National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 11, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Division of Fish and Wildlife, (Ignacion dela Cruz, Responsible Party), has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) to take two species of seals and sea lions incidental to space vehicle and missile launch operations at the Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC) in Kodiak, Alaska.

This final rule establishes the 2011-2012 harvest specifications for most of the species in the groundfish fishery and management measures for that fishery off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP). This rule also establishes, under emergency authority in section 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), harvest specifications for eight overfished species, and for flatfish. Emergency authority is being invoked to implement measures that were included in Amendment 16-5 to the PCGFMP, which NMFS disapproved in December 2010. These include a new rebuilding plan for petrale sole, revised rebuilding plans for the remaining seven overfished species, and revised status determination criteria and precautionary harvest control rule for flatfish.