National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 18, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures
NMFS proposes regulations to implement an omnibus amendment to three of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's fishery management plans. The omnibus amendment proposes to change the accountability measures for the Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic bluefish, summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The proposed measures are intended to more appropriately address accountability in the recreational fisheries.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 7; Extension of Comment Period
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is amending the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP to address bluefin tuna management due to recent trends and characteristics of the bluefin fishery. This action is necessary to meet domestic management objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act including preventing overfishing, achieving optimal yield, and minimizing bycatch to the extent practicable, as well as the objectives of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA) and obligations pursuant to binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). NMFS takes these actions to reduce bluefin dead discards and account for dead discards in all categories; optimize fishing opportunities in all categories; enhance reporting and monitoring; and adjust other aspects of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP as necessary. The proposed measures include Allocation measures, Area- Based measures, Bluefin Quota Controls, Enhanced Reporting measures, and other measures with respect to how the various quota categories utilize quota. In the proposed rule that published on August 21, 2013, NMFS announced the end of the comment period as October 23, 2013, which allowed an approximately 60-day comment period. Given the length and complexity of the rule, and to provide additional time for constituents to consider the proposed rule in light of any new recommendations adopted by ICCAT at its November 2013 meeting, NMFS is extending the comment period for this action until December 10, 2013, to provide additional opportunities for public comment.
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications
NMFS proposes to implement the annual catch limit (ACL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch target (ACT) and associated annual reference points for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season of July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. This rule is proposed according to the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The proposed 2013-2014 ACL for Pacific mackerel is 52,358 metric tons (mt). The proposed ACT, which will be the directed fishing harvest target, is 39,268 mt. If the fishery attains the ACT, the directed fishery will close, reserving the difference between the ACL and ACT (which is 13,089 mt) as a set aside for incidental landings in other CPS fisheries and other sources of mortality. This rule is intended to conserve and manage the Pacific mackerel stock off the U.S. West Coast.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 27
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 27 (Amendment 27) to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 27 would extend the South Atlantic Council's jurisdiction for management of Nassau grouper into the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ); increase the number of allowable crew members to four on dual-permitted snapper-grouper vessels (i.e., vessels holding a South Atlantic Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit for Snapper-Grouper and a commercial South Atlantic Unlimited or a 225-Pound Trip Limit Snapper-Grouper Permit) that are fishing commercially; remove the prohibition on retaining any fish under the aggregate bag limit for grouper and tilefish or the vermilion snapper bag limit by captain and crew of federally-permitted for-hire vessels; modify the snapper-grouper framework procedures to allow acceptable biological catch levels (ABCs), annual catch limits (ACLs), and annual catch targets (ACTs) to be adjusted via an abbreviated framework process; and remove blue runner from the FMP.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Revisions to Headboat Reporting Requirements for Species Managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) approved the Joint South Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico Generic Charter/Headboat Reporting in the South Atlantic Amendment (For-Hire Reporting Amendment) during its March 2013 meeting, and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) approved the amendment at its February 2013 meeting. The Councils submitted the amendment to NMFS for agency review under procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The For-Hire Reporting Amendment includes Amendment 31 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 6 to the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic; and Amendment 22 to the FMP for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. If approved, the For- Hire Reporting Amendment would amend the FMPs to modify data reporting for for-hire vessels in the South Atlantic. Under the preferred alternative, headboat vessels in the South Atlantic would be required to submit electronic fishing records to the NMFS' Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Science and Research Director (SRD) weekly, or at intervals shorter than a week if notified by the SRD.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the 2013 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 630 in the GOA.
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Red Snapper Management Measures
NMFS issues this final rule to implement management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This rule increases the 2013 commercial and recreational quotas for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish fishery and re-opens the red snapper recreational season for 2013. This final rule is intended to allow increased harvest of Gulf red snapper without increasing the risk of red snapper experiencing overfishing or jeopardizing the rebuilding plan.
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar
In accordance with regulations issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, we hereby give notification that we, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), have issued four 1-year Letters of Authorization (Authorizations) to the U.S. Navy (Navy) to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to their military readiness activities associated with the routine training, testing, and military operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) sonar within the northwest Pacific Ocean and the north-central Pacific Ocean.
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Low-Energy Marine Geophysical Survey in the Tropical Western Pacific Ocean, September to October 2013
In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), a part of the University of California at San Diego, to take marine mammals, by Level B harassment, incidental to conducting a low-energy marine geophysical (seismic) survey in the tropical western Pacific Ocean, September to October 2013.
Endangered Species; File No. 14726
Notice is hereby given that Blair Witherington, Ph.D., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL, 32951, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 14726-01.
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