National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 6, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS); Revision of the Enhanced Mobile Transmitter Unit (E-MTU) Reimbursement Program
Document Number: E8-9994
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS revises the availability of grant funds for vessel owners and/or operators who have purchased an Enhanced Mobile Transmitter Unit (E-MTU) for the purpose of complying with fishery regulations requiring the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). These funds will be used to reimburse vessel owners and/or operators for the purchase price of the E-MTU. This notice supersedes all previous notices on VMS MTU or E-MTU reimbursement.
Draft Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: Notice of Public Availability and Meetings
Document Number: E8-9977
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) NOAA is soliciting public comment on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Allocation of Trips to Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder Special Access Program
Document Number: E8-9970
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS proposes to allocate zero trips in the Closed Area (CA) II Yellowtail Flounder Special Access Program (SAP) during the 2008 fishing year (FY) (i.e., May 1, 2008, through April 30, 2009). This action is based on a determination 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 2008. 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 2008.
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Document Number: E8-9967
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator) has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow one commercial fishing vessel to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. The EFP, which would enable the applicants to investigate the feasibility of using a trawl net with buoyant ground cables and a buoyant sweep to reduce seabed contact and improve species selectivity, would allow for exemptions for one vessel from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Program as follows: Gulf of Maine (GOM) Rolling Closure Areas II, III, and IV. 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 EFPs.
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: E8-9914
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS) and Salmon Technical Team (STT) will hold work sessions by telephone conference, which are open to the public, to develop recommendations for the June 2008 Council meeting.
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: E8-9913
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a joint meeting of The Standing and Special Reef Fish SSCs (SSC).
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: E8-9912
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The New England Fishery Management Council's Recreational Advisory Panel will meet to consider possible actions affecting New England groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: E8-9911
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Survey Advisory Panel in May, 2008 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.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Gear Authorization and Turtle Control Devices
Document Number: E8-9888
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS proposes to authorize green-stick gear for the harvest of Atlantic tunas, including bluefin tuna (BFT); authorize harpoon gear for the harvest of Atlantic tunas, including BFT, in the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat (CHB) category; and require a sea turtle control device in Atlantic HMS pelagic longline (PLL) and bottom longline (BLL) fisheries. Public comments have been received requesting authorization of these gears for harvest of Atlantic tunas. The purpose of this proposed rule is to provide additional opportunities for fishermen to harvest Atlantic tunas within quotas, size limits, or other established limitations and to distinguish green- stick fishing gear from current definitions of other authorized gear types. The purpose of the proposed rule to require sea turtle control devices in the PLL and BLL fisheries is to achieve and maintain low post-release mortality of sea turtles thus maintaining consistency with the 2004 Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the Atlantic PLL fishery and to increase safety at sea for fishermen when handling sea turtles caught or entangled in longline fishing gear.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the 2008 Deepwater Grouper Commercial Fishery
Document Number: E8-9886
Type: Rule
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS closes the commercial fishery for deepwater grouper (misty grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has determined that the deepwater grouper quota for the commercial fishery will have been reached by May 10, 2008. This closure is necessary to protect the deepwater grouper resource.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the 2008 Commercial Fishery for Tilefishes
Document Number: E8-9878
Type: Rule
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS closes the commercial fishery for tilefishes in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has determined that the quota for the commercial fishery for tilefishes will have been reached by May 10, 2008. This closure is necessary to protect the tilefish resource.
Pacific Halibut Fishery; Guideline Harvest Levels for the Guided Recreational Halibut Fishery; Correction
Document Number: E8-9869
Type: Notice
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS published a notice of Pacific halibut guideline harvest levels (GHLs) for the guided sport charter vessel fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory areas 2C and 3A in the Federal Register on February 5, 2008 (73 FR 6709). This notice contained an incorrect metric conversion for the Area 2C GHL.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Tilefish Fishery; Quota Harvested for Full-time Tier 2 Category
Document Number: 08-1218
Type: Rule
Date: 2008-05-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual total allowable landings (TAL) available to the tilefish Full-time tier 2 permit category for the 2008 fishing year will be harvested on May 8, 2008. Therefore, commercial vessels fishing under the tilefish Full- time Tier 2 permit may not harvest tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for the remainder of the 2008 fishing year (through October 31, 2008) as of May 8, 2008. Regulations governing the tilefish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the public of this closure.
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