National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 21, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

At the request of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), this notice announces a control date of March 1, 2013, that may be used as a reference for future management actions applicable to, but not limited to, qualifying landings and permit history for an allocation-based management or catch share program in the Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA) trawl groundfish fisheries. This notice is intended to discourage speculative entry into the fisheries while the Council considers whether and how allocations of fishing privileges should be developed under a future management program. The Council selected the control date based on previous fishing activity in the Western GOA groundfish fisheries, in which the majority of the fishery has concluded by March 1 each year. This notice is publishing close to the control date of March 1, 2013, and so will not either prompt speculation in advance of its publication, or disadvantage any fishers regarding their fishing activity after the control date, but before publication. This notice is also intended to promote awareness of possible rulemaking and provide notice to the public that any accumulation of landings history in the Western GOA trawl groundfish fisheries occurring after the control date may not be credited for purposes of making any allocation under a future management program.

NMFS has received an application from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (L-DEO) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical (seismic) survey in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, June to July, 2013. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to L-DEO to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, 20 species of marine mammals during the specified activity.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of public hearings pertaining to Amendment 30 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a scientific research permit application request relating to salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research permit is intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The application 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 (707) 575-6097 or fax (707) 578-3435.

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 a proposed rule that would implement Amendment 42 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP). If approved, these regulations would revise the annual economic data reports (EDRs) currently required of participants in the Crab Rationalization Program (CR Program) fisheries. The EDRs include cost, revenue, ownership, and employment data that the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS use to study the economic impacts of the CR Program on harvesters, processors, and affected communities. This proposed action is necessary to eliminate redundant reporting requirements, standardize reporting across participants, and reduce participants' costs associated with the data collection. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMP, and other applicable laws.