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

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for two authorizations to take marine mammals incidental to the pile driving and removal activities over two years associated with the Coos Bay North Jetty maintenance and repairs project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue two incidental harassment authorizations (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewals 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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) will hold a meeting.

The SEDAR 67 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico vermilion snapper will consist of a series of data and assessment webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS announces the request for renewal of a 2019 exempted fishing permit application titled, ``Year-round Coastwide Midwater Rockfish EFP: Monitoring and Minimizing Salmon Bycatch When Targeting Rockfish in the Shorebased IFQ Fishery'' for the 2020 fishing year (herein referred to as the ``Trawl Gear EFP''). The application, submitted by the West Coast Seafood Processors Association, Environmental Defense Fund, Oregon Trawl Commission, and Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, requests a permit to test whether removing certain gear, time, and area restrictions for vessels fishing under the Trawl Rationalization Program's Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota Program may impact the nature and extent of bycatch of prohibited species (e.g., Chinook salmon). This exempted fishing permit would allow participating groundfish bottom and midwater trawl vessels more flexibility than allowed in current regulations to target pelagic rockfish species, such as widow, chilipepper, and yellowtail rockfish. 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.

This final rule removes obsolete language in the Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) regulations requiring that a Billfish Certificate of Eligibility accompany certain product. The requirement to possess a Billfish Certificate of Eligibility no longer applies because passage of 2018 amendments to the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 prohibited the associated product sales. This amendment removes a now-obsolete requirement consistent with an already-effective statutory provision. As further discussed below, we anticipate finding good cause that notice is unnecessary and that it will not be necessary to provide an opportunity for public comment. No aspect of this action is controversial.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an application submitted by the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance for an exempted fishing permit contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This exempted fishing permit would allow two commercial fishing vessels participating in an electronic monitoring program to fish in the Southern New England Regulated Mesh Area with a 6-inch (15.24 cm) diamond mesh codend. 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.

NMFS announces 22 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.

This announcement provides notice that the Department of Commerce (Department) has received a ``Notice of Appeal'' filed by WesternGeco (Appellant) requesting that the Secretary override an objection by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to a consistency certification for a proposed project to conduct a marine Geological and Geophysical seismic survey in the Atlantic Ocean.

This notice announces the establishment of a control date of September 1, 2017, that the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) may use if it decides to create restrictions limiting participation in the spiny lobster trap fishery in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off St. Thomas and St. John, or St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Persons entering the fishery in either area after the control date will not be assured of future access should a management regime that limits participation in the fishery be prepared and implemented. NMFS invites comments on the establishment of this control date.

NMFS has received a request from the City of Juneau for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to vibratory and impact pile driving, vibratory pile removal, and down the hole drilling in Auke Bay, Alaska. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal 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 Department of Commerce is seeking highly qualified individuals who are knowledgeable about the commercial space-based remote sensing industry and uses of space-based remote sensing data to serve on the Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES). The Committee is comprised of leaders in the commercial space-based remote sensing industry, space-based remote sensing data users, government, and academia. The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice provides committee and membership criteria.

NMFS closes the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category fishery for the October through November subquota period until the General category reopens on December 1, 2019. The intent of this closure is to prevent overharvest of the adjusted October through November subquota.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in Vision Blueprint Commercial Regulatory Amendment 27 (Regulatory Amendment 27) to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper- Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this proposed rule would modify commercial fishing seasons, trip limits, and minimum size limits for selected snapper-grouper species in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The purpose of this proposed rule is to improve equitable access for commercial fishermen in the snapper-grouper fishery, minimize discards to the extent practicable, and improve marketability within the snapper-grouper fishery.

We, NMFS, are convening a workshop to solicit facts and information from experts to inform recovery planning for the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus). We will not be asking for a consensus recommendation on how to recover the oceanic whitetip shark. This workshop will be open to the public. We also request information that might inform the development of the recovery plan.

We, NMFS, announce receipt of 14 (Permit Numbers 23271, 23276, 23278, 23279, 23280, 23284, 23285, 23286, 23287, 23288, 23289, 23290, 23291, 23434) applications for enhancement of survival permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and proposed entry into an associated Template Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) between the applicants and NMFS. The proposed enhancement of survival permits and Agreement are intended to promote the survival and recovery of the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU), which is listed as threatened under the ESA.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Habitat Committee (HC) will hold a meeting via webinar, which is open to the public.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council's November 2019 meeting agenda. The meeting is open to the public.

This document announces the establishment of a control date of March 7, 2019, for the commercial sector of Spanish mackerel. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) may use the control date if it decides to create restrictions limiting participation in the commercial sector for Spanish mackerel. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) would also need to approve any restrictions to the Federal commercial Spanish mackerel permit. Anyone entering the sector after the control date would not be assured of future access should a management program that limits participation in the sector be prepared and implemented. This announcement is intended, in part, to promote awareness of the potential eligibility criteria for future access to discourage speculative entry into the Spanish mackerel commercial sector while the South Atlantic Council and NMFS consider whether and how access to the sector should be further controlled.

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 take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

We are implementing 2020 specifications for the commercial golden tilefish fishery, including the annual catch and total allowable landings limits. This action establishes allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of scoping meetings via webinar (with listening stations in North Carolina) pertaining to Regulatory Amendment 34 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region. The amendment would designate artificial reefs in the federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina as Special Management Zones (SMZ) and implement fishing gear restrictions within the SMZs.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a 3-day meeting in October to discuss the items contained in the agenda in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors on November 5 to November 7, 2019. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils and NMFS, including issues related to the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSA). All sessions are open to the public.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) for the take of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in multiple specified geographical regions.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its proposed List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2020, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The LOF for 2020 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The classification of a fishery on the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan (TRP) requirements.