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

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.

This announcement provides notice that the decision record has been closed for an administrative appeal filed with the Department of Commerce by AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, L.L.C. (collectively, AES).

NMFS proposes regulations to amend the subsistence fishery rules for Pacific halibut in waters in and off Alaska. These regulations are necessary to address subsistence halibut management concerns in densely populated areas. This action is intended to support the conservation and management provisions of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982.

NMFS proposes a regulation to implement the annual harvest guideline (HG) for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season of January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. This HG has been determined according to the regulations implementing the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and establishes allowable harvest levels for Pacific sardine off the Pacific coast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to announce a 45-day public comment period for the draft report titled, U.S. Climate Change Science Program Synthesis and Assessment Product 1.3 ``Re-analyses of historical climate data for key atmospheric features. Implications for attribution of causes of observed change.'' This draft report is being released solely for the purpose of pre- dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by NOAA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. After consideration of comments received on the draft report, a revised version along with the comments received will be published on the CCSP web site.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a meeting of its Ecosystem Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Ad Hoc Marine Reserve Scientific and Statistical Committee (ADMRSSC) in Tampa, FL on May 6 & 7, 2008.

This proposed rule would amend the regulations governing the renewal of Atlantic tunas longline limited access permits (LAPs) and amend the workshop attendance requirements for businesses issued Atlantic shark dealer permits. Specifically, the proposed regulatory changes would allow for the renewal of Atlantic tunas longline LAPs that have been expired for more than one year, if the most recent permit holder of record originally qualified for the Atlantic tunas LAP, or if the most recent permit holder of record subsequently obtained a permit by transfer, and has maintained the associated swordfish and shark LAPs through timely renewal. Also, this rule proposes to amend the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop requirements by: specifying that a workshop certificate be submitted and displayed for each place of business listed on the dealer permit which first receives Atlantic sharks by way of purchase, barter, or trade, rather than from each location listed on their dealer permit; and requiring that a copy of a valid workshop certificate be possessed in a truck or other conveyance serving as an extension of a dealer's business.

We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list Lynn Canal Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasi) as a threatened or endangered Species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). After a formal review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing Lynn Canal Pacific herring as threatened or endangered under the ESA is not warranted because this population does not constitute a species, subspecies, or distinct population segment (DPS) under the ESA. However, the Lynn Canal population is part of a larger DPS of Pacific herring that may warrant listing under the ESA, and, therefore, we initiate a status review to evaluate its status.

NMFS received seven applications for individual incidental take permits under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) from power generating stations located on the coast of southern California for the entrainment of sea turtles incidental to routine operations associated with power plant operations. As a result of these applications, NMFS is considering whether to issue the permits in accordance with the ESA authorizing the incidental taking of endangered species. In order to issue the permits, NMFS must determine that these takings will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery for the species and that habitat conservation plans meet the requirements of the ESA. NMFS provides this notice to allow public comment on the applications and conservation plans. NMFS also seeks additional commercial and scientific data relevant to the documents.

This notice corrects an error contained in the notice published in the Federal Register on March 17th, 2008. That notice announced the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program competition and contained incorrect dates.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish for catcher vessels subject to sideboard limits established under the Central GOA Rockfish Program in the Western Regulatory Area and West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the sideboard limits of northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish established for catcher vessels in the Western Regulatory Area and West Yakutat District of the GOA.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its Pelagics Plan Team (PPT), in Honolulu, HI, to discuss fishery issues and develop recommendations for future management.

CFMC will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors on May 6-9, 2008. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils, including FY 2008 budget allocations, implementation of provisions from the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA), and scientific fisheries research activities, among others.

Notice is hereby given that NOAA is planning to update and revise its Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) after five years implementing the program under these guidelines. This notice invites interested parties to provide comments or suggestions to NOAA for consideration in updating the CELCP guidelines.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by trawl catcher vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the B season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod allowable catch (TAC) specified for trawl catcher vessels in the BSAI.

NMFS issues this proposed rule that would implement Amendment 30A 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 establish accountability measures for the commercial and recreational fisheries for greater amberjack and gray triggerfish, establish commercial quotas for greater amberjack and gray triggerfish, establish a recreational quota for greater amberjack and recreational catch limits for gray triggerfish, increase the commercial and recreational minimum size limit for gray triggerfish, increase the recreational minimum size limit for greater amberjack, and reduce the greater amberjack bag limit to zero for captain and crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. In addition, Amendment 30A would establish management targets and thresholds for gray triggerfish consistent with the requirements of the Sustainable Fisheries Act. This proposed rule is intended to end overfishing of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish and to rebuild these stocks to sustainable levels.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Shrimp Review Panel via conference call.

NMFS issues this final rule to clarify the existing sea turtle conservation requirements for sea scallop dredge vessels entering waters south of 41[deg]9.0' N. latitude from May 1 through November 30 each year and to add a transiting provision to the requirements. Any vessel with a sea scallop dredge and required to have a Federal Atlantic sea scallop fishery permit, regardless of dredge size or vessel permit category, that enters waters south of 41[deg]9.0' N. latitude, from the shoreline to the outer boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) must have a chain mat on each dredge, unless the terms of the transiting provision are met. The chain-mat modified dredge is necessary to help reduce mortality and injury to endangered and threatened sea turtles in scallop dredge gear and to conserve sea turtles listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This current action addresses a procedural error in the original rulemaking to require chain mats on scallop dredge gear, clarifies the existing requirements, and adds a transiting provision to the regulations. Any incidental take of threatened sea turtles in sea scallop dredge gear in compliance with this gear modification requirement and all other applicable requirements will be exempted from the ESA's take prohibition.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) intends to prepare a DEIS to assess the impacts on the natural and human environment of the management measures proposed in its revised draft Amendment 18 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper- Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP).

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.

NMFS is closing the commercial and non-commercial fisheries in the Main Hawaiian Islands fishery for seven deepwater bottomfish species (``Deep 7'' bottomfish) as a result of reaching the total allowable catch (TAC) for the 2007-08 fishing year.

This action implements 2008 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB) and modifies existing management measures. Specifically, it clarifies gear requirements for the Loligo squid fishery, standardizes procedures for closing the Atlantic mackerel (mackerel) and butterfish fisheries, modifies incidental possession limits for mackerel and butterfish, and establishes a butterfish possession limit. These specifications and management measures promote the utilization and conservation of the MSB resource.

Notice is hereby given that Sea World, Inc., 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821 [Brad Andrews, Responsible Party] has been issued a permit to import one beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) for public display.

The meeting scheduled for April 29-30, 2008 will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Boulevard, North Charleston, SC 29418, not at 4055 Faber Place Drive as originally scheduled. The SAFMC will hold a meeting of its SSC to orient new members and introduce them to the Council system. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.