National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 9, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has submitted four Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans (HGMPs) pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Pacific salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The HGMPs specify the operations of four hatchery programs rearing salmon and steelhead in the Sandy River subbasin within the State of Oregon. This document serves to notify the public of the availability of the HGMPs and associated draft environmental assessment (EA) for comment prior to a decision by NMFS whether to approve the proposed hatchery programs.

At the request of the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils), this notice announces a control date that may be applicable to, but not limited to, limits on the accumulation of excessive control or ownership of fishing privileges, qualifying landings history for an allocation-based management program, and referendum qualification, should one be required in the monkfish fishery. This notice is intended to promote awareness of possible rulemaking; provide notice to the public that any future accumulation of fishing privilege interests in the monkfish fishery may be affected, restricted, or even nullified; and to discourage speculative behavior in the market for fishing privileges while the Councils consider whether and how such limitations on accumulation of fishing privileges should be developed. Interested participants should locate and preserve records that substantiate and verify their ownership or control of monkfish permits and other fishing privileges, as well as monkfish landings history in Federal waters.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leases in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska.

The ONMS is extending the deadline and seeking applications for the following vacant seats on the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: Chumash Community Member and Alternate. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve two-year terms, pursuant to the council's Charter.