National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NOAA Fisheries announces that the commercial fishery in the area from Cape Falcon, Oregon to the Oregon/California border and in the area from Horse Mountain to Point Arena, California was modified by two inseason actions. Inseason action 1 modified the previously scheduled open period in the area from Cape Falcon, Oregon to the Oregon/California border. This action also modified the open dates in the area from Horse Mountain to Point Arena, California. Inseason action 2 increased the landing and possession limit in the Fort Bragg subarea from April 23-27. All other restrictions and regulations remained in effect as announced for the 2006 Ocean Salmon Fisheries and previous inseason actions.

This interim rule closes Federal waters in the main Hawaiian Islands to commercial and recreational fishing for seven deepwater bottomfish species during May 15 through September 30, 2007. This action is intended to immediately address overfishing for these species in the Hawaiian Archipelago while a long-term management program is developed for the bottomfish multi-species complex.

This final rule suspends mandatory circle hook requirements for participants in Atlantic billfish fishing tournaments through December 31, 2007. Circle hook requirements will be reinstated unchanged effective 12:01 a.m., January 1, 2008. The suspension is intended to increase post-release survival rates of Atlantic billfish in the long-term by providing an additional phase-in period during which Atlantic billfish tournament anglers can become more proficient and familiar with circle hooks and their ecological benefits, respectively.

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is proposing to allocate zero trips in the Closed Area (CA) II Yellowtail Flounder Special Access Program (SAP) during the 2007 fishing year (FY) (i.e., May 1, 2007, through April 30, 2008). The Regional Administrator has determined that the available catch of Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder is insufficient to support a minimum level of fishing activity within the CA II Yellowtail Flounder SAP for FY 2007. The intent of this action is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) in the fishery by maximizing the utility of available GB yellowtail flounder TAC throughout FY 2007.

We, NMFS, are issuing a final determination to list the distinct population segment (DPS) of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Puget Sound, Washington, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We intend to issue final protective regulations and propose critical habitat for this DPS in separate rulemakings.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will hold public meetings.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Committee, in June, 2007, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from these groups will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Rachel Kalisperis on behalf of the South Carolina Aquarium. If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicant, with certain conditions, to collect limited numbers of groupers (not including goliath grouper), snappers, tilefishes, sea basses, jacks, spadefish, grunts, porgies, mackerel, cero, cobia, dolphin fish, spiny lobster, little tunny, triggerfishes, golden crab, hogfish, porkfish, puddingwife, red drum, scup, sheepshead, shrimp, wahoo, and wreckfish. Specimens would be collected from Federal waters off the coast of South Carolina from 2007 to 2012 and displayed at the South Carolina Aquarium, located in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a public meeting of the Ad Hoc Aquaculture Advisory Panel (AP).

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team (PDT) as well as its Skate Committee in May and June, 2007 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from these groups will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

This final rule implements the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year (FY) 2007 Operations Plan and Agreement, approved by the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator). Amendment 13 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 13) authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the GB Cod Hook Sector (Sector). Pursuant to that authorization, the Sector submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Contract entitled, ``Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year 2007-2008 Operations Plan and Agreement'' (together referred to as the Sector Agreement) and requested an allocation of GB cod, consistent with regulations implementing Amendment 13. This action results in authorization of the Sector Operations Plan during the 2007 fishing year and allocation of 675 mt of GB cod to the Sector.

NOAA's Office of Education (OED) is requesting applications for a technology-based science experiential learning program to impact 4th through 9th grade students and teachers. One award will be made for a project five years in duration. The successful project will draw heavily on NOAA marine scientific resources as well as an existing set of vetted educational products. The project should feature print materials for students and teachers, multimedia products, out-of-the classroom activities and incorporate on-line elements such as live chat, podcasts or computer simulations to provide students with access to scientists and promote inquiry-based learning. A successful applicant will have extensive partnerships with NOAA, as well as other Federal, local, and private organizations. It is anticipated that final recommendations for funding under this announcement will be made by June 30, 2007, and that projects funded under this announcement will have a start date no earlier than September 15, 2007.

