National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 26, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Generic Annual Catch Limits/Accountability Measures Amendment for the Gulf of Mexico
Document Number: 2011-24701
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted a Generic Annual Catch Limits/ Accountability Measures Amendment (Generic ACL Amendment) to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Reef Fish Resources, Red Drum, Shrimp, and Coral and Coral Reefs for the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. The amendment proposes actions to allow management of selected species by other Federal and/or state agencies; remove species not currently in need of Federal management from the FMPs; develop species groups for management; establish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules; establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and ACL control rules; modify framework procedures; and establish accountability measures (AMs).
Amendments to the Reef Fish, Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch and Coral and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plans of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Document Number: 2011-24700
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces that the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted a 2011 Annual Catch Limits/Accountability Measures Amendment (2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment) to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Reef Fish Resources, Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch, and Coral and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates for the U.S. Caribbean for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. This amendment proposes actions to establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) if ACLs should be exceeded for selected reef fish, spiny lobster, and aquarium trade species identified by the Secretary as not undergoing overfishing; allocate ACLs for island management areas and for the commercial and recreational sectors; revise the species within the conch FMU; establish bag limits for selected reef fish species and spiny lobster; and establish framework procedures for spiny lobster and coral and reef associated plants and invertebrates species. The 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment would also revise management reference points and status determination criteria for angelfish, boxfish, goatfish, grunts, hogfish, jacks, scups and porgies, spiny lobster, squirrelfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish and tilefish, and aquarium trade species. The intended effect of the 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment is prevent overfishing of reef fish, spiny lobster and aquarium trade species while maintaining catch levels consistent with achieving optimum yield (OY).
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2
Document Number: 2011-24677
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment (CE-BA 2) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Management actions proposed in CE-BA 2 include modification to the management of octocorals in Federal waters as well as removing the octocorals off Florida from the octocoral fishery management unit (FMU), and establishing an annual catch limit (ACL) of zero for octocorals in the revised FMU. In the Special Management Zones (SMZs) off South Carolina CE-BA 2 would limit the harvest for snapper-grouper and coastal migratory pelagic species to the recreational bag limit. CE-BA 2 would also modify sea turtle release gear requirements for the snapper- grouper fishery. Additionally, CE-BA 2 would amend selected South Atlantic Council Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) to revise or designate new essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH-Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (EFH-HAPCs).
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendments to the Queen Conch and Reef Fish Fishery Management Plans of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Document Number: 2011-24676
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 2 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and Amendment 5 to the FMP for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Amendments 2 and 5) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. These amendments would establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for queen conch and all reef fish units or complexes that are classified as undergoing overfishing or that contain sub-units which are classified as undergoing overfishing (i.e. snapper, grouper and parrotfish); allocate ACLs among island management areas and, in Puerto Rico only, among the commercial and recreational sectors; revise the composition of the snapper and grouper complexes; prohibit fishing for and possession of three parrotfish species (midnight, blue, rainbow); establish recreational bag limits for snappers, groupers, and parrotfishes; and establish framework procedures for queen conch and reef fish species. Amendments 2 and 5 would also revise management reference points and status determination criteria for queen conch, snappers, groupers, and parrotfishes. The intended effects of Amendments 2 and 5 are to prevent overfishing of queen conch and reef fish species while maintaining catch levels consistent with achieving optimum yield (OY).
Technical Amendment; Updates to Titles of Officials, Office Names, and References
Document Number: 2011-24659
Type: Rule
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This rule provides multiple administrative updates, which pertain to international fisheries and domestic fisheries. Other updates in office names and a fax number are also included.
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
Document Number: 2011-24591
Type: Notice
Date: 2011-09-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Habitat and Environmental Protection Advisory Panel (AP) in Charleston, SC.
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