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

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Becky Woodward, Ph.D., University of Maine, 9500 Old Retriever Trail, Charles City, Virginia 23030 to conduct research on Eastern gray (Eschrichtius robustus), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and short- and long- finned pilot whales (Globicephala spp.) and endangered humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales. Fin (B. physalus) and sei (B. borealis) whales may be incidentally harassed.

NMFS announces a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee (SAS) on May 30, 2012, and a meeting of the General Advisory Committee (GAC) to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) on May 31, 2012. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

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

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Outreach and Education Advisory Panel will hold a meeting.

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 issues this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to provide background information and request public comment on potential adjustments to the National Standard 1 Guidelines, one of 10 national standards for fishery conservation and management contained in Section 301 of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Since the guidelines were last updated in 2009, a number of issues regarding the application of the guidelines were identified by stakeholders and managers that may warrant their revision. This action provides the public with a formal opportunity to comment on the specific ideas mentioned in this ANPR, as well as any additional ideas and solutions that could improve provisions of the National Standard 1 Guidelines.

Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, (Principal Investigator: Michael Rehberg), has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 14325-01 for taking Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska.

NMFS is announcing an extension in the public comment period for the notice to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and provide comments on the proposed adoption of the California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy (CEMP) by NMFS Southwest Region (SWR) Habitat Conservation Division (HCD). NMFS published the CEMP, which included a request for comment in the Federal Register on March 9, 2012. The public comment period was to end on May 8, 201260 days after publication in the Federal Register. The purpose of this document is to extend the comment period an additional 60 days until July 7, 2012. This extension of the comment period is provided to allow the public additional time to provide comment on the CEMP. The intent of the CEMP is to help ensure consistent and effective mitigation of unavoidable impacts to eelgrass habitat throughout the SWR. The CEMP is a unified policy document for SWR-HCD, based on the highly successful implementation of the Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy, which has improved mitigation effectiveness since its initial adoption in 1991. This policy is needed to ensure effective, statewide eelgrass mitigation and will help ensure that unavoidable impacts to eelgrass habitat are fully and appropriately mitigated. It is anticipated that the adoption and implementation of this policy will provide for enhanced success of eelgrass mitigation in California. Given the success of the Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy, the California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy reflects an expansion of the application of this policy with minor modifications to ensure a high standard of statewide eelgrass management and protection. The CEMP will supersede the Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy for all areas of California upon its adoption.

This final rule partially approves, and implements, 19 Northeast (NE) multispecies (groundfish) sector operations plans and contracts for fishing year (FY) 2012, and allocates quotas of NE multispecies to the sectors. This final rule does not approve certain exemptions and measures proposed in the operations plans, as explained below. Approval of sector operations plans is necessary to allocate quota to the sectors and to grant the sectors regulatory exemptions. This provides vessels participating in sectors with increased operational flexibility while limiting overall fishing mortality. This final rule also announces a preliminary allocation to the New Hampshire State-Operated Permit Bank.

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.

This notice announces the date, time, and location of the public meeting being held prior to the 64th annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting.

NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to construction activities as part of a pile replacement project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to the Navy to take, by Level B Harassment only, six species of marine mammals during the specified activity.

NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) have submitted Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 11 proposes to limit spiny lobster fishing using trap gear in certain areas in the exclusive economic zone off the Florida Keys to protect threatened species of corals.

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2012 Atlantic bluefish fishery, including an annual catch limit, total allowable landings, a commercial quota and recreational harvest limit, and a recreational possession limit. This action establishes the allowable 2012 harvest levels and other management measures to achieve the target fishing mortality rate, consistent with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan.

Notice is hereby given that Paul E. Nachtigall, Ph.D., Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, P.O. Box 1106, Kailua, Hawaii 96734 has been issued a minor amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 978-1857.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of Marine Protected Area (MPA) Expert Workgroup and Public MPA Workshop in Pooler, GA. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Habitat and Environmental Protection (Habitat) Advisory Panel (AP) to provide input on measures in Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 3 and other habitat related topics. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is amending the regulations for Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary to improve vessel and user safety, protect sanctuary resources from user impacts, clarify discharge language, and make other technical changes and corrections.

In order to better inform the public and NMFS, a conference call that is open to the public will be held to discuss historical and future data collection in the U.S. recreational yellowfin tuna fishery and the relationship to international yellowfin tuna management (e.g., quota establishment or tracking landings).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), 3333 N. Torrey Pines Ct., La Jolla, CA 92037, [Responsible Party: Lisa Ballance, Ph.D.] has been issued a permit to take leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) for purposes of scientific research.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 15 scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, the southern distinct population segment of pacific green sturgeon, and three species of rockfish from the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications may be viewed online at: https:/ /apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/previewopenforcomment.cfm.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received two scientific research and enhancement permit application requests relating to salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research activities are intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications and related documents may be viewed online at: https:// apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/previewopenforcomment.cfm. These documents are also available upon written request or by appointment by contacting NMFS by phone (916) 930-3600 or fax (916) 930-3629.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This EFP would allow commercial fishing vessels to temporarily possess and scientifically sample fish caught during normal commercial fishing operations that would otherwise be required to be immediately discarded for the purpose of characterizing the bycatch of the Southern New England sea scallop fishery. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

NMFS is implementing final specifications, which consist of catch levels and management measures, for the 2012 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The specifications are necessary to ensure the three species are not overfished or subject to overfishing in 2012. This final rule makes no changes to the interim specifications implemented on January 1, 2012, which were established using the best available scientific information.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold the 48th meeting of its Fishery Data Coordinating Committee (FDCC) to review the progress of data collection improvements, identifying the next steps in data improvements, changes in the FDCC structure, operation, and membership.