In accordance with provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) has been issued to the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) to take small numbers of California sea lions, Pacific harbor seals, harbor porpoises, and gray whales, by harassment, incidental to construction of a replacement bridge for the East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (SF- OBB) in California.

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 following Total Allowable Catches (TACs) in the United States (U.S.)/Canada Management Area are implemented for the 2007 fishing year (FY): 494 mt of Georges Bank (GB) cod, 6,270 mt of GB haddock, and 900 mt of yellowtail flounder. This action is intended to meet the conservation and management requirements of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. These TACs may be adjusted during FY 2007, if NMFS determines that the harvest of these stocks in FY 2006 exceeded the TACs specified for FY 2006.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Crab Plan Team will meet in Seattle, WA.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Salmon Technical Team Klamath Subcommittee (STTKS) will hold a meeting with members of the Yurok and Hoopa Tribes and additional agency personnel from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the California Department of Fish and Game to initiate planning and assignments for developing an overfishing review for Klamath River fall Chinook (KRFC). This meeting of the STTKS is open to the public.

Notice is hereby given that Molly Lutcavage, Department of Zoology, 177 A Spaulding Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824-2617, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 1557.

NMFS establishes fishery management measures for the 2007 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California and the 2008 salmon seasons opening earlier than May 1, 2008. Specific fishery management measures vary by fishery and by area. The measures establish fishing areas, seasons, quotas, legal gear, recreational fishing days and catch limits, possession and landing restrictions, and minimum lengths for salmon taken in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ)(3- 200 nm) off Washington, Oregon, and California. The management measures are intended to prevent overfishing and to apportion the ocean harvest equitably among treaty Indian, non-treaty commercial, and recreational fisheries. The measures are also intended to allow a portion of the salmon runs to escape the ocean fisheries in order to provide for spawning escapement and to provide for inside fisheries (fisheries occurring in state internal waters).

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) to NMFS for review. If approved, Amendment 80 would allocate several Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) non-pollock trawl groundfish species among trawl fishing sectors, and facilitate the formation of harvesting cooperatives in the non-American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/ processor sector. Amendment 80 is necessary to increase resource conservation and improve economic efficiency for harvesters who participate in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. This proposed amendment also is necessary to implement recent changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) that modify the allocation of groundfish resources in the BSAI to the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program, and statutory mandates that define who is eligible to harvest fish in the non-AFA catcher/processor sector for a defined list of non-pollock groundfish species in the BSAI. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the MSA, the FMP, and other applicable laws. The amendment is available for public review and comment.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) announces its intent to prepare an amendment to the Skate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of any proposed management measures. The Council is also formally initiating a public process to determine the scope of alternatives to be addressed in the amendment and EIS. The purpose of this notification is to alert the interested public of the re-commencement of the scoping process and to provide for public participation in compliance with environmental documentation requirements.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Allocation Committee (GAC) will hold a working meeting, which is open to the public.

NMFS announces the closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to limited access NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels for the remainder of the 2006 fishing year (i.e., through April 30, 2007). Based upon Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) reports and other available information, the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) has determined that 100 percent of the total allowable catch (TAC) of Georges Bank (GB) cod allocated to be harvested from the Eastern U.S./Canada Area will be harvested by April 25, 2007. This action is being taken to prevent the 2006 TAC for GB cod in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area from being exceeded during the 2006 fishing year in accordance with the regulations implemented under Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Notice is hereby given that North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, P.O. Box 69, Barrow, AK 99723 [Dr. Cheryl Rosa, Principal Investigator] has applied in due form for a permit to obtain and collect marine mammal parts/samples for the purpose of scientific research.

NMFS issues this proposed rule that would implement a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would reduce the minimum size limit for vermilion snapper to 10 inches (25.4 cm) total length (TL), eliminate the 10-fish recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper within the existing 20-fish aggregate reef fish bag limit, and eliminate the 40-day commercial closed season for vermilion snapper (from April 22 through May 31 each year). The intended effect of this proposed rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) by reducing vermilion snapper harvest limitations consistent with the findings of the recent stock assessment for this species.