National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a meeting of the Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) to advise the U.S. Commissioners to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on October 25October 26, 2012. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The ONMS is seeking applications for the following vacant seat on the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: Community-at-Large: Swains Island. 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 3-year terms, pursuant to the council's charter.

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 Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting.

NOAA Fisheries announces 11 inseason actions in the ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada Border to the Oregon/California Border.

The Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application submitted by Limuli Laboratories of Cape May Court House, NJ, contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. The proposed EFP would allow the harvest of up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs from the Carl N. Shuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve (Reserve) for biomedical purposes and require, as a condition of the EFP, the collection of data related to the status of horseshoe crabs within the reserve. The Deputy Director has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Horseshoe Crab Interstate Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Deputy Director proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow up to two commercial fishing vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations promulgated under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The EFP would allow for an exemption from the Reserve. Regulations under the Atlantic Coastal Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G; Responsible Party: Robert Small), 1255 West 8th Street, Juneau, AK 99811, has applied in due form for a permit to import, export, collect, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to delist the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.

NMFS issues this notice to inform interested parties that the California Dungeness crab sub-loan in the fishing capacity reduction program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery has been repaid. Therefore, buyback fee collections on California Dungeness crab will cease for all landings after June 30, 2012.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Robert A. Garrott, Ecology Department, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717 to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) for scientific research.

Members of the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee Subcommittee on Coastal Pelagic Species (SSC Subcommittee) will hold a meeting that is open to the public.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to James Shine, Ph.D., Harvard University School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 404H West, Boston, MA 02215, to import and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the fourth seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water species fishery in the GOA has been reached.

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.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., University of California at Santa Cruz, Long Marine Laboratory, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, to take pinnipeds for scientific research purposes.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) Staff will hold the second meeting of the Visioning and Strategic Planning Working Group. During this meeting, the group will finalize draft vision and mission statements, perform an abridged analysis of the Council's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and develop a goal structure for the strategic plan.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Herring Committee will meet jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Council's (ASMFC) Section to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector of two snapper-grouper species and two snapper- grouper species complexes in the South Atlantic for the 2012 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that the respective annual catch limit (ACLs) for the deep-water complex (including yellowedge grouper, blueline tilefish, silk snapper, misty grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish, black snapper, and blackfin snapper), as well as the porgy complex (including jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, scup, and saucereye porgy) will have been reached by September 8, 2012. NMFS has determined that the respective ACLs for yellowtail snapper and gray triggerfish will have been reached by September 11, 2012. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for these two snapper-grouper species and two snapper-grouper species complexes in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper resource.