National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 9, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS changes the name of a previously approved trawl gear referred to as the ``Haddock Rope trawl'' to the ``Ruhle Trawl.'' The intent of this action is to recognize the effort of Captain Phil Ruhle, Sr., who was instrumental in the development of this gear.

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 is seeking nominations for membership on the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee was established to advise the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior in implementing Section 4 of Executive Order 13158, specifically on strategies and priorities for developing the national system of marine protected areas (MPAs) and on practical approaches to further enhance and expand protection of new and existing MPAs. Nominations are sought for highly qualified non-Federal scientists, resource managers, and people representing other interests or organizations involved with or affected by marine conservation including in the Great Lakes. Fifteen members of the Committee have terms that expire October 31, 2009, and nominations are sought to fill these vacancies. Individuals seeking membership on the Advisory Committee should possess demonstrable expertise in a related field or represent a stakeholder interest affected by MPAs. Nominees also will be evaluated based on the following factors: Marine policy experience, leadership and organization skills, region of country represented, and diversity characteristics. The membership reflects the Department's commitment to attaining balance and diversity. The full text of the Advisory Committee Charter and its current membership can be viewed at the Agency's Web page at https://mpa.gov.