Economic Research Service 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia is transferring a portion of its 2015 commercial Atlantic bluefish quota to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Observer Policy Committee meeting 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 is reapportioning the seasonal apportionments of the 2015 Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the trawl deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories in the Gulf of Alaska. This action is necessary to account for the actual halibut PSC use by the trawl deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories from May 15, 2015 through June 30, 2015. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2015 total allowable catch of northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

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 2015 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The SEDAR assessment of the Gulf of Mexico Vermilion Snapper will consist of one in-person workshop and a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (the Corps) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, six species of marine mammals during activities related to the rehabilitation of Jetty A at the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR).

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will hold a public meeting to develop spiny dogfish management recommendations. The Council will also host a public information meeting to gather public perspectives on spiny dogfish management.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee will hold a public meeting.

Notice is hereby given of a virtual meeting of the U. S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee). Dates and Times: The public meeting will be held on Tuesday September 22, 2015, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Refer to the Web page listed below for the most up-to-date meeting agenda.

NMFS has received an application from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Lamont-Doherty) in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (Authorization) to take marine mammals, by harassment only, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical (seismic) survey in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, mid-November through December, 2015. The proposed dates for this action would be mid-November 2015 through December 31, 2015, to account for minor deviations due to logistics and weather. Per the Marine Mammal Protection Act, we are requesting comments on our proposal to issue an Authorization to Lamont-Doherty to incidentally take, by Level B harassment, of 22 species of marine mammals during the specified activity and to incidentally take by Level A harassment, of four species of marine mammals. Although considered unlikely, any Level A harassment potentially incurred would be expected to be in the form of some smaller degree of permanent hearing loss due in part to the required monitoring measures for detecting marine mammals and required mitigation measures for power downs or shut downs of the airgun array if any animal is likely to enter the Level A exclusion zone. Neither mortality nor complete deafness of marine mammals are expected to result from this survey.

NMFS implements accountability measures for commercial gray triggerfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects commercial landings for gray triggerfish, will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the period July through December by September 8, 2015. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 8, 2015. This closure is necessary to protect the gray triggerfish resource.

NMFS announces eight inseason actions in the ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to the U.S./Mexico border.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities as part of a pier replacement project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Navy to incidentally take marine mammals, by Level B Harassment only, during the specified activity.

Notice is hereby given that Leslie Cornick, Ph.D., Alaska Pacific University, 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 has withdrawn her application for a permit to conduct research on northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus).

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Committee Meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2015 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.

As a science-based services agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) strives to understand and predict changes in weather, climate, oceans, and coasts, and to provide critical environmental intelligence to the American public, decision makers, and our partners. NOAA accomplishes this, in part, through the use of observations obtained through a range of systems, including satellites, ships, ground, and in-situ networks. NOAA's space-based Earth observations are both important and challenging to obtain. In recent years, the commercial sector has invested increasing amounts of capital and resources to develop new technologies, and to build, launch, and operate satellites and ground- based systems. In order to respond to an ever-growing demand for environmental information, NOAA seeks to maintain an observing enterprise that is flexible, responsive to evolving technologies, and economically sustainable, while supporting and upholding NOAA's strong commitment to public safety and the international data sharing system upon which NOAA depends for global data. This policy establishes the broad principles for the use of commercial space-based approaches for NOAA's observational requirements, and opens a pathway for new industry to join the space- based Earth observation process. As a part of this effort, and to ensure we examine potential solutions, NOAA is seeking comments, suggestions, and innovative ideas from the public on Draft NOAA Commercial Space Policy. Through www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0109, the public can view the Draft NOAA Commercial Space Policy, submit ideas, review submissions from other parties, and make comments and collaborate on ideas. All comments are welcome. In particular, NOAA would like comments on in the following areas: 1. Does this policy adequately support the continued success of NOAA's public safety mission? 2. Does this policy allow for the development of viable business models for potential providers of commercial data? 3. Does this policy sufficiently consider the impacts to the private weather industry, academia, and other stakeholders? 4. Does this policy appropriately reflect the importance of U.S. data policy and international data sharing commitments?

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold eight scoping hearings in September and October 2015 to solicit public input on a management action to prohibit the development of new, or expansion of existing directed fisheries on unmanaged forage species until adequate scientific information is available to promote ecosystem sustainability. The Council is also soliciting written comments through 11:59 p.m. on Friday October 2, 2015. The Council has not yet determined which type of action it will develop. The action could take the form of a new fishery management plan, an amendment to an existing fishery management plan, or another action.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a public meeting.

Notice is hereby given that Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., Long Marine Laboratory, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on pinnipeds in captivity.

Notice is hereby given that permits have been issued to the following entities to receive, import, and export specimens of marine mammals for scientific research: Permit No. 18722: Cornell University, 157 Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14850 [Responsible Party: Sharron Mitchell, Ph.D.]; Permit No. 18897: Kathleen Colegrove, Ph.D., University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology Program, LUMC Room 0745, Building 101, 2160 South First Street, Maywood, IL 60153; Permit No. 19425: Melissa McKinney, Ph.D., University of Connecticut, Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, U-4210, Storrs, CT 06269; and Permit No. 19497: University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology V3-100, VAB, PO BOX 110880, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0880 [Responsible Party: Thomas B. Waltzek, D.V.M., Ph.D.].

NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (DPEA) for Fisheries Research Conducted and Funded by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC).'' Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period for this DPEA. The purpose of the DPEA is to evaluate, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of conducting and funding fisheries and ecosystem research along the U.S. West Coast, including the Northern California Large Marine Ecosystem (NCLME), Puget Sound, and the Lower Columbia River Research Area (LCRRA).

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of the Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Management Committee; Protected Resources Committee; Dolphin Wahoo Committee; Personnel Committee (Closed Session); Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session); Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee (partially Closed Session); King and Spanish Mackerel Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; Data Collection Committee; Law Enforcement Committee; Executive Finance Committee; and a meeting of the Full Council. The Council will also hold a Council Member Visioning Workshop for the Snapper Grouper Fishery. The Council will take action as necessary. The Council will also hold a formal public comment session.