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

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 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to take, by harassment, small numbers of 11 species of marine mammals incidental to vibratory pile driving and pile removal activities at the Orcas Island and Friday Harbor ferry terminals in Washington State between September 2013 and February 2014.

Notice is hereby given that Douglas Nowacek, Ph.D., Duke UniversityMarine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on 34 cetacean species.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a special webinar meeting in order to address Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 19 as well as the Proposed Rule for Gulf Council Permit Transfer and Renewal Requirements. The Council will take action as necessary. The Council will also hold a public comment session via webinar.

NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 5), incorporating the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), for review by the Secretary of Commerce and is requesting comments from the public.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut 06355 [Responsible Party: Stephen Coan, Ph.D.] to collect, import, export, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

NMFS announces a combined meeting of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee (SAS) and the General Advisory Committee (GAC) to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) on May 15, 2013. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

NMFS announces the availability of, and is soliciting applications for, American Samoa pelagic longline limited entry fishing permits. At least 12 permits in two size classes are available for 2013.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC). The members will discuss and provide advice on issues outlined under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will hold the AP meetings in North Charleston, SC.

NMFS hereby reorganizes the regulations implementing the fishery management plans (FMPs) for the following domestic fisheries in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic: Caribbean coral, Caribbean reef fish, Caribbean spiny lobster, Caribbean queen conch, Gulf red drum, Gulf reef fish, Gulf shrimp, Gulf coral, Gulf and South Atlantic coastal migratory pelagics, Gulf and South Atlantic spiny lobster, South Atlantic coral, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, South Atlantic shrimp, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, South Atlantic golden crab, and South Atlantic pelagic sargassum. This interim final rule does not create any new rights or obligations; it reorganizes the existing regulatory requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations in a more logical format, i.e., by fishery, so constituents and other interested parties can locate regulatory requirements applicable to them more easily. As a part of this reorganization, the implementing regulations for the Gulf and South Atlantic spiny lobster FMP have been consolidated into the same CFR part as all other regulations implementing FMPs in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic. This interim final rule also amends references to Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) collection-of-information requirements to reflect the reorganization. Additionally, this interim final rule also amends references to incorporation by reference (IBR) to reflect updated regulatory references for the Florida Administrative Code. The intended effect of this interim final rule is to improve the organization of these regulations and make them easier for constituents and others to use.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued LOAs to take marine mammals incidental to the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas structures (EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC; Responsible Party: Dr. William Karp), 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA 02543 has been issued a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Bering Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Plan Team (CPT) will meet in Anchorage, AK.

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

On April 3, 2013, a notice was published in the Federal Register (78 FR 20092) on the proposed information collection, Fish and Seafood Promotion. The information under the Data Section is corrected as follows: Estimated time per response: 106 hours. Estimated total annual burden hours: 318. Estimated total annual cost to the public: $22.

NMFS will hold two public workshops to solicit input from stakeholders regarding our advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on potential management measures to protect glacially-associated harbor seal habitats in Alaska (78 FR 15669; March 12, 2013). During the workshops NMFS will present information regarding harbor seal habitat usage and available research on the effects of vessel disturbance. NMFS will seek input as to whether management measures are needed, and if so, what types of measures should be considered.

This notice sets forth the schedule of a forthcoming meeting of the DoC NOAA National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee (NCADAC). Time and Date: The meeting will be held Monday, May 13, 2013 from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Place: This meeting will be a conference call. Public access and materials will be available at the office of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, Conference Room A, Suite 250, 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20006. The public will not be able to dial into the call. Please check the National Climate Assessment Web site for additional information at https://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/ assessment. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 10- minute public comment period from 4:45-4:55 p.m. The NCADAC expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of two minutes. Written comments should be received in the NCADAC DFO's office by Monday, May 6, 2013 to provide sufficient time for NCADAC review. Written comments received by the NCADAC DFO after Monday, May 6, 2013 will be distributed to the NCADAC, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Special Accommodations: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations may be directed no later than 12 p.m. on Monday, May 6, 2013 to Dr. Cynthia Decker, SAB Executive Director, SSMC3, Room 11230, 1315 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Notice is hereby given that Samuel Wasser, Ph.D., University of Washington, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on killer whales (Orcinus orca).

Notice is hereby given that Rachel Cartwright, Keiki Kohola Project, 5277 West Wooley Rd., Oxnard, CA 93035, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).

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 Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt commercial fishing vessels from whiting possession limits to test an experimental trawl net as a means to reduce winter flounder bycatch in the small-mesh whiting and squid fisheries. The research is being conducted by Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, NY. 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, upon request of Port Dolphin Energy LLC (Port Dolphin), hereby issues regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to port construction and operations at its Port Dolphin Deepwater Port in the Gulf of Mexico, over the course of five years; approximately June 2013 through May 2018. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

NMFS announces that it is establishing a control date of February 10, 2011, to control future access to the commercial trap sectors of the reef fish and spiny lobster fisheries operating in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the U.S. Caribbean. If changes to the management regime are developed and implemented under the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), a control date could be used to limit the number of participants in these sectors. This announcement is intended, in part, to promote awareness of the potential eligibility criteria for future access so as to discourage speculative entry into the trap sectors while the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS consider whether and how access to the commercial trap sectors of the reef fish and spiny lobster fisheries should be controlled.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day meeting on to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).