National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Standing, Special Reef Fish and Special Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the National Sea Grant Advisory Board (Board). Board members will discuss and provide advice on the National Sea Grant College Program in the areas of program evaluation, strategic planning, education and extension, science and technology programs, and other matters as described in the Agenda below.

Notice is hereby given that the NMFS National Marine Mammal Laboratory (Responsible Party: John Bengtson, Ph.D.), 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070 has been issued a permit to take Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) for purposes of scientific research.

NMFS approves and implements measures included in Framework Adjustment 8 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan. This action increases monkfish day-at-sea allocations and landing limits, allows vessels issued a limited access monkfish Category H permit to fish throughout the Southern Fishery Management Area, and enables vessels to use an allocated monkfish-only day-at-sea at any time throughout the fishing year. It also revises biological reference points for the monkfish stocks in the Northern and Southern Fishery Management Areas based on an updated stock assessment. The approved measures are intended to increase monkfish landings and better achieve optimum yield in each fishery management area, increase operational flexibility to maximize the value of available fishing opportunities, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Tamara McGuire, LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc., 2000 W International Airport Rd., Suite C1, Anchorage, AK 99502 to conduct research on Cook Inlet beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

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

NOAA is updating the regulations and management plan for Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS or Sanctuary). The regulations are revised to clarify the prohibition on anchoring and add an exemption to allow the use of weighted marker buoys that are continuously tended by vessel operators during otherwise lawful fishing or diving activities, not attached to a vessel, and not capable of holding a boat at anchor. An environmental assessment has been prepared that includes analysis of the consequences of this action. A revised management plan outlining management priorities for GRNMS for the next 5-10 years has also been prepared. No changes were made from the proposed to final rule.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian district (WAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2014 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery.

NMFS extends for 15 days the comment period on the proposed rule to implement special management zones for five Delaware artificial reefs.

Notice is hereby given that James Lloyd-Smith, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Box 723905, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7239, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 17115-02.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Marine Corps (Marine Corps) for authorization to take marine mammals, specifically bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), by harassment, incidental to training operations at the Marine Corps' Cherry Point Range Complex, North Carolina from September 2014 to September 2019. In this action, NMFS proposes to amend the regulations to establish a framework for authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to the Marine Corps' military training operations, and to issue a subsequent Letter of Authorization to the Marine Corps, which would contain mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements. Per the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS requests comments on its proposal to issue regulations and a subsequent Letter of Authorization to the Marine Corps.

NMFS withdraws a proposed rule that would have established new regulations pertaining to compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the context of fishery management actions developed pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Instead of going forward with a final rule directly resulting from the 2008 proposed rule, NMFS issued an internal policy on February 19, 2013. This policy, entitled ``National Environmental Policy Act Compliance for Council-Initiated Fishery Management Actions under the Magnuson-Stevens Act'' clarifies roles and responsibilities of NMFS and the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils), explains timing and procedural linkages, provides guidance on documentation needs, and fosters partnerships and cooperation between NMFS and Councils on NEPA compliance. NMFS consulted with the Councils and with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on proposed revisions to the 2013 NMFS NEPA policy directive, and based on those consultations NMFS now proposes to use this policy as a basis for issuing revised and updated NEPA procedures for MSA actions in the form of a line-office supplement to NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6. On June 30, 2014, NMFS published a Federal Register notice of availability of the draft revised and updated NEPA procedures for MSA actions and requested public comments, with a 90-day public comment period.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Red Snapper Advisory Panel.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), designate and authorize the release of a nonessential experimental population of Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the Okanogan River subbasin, and establish a limited set of take prohibitions for the nonessential experimental population under section 4(d) of the ESA. Successful reintroduction of a population within the species' historic range would contribute to its viability and further its conservation. The issuance of limited protective regulations will provide for the conservation of the species while providing assurances to people in the Okanogan River subbasin. The geographic boundary for the NEP is the main stem and all tributaries of the Okanogan River between the Canada-United States border and to the confluence of the Okanogan River with the Columbia River, Washington (hereafter ``Okanogan River NEP Area''). We have prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the proposed action under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (see ADDRESSES: section below).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Reef Fish Advisory Panel.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Risk Policy Working Group will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

We, NMFS, announce the extension of the public comment period on our June 26, 2014, 90-day finding on a petition to designate the Central North Pacific population of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and delist the DPS under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). As part of that finding, we solicited scientific and commercial information about the status of this population and announced a 30-day comment period to end on July 28, 2014. Today, we extend the public comment period to August 27, 2014. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in the agency's final determination.

NMFS announces the availability of the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management-Based Research Needs and Priorities document. The purpose of this document is to communicate key research needs that directly support Atlantic HMS management. Atlantic HMS are defined as bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas, swordfish, billfish (blue marlin, white marlin, roundscale spearfish, longbill spearfish, and sailfish), and sharks.

NMFS has received an application from SAExploration, Inc. (SAE) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to a marine 3-dimensional (3D) ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic surveys program in the state and federal waters of the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, during the open-water season of 2014. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to SAE to incidentally take, by Level B Harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish complex in the South Atlantic for the 2014 fishing year through this temporary rule. Commercial landings for the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish complex, as estimated by the Science and Research Director (SRD), are projected to reach their combined commercial annual catch limit (ACL) on July 15, 2014. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for this complex on July 15, 2014, through the remainder of the fishing year in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is necessary to protect the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish resources.

The SEDAR 41 assessments of the South Atlantic stocks of red snapper and gray triggerfish will consist of: A Data Workshop; an Assessment Workshop; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Based on request from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, NMFS proposes to lift the closure area referred to as the Northern Temporary Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Closed Area for bivalve harvesting. NMFS takes this action because this area has not been subject to a toxic algal bloom for several years and testing of bivalve shellfish has demonstrated toxin levels well below those known to cause human illness. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has developed an agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to conduct paralytic shellfish poisoning monitoring of bivalves from the area in accordance with currently accepted paralytic shellfish poisoning testing procedures.

Notice is hereby given that a public display permit has been issued to Sea World, Inc., 9205 South Park Circle, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32819.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Whiting Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.