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

This proposed rule provides interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposed Sector Operations Plan and Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) prior to final approval or disapproval of the Sector Operations Plan and allocation of Georges Bank (GB) cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the Fixed Gear Sector for fishing year (FY) 2008. Framework Adjustment (FW) 42 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) created the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Fixed Gear Sector (Fixed Gear Sector) and authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod TAC to the Fixed Gear Sector. Pursuant to that authorization, a representative of the Fixed Gear Sector has submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Agreement (Contract), and requested an allocation of GB cod to the Fixed Gear Sector for FY 2008.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the A season allowance of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management is issuing this notice to advise the public that a DEIS for OCRM's review of amendments to the Washington Coastal Management Program has been prepared and is available for public review and comment. Written requests for the DEIS and written comments on the DEIS can be submitted to the individual listed in the section FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Public Hearings will be held on April 10, 2008 and April 11, 2008. The public comment period commenced on February 29, 2008 as noticed in the Federal Register at https://frwebgate4.access.gpo.gov/ cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=5668694961+0+0+0&WAISaction=re trieve and will close on April 14, 2008. Public Comment Hearings: The start of the public comment period on the DEIS commenced February 29, 2008 and will close on April 14, 2008. Two public hearings will be held; one on April 10, 2008 and one on April 11, 2008 in Lacey, Washington and Seattle, Washington, respectively. The public hearing on April 10th will be held in Lacey, Washington at the Washington State Department of Ecology Headquarters, (300 Desmond Drive) and will begin at 3:30 p.m. and last until 6:30 p.m. The public hearing on April 11th will be held in Seattle Washington at the Mountaineers Building, Tahoma 2 Room (300 Third Avenue West) and will begin at 3:30 p.m. and last until 6:30 p.m.

NMFS is continuing its solicitation of nominations for the Advisory Panel (AP) on Pacific Whiting called for in the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006 (Act). An initial solicitation was published in the Federal Register on October 24, 2007 and resulted in insufficient nominations to meet the requirements of the Act. Nominations are being sought for at least 6, but not more than 12 individuals to serve as United States representatives on the AP. Nomination packages received during the initial solicitation period will be considered in final selection of United States representatives to the AP and it is not necessary to resubmit them.

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 New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Oversight Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

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 A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod allowable catch (TAC) specified for trawl catcher vessels in the BSAI.

NMFS, in cooperation with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council), is preparing an EA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Amendment 30B to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. This notice is intended to inform the public of the change from the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to an EA for Amendment 30B.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), on behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes annual management measures promulgated as regulations by the IPHC and approved by the Secretary of State governing the Pacific halibut fishery. The AA also announces modifications to the Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) for Area 2A (waters off the U.S. West Coast) and implementing regulations for 2008, and announces approval of the Area 2A CSP. These actions are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and further the goals and objectives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council).

We, NMFS, completed a status review of right whales in the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in December 2006 and are listing the currently endangered northern right whale (Eubalaena spp.) as two separate, endangered species, North Pacific right whale (E. japonica) and North Atlantic right whale (E. glacialis).

This document corrects a map in the regulatory language of a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of February 6, 2008. This correction makes the map of the Florida area of critical habitat for elkhorn and staghorn corals consistent with the textual description.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) announces its intent to prepare an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus ((Gmelin)) and to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of any proposed management measures. The Council is also formally re-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.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization for the take of marine mammals incidental to Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training (AFAST) activities conducted off the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico for the period beginning January 2009 and ending January 2014. Pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing our receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

NMFS proposes regulations to modify both the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries. This action would amend current regulations to remove a prohibition against the use of longline pot fishing gear in the Bering Sea sablefish IFQ and sablefish CDQ fisheries in the month of June. This action also would add regulatory provisions to allow members of the National Guard and military reserves who are mobilized to active duty to temporarily transfer their annual halibut and sablefish IFQ to other eligible IFQ recipients. This action is necessary to increase the efficiency of fishermen operating longline pot vessels in the Bering Sea sablefish fishery and to allow guardsmen and reservists to accrue some economic benefit from their annual IFQ if unable to harvest it due to military service. This proposed action is intended to promote the conservation and management provisions in the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act).

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability of the Final Revised Recovery Plan, dated March 2008, for the western and eastern distinct population segments (DPS) of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). NMFS also provides a link to the comprehensive and extensive responses to comments on the May 2007 Draft Revised Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan posted on our website.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Herring Oversight Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations. These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 1,238 nm\2\ (4,246 km\2\), east of Chatham, Massachusetts for 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide protection to an aggregation of northern right whales (right whales).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is preparing a draft environmental impact statement to consider the establishment of a research (control) area in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS). Activities are restricted within research areas in order to facilitate better understanding of resources and environmental processes. This notice announces the beginning of public scoping pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The public scoping process, including public scoping meetings, is intended to solicit information and comments on the range and significance of issues related to the establishment of a research area at Gray's Reef. The results of this scoping process will assist NOAA in formulating alternatives for the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed research area. This notice contains times, dates, and locations for scoping meetings.

NMFS is proposing to implement new management measures for the monkfish fishery recommended in Framework Adjustment 5 (Framework 5) to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which has been submitted jointly by the New England (NEFMC) and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils). This action would implement revised biological reference points in the FMP to be consistent with the recommendations resulting from the most recent stock assessment for this fishery (Northeast Data Poor Stocks Working Group (DPWG, July 2007)), and implement revised management measures to ensure that the monkfish management program succeeds in keeping landings within the target total allowable catch (TAC) levels.

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 reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (< 18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot or hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the A season apportionment of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

This announcement provides notice that Mr. G. Walter Swain has filed an administrative appeal with the Department of Commerce asking that the Secretary override the State of Delaware's objection to Mr. Swain's proposed construction of a marina and associated structures at the confluence of Cedar Creek and Mispillion River, in Milford, Delaware.

This announcement provides notice that the Secretary of Commerce has stayed, for a period of 60 days, closure of the decision record in administrative appeals filed by Weaver's Cove, LLC and Mill River Pipeline, LLC (Weaver's Cove and Mill River Consistency Appeals).

NMFS is opening 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) for 24 hours. This action is necessary to fully use the A season allowance of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.