committee (NC) Working Group on a long-term harvest strategy for PBF fisheries across the Pacific Ocean. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Technical Advisory Panel (EBFM TAP) will hold a two-day hybrid meeting to address the items on the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory entities will hold online and in-person public meetings.

This final rule implements a rebuilding plan that includes annual catch limits (ACL) and accountability measures (AM) for the overfished bottomfish stock complex in Guam. This action is necessary to rebuild the overfished stock consistent with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act).

This final rule distributes sector allocation carried over from fishing year 2020 into fishing year 2021 and corrects the regulations implementing Framework Adjustment 61 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This action is necessary to correct regulatory errors and to allocate carryover quota to sectors. The carryover adjustments are routine and formulaic, and industry expects them each year.

NMFS closes the southern area Angling category fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category permitted vessels and Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally.

NMFS announces a U.S. stakeholder meeting open to the public to discuss North Pacific albacore (NPALB) management. This meeting is intended to prepare for potential discussions at the 2022 annual meetings of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Northern Committee (WCPFC NC) on a harvest strategy for NPALB fisheries. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

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 January through March 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.

NMFS proposes revisions to regulations that implement the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This proposed action would remove a rebuilding plan for Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon (SRFC) from regulation, as this stock has been rebuilt and is no longer required to be managed under a rebuilding plan, and would update language to reflect the 2013 merger of NMFS' Northwest Region (NWR) and Southwest Region (SWR), which created NMFS' West Coast Region (WCR).

Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701 (Responsible Party: Lori Quakenbush), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on ice seals in Alaska.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Marine Planning Committee (MPC) will hold a public online meeting.