National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the NOAA Office of Ocean and Atmospheric Research (OAR) invite applications for the establishment of a cooperative institute (CI) that will focus on the themes of (1) Ecosystem Forecasting, (2) Ecosystem Monitoring, (3) Ecosystem Management, Protection and Restoration of Resources, (4) Sustained Ocean Observations and (5) Climate Research. These 5 themes will be supported by a variety of research activities, which may include: Research on the linkages among productivity, fish and fisheries, pollution, climate change, and ecosystem health; Research to improve the integration and availability of ocean observations across spatial scales, from global to regional and local; Research to distinguish marine resource changes due to human impacts from those resulting from natural forcing, including climate variability and change; Development and application of new tools and approaches for monitoring ecosystem health and forecasting ecosystem change' Examination of the expected increases in socioeconomic benefits accrued from a better understanding of the effects of climate change, food webs, physical-chemical coupling, and ecosystem production dynamics' Collaborative research and education leading to closer linkages between scientific assessments and management actions. This research, conducted within the New England and the Mid- Atlantic regions, is described in the full Federal Funding Opportunity notice. Through this new CI, NOAA also seeks to augment its existing North East Regional climate research with an expanded fisheries forecasting capability, and to develop an integrated capability to research emerging issues from an ecosystem perspective. The CI may consist of one or more research institutions with expertise and capabilities in the NOAA priority areas that contribute to the areas of research described as research themes above. Through this competition, NOAA intends to establish competitively a new CI according to the policy and procedures described in NOAA Administrative Order 216-107 and the Cooperative Institute Interim Handbook both available at https:// www.nrc.noaa.gov/ci/. This announcement provides requirements for the proposed CI and includes details for the technical program, evaluation criteria, and competitive selection procedures. Applicants should review the CI Interim Handbook prior to preparing a proposal for this announcement.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene public meetings.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by Amendment 80 vessels subject to sideboard limits in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limit established for Amendment 80 vessels subject to sideboard limits in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS reopens the commercial fishery for deepwater grouper (misty grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind) and tilefishes in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS previously determined that the quotas for these commercial fisheries would be reached by May 10, 2008. The latest estimates for deepwater grouper and tilefish landings indicate the quotas were not reached by that date. Consequently, NMFS will reopen these fisheries for 10 days. The purpose of this action is to allow the fisheries to maximize harvest benefits and at the same time protect the deepwater grouper and tilefish resources.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to convene its Standing SSC via conference call.

The Scientific Data Stewardship (SDS) Project seeks to support the development and stewardship of Climate Data Records (CDRs) for the atmosphere, cryosphere, oceans, and land surface. The Project follows the National Research Council's 2004 distinction between Fundamental and Thematic Climate Data Records, and is initially focused on Fundamental CDRs and lower complexity Thematic CDRs. The SDS Project is managed by NOAA, but is informed by other government agencies such that its results represent a government-wide contribution to climate change detection, assessment, understanding, adaptation and/or mitigation.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce a 90-day finding for a petition to revise Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. The Hawaiian monk seal is listed as endangered throughout its range, and currently designated critical habitat consists of all beach areas, sand spits, and islets, including all beach crest vegetation to its deepest extent inland, lagoon waters, inner reef waters, and ocean waters out to a depth of 20 fathoms (36.6m) around specific areas in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The petition seeks to include key beach areas, sand spits, and islets, including all beach crest vegetation to its deepest extent inland, lagoon waters, inner reef waters, and ocean waters out to a depth of 200 meters around the main Hawaiian Islands, and to extend critical habitat designation in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to Sand Island and ocean waters out to a depth of 500 meters. We are initiating a review of currently designated critical habitat of the species to determine whether revision is warranted. To ensure a comprehensive review, we solicit information and comments pertaining to this species' essential habitat needs from any interested party.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel by vessels participating in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Atka mackerel allowable catch (TAC) specified for vessels participating in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery in the Western Aleutian District of the BSAI.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Research Steering Committee (Committee), in October, 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.

NMFS issues this temporary rule for a period of 30 days, to allow shrimp fishermen to use limited tow times as an alternative to Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in state and Federal waters offshore of Louisiana (from the Mississippi/Louisiana boundary to the Texas/ Louisiana boundary) extending offshore 20 nautical miles. This action is necessary because environmental conditions resulting from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike are preventing some fishermen from using TEDs effectively.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 143rd meeting to consider and take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region. The original notice published in the Federal Register on September 23, 2008 and this notice revises the agenda and is being republished in its entirety.