National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2005 Atlantic herring fishery, which would be maintained through 2006 unless stock and fishery conditions change substantially. The regulations for the Atlantic herring fishery require NMFS to publish specifications for the upcoming year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of the specifications is to conserve and manage the Atlantic herring resource and provide for a sustainable fishery. NMFS also proposes one clarification to the Atlantic herring regulations, which would remove references to the dates on which the proposed and final rules for the annual specifications must be published.

NMFS increases the trip limit in the commercial hook-and-line fishery for king mackerel in the Florida east coast subzone from 50 to 75 fish per day in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This trip limit increase is necessary to maximize the socioeconomic benefits of the quota.

This announcement provides notice that the decision record has been closed for an administrative appeal filed with the Department of Commerce by Luz Torres DeRosa.

The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere has requested the NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB) to conduct an external review of NOAA's ecosystem research and science enterprise. The SAB is chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with the responsibility to advise the Under Secretary on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction. The SAB is forming an external panel to review and draft recommendations on the appropriateness of the mix of scientific activities conducted and/or sponsored by NOAA to its mission and on the organization of NOAA's ecosystem research and science enterprise. Nominations to the panel are being solicited herein. The intent is to select from the nominees. However, the SAB retains the prerogative to name people to the review team that were not nominated if it deems it necessary to achieve the desired balance. Once selected, the SAB will post the review panel, with abridged resumes, at: https:// www.sab.noaa.gov/Doc/Documents.html.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council(Council) will hold a meeting of its Pelagics Plan Team (PPT) to discuss overfishing of Pacific bigeye tuna and to develop recommendations for future management. The agenda for the meeting can be found under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

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.

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.

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.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2005 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Council documents as well as the dates and locations of Council meetings and public hearings comprising the Council's complete schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

Notice is hereby given that a request for modification of scientific research Permit No. 1299 submitted by Raymond R. Carthy has been granted.

NMFS is notifying the owners and operators of registered vessels of their assignments for the A season Atka mackerel fishery in harvest limit area (HLA) 542 and/or 543 of the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the harvest of the A season HLA limits established for area 542 and area 543 pursuant to the interim 2005 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI.

Notice is hereby given that Dr. Kathy Carlstead, Honolulu Zoo, 151 Kapahulu Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815, has requested a permit to import marine mammal parts for scientific research.

The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board will meet in Washington, D.C. The meeting agenda can be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

OCRM published a document in the Federal Register of January 5, 2005, announcing dates of the public scoping meetings pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The document contained an incorrect action, summary, and dates.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received applications for direct take of listed species from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The Permit applications are for the direct take of listed Snake River sockeye salmon, associated with the operation of a captive propagation program. The proposed permits will renew and replace permits 1120 and 1148. The duration of the new permits is approximately 5 years, expiring on December 31, 2009. This document serves to notify the public of the availability for comment of the permit applications and of the associated draft EA before a final decision on whether to issue a Finding of No Significant Impact is made by NMFS. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA.

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is re-opening the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to all limited access NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels and is removing the prohibition on all NE multispecies limited access vessels from harvesting, possessing, or landing Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder from within the entire U.S./Canada Management Area. This action also removes the yellowtail flounder and cod daily poundage limits for the entire U.S./Canada Management Area and Eastern U.S./ Canada Area, respectively, but retains the 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) trip limit for GB yellowtail flounder and a 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) trip limit for GB cod, consistent with ensuring that the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for these species will not be exceeded by the end of the 2004 fishing year.

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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

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.

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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)).

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.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement measures in Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) developed jointly by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils). Amendment 2 was developed to address essential fish habitat (EFH) and bycatch issues, and to revise the FMP to address several issues raised during the public scoping process. This proposed action includes the following programs and measures: A new limited access permit for qualified vessels fishing south of 38[deg] 20' N. lat.; an offshore trawl fishery in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA); a maximum disc diameter of 6-inches (15.2 cm) for trawl gear vessels fishing in the SFMA; closure of two deep-sea canyon areas to all gears when fishing under the monkfish day-at-sea (DAS) program; establishment of a research DAS set-aside program; an exemption program for vessels fishing outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); adjustments to the incidental monkfish catch limits; a decrease in the minimum monkfish size in the SFMA; removal of the 20-day block requirement; revisions to the monkfish baseline provisions; and additions to the frameworable measures. This intent of this action is to provide efficient management of the monkfish fishery and to meet conservation objectives.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day Council meeting on February 1-3, 2005, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a scientific research permit application relating to Pacific salmon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts.

Notice is hereby given of the following actions: Dr. Colleen Reichmuth Kastak, Long Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Schaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, has been issued a scientific research permit (No. 1072-1771- 00); and John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective, 218 1/2 West Fourth Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 540-1502-00.