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

The Office of Coast Survey is transitioning its nautical products to a wide range of digital formats and web mapping services to enable more frequent updating and allow easier uptake by users. With the end of lithographic printing of NOAA paper nautical charts in April 2014, we also stopped production of the five printed nautical chart catalogs which are created in the large paper format (35 inches by 55 inches). We have now transformed the chart catalogs into letter-sized documents that users can print at home. Downloads of the ``print-at- home'' chart catalog in PDF format are free from the Coast Survey Web site. An interactive chart catalog is also available on the Coast Survey Web site (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov) for users who prefer to point, click, and download their charts from online. Coast Survey will consider making the front page of the large- format chart catalog. (We consider the reverse side, which lists chart agents, as obsolete and will not continue it.) Before making the decision, Coast Survey wants to know if demand remains for the large- format chart catalogs, and if users are willing to purchase these from commercial providers, such as NOAA-certified printing companies. Coast Survey invites written comments about: (1) Maintaining the large-format paper catalog (with no reverse side) if they are available for purchase from commercial provider; (2) the new free ``print-at- home'' PDF chart catalog; and (3) the online interactive chart catalog on the homepage of the nauticalcharts.noaa.gov Web site.

NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting via web conference call of the Sanctuary System Business Advisory Council (Council). The web conference call is open to the public, and participants can dial into the call. Participants who choose to use the web conferencing feature in addition to the audio will be able to view the presentations as they are being given.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting in Hawaii in December 2014 regarding social science in the fishery management council process.

NMFS issues regulations to implement Steller sea lion protection measures to insure that groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) off Alaska are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the western distinct population segment (WDPS) of Steller sea lions or destroy or adversely modify their designated critical habitat. These management measures disperse fishing effort temporally and spatially to provide protection from potential competition for important Steller sea lion prey species. This action is intended to protect the endangered Steller sea lions, as required by the Endangered Species Act, and to minimize, to the extent practicable, the economic impact of fishery management measures, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

In accordance with section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1451-1466), the State of Hawai`i and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) intend to conduct two public scoping meetings on December 17, 2014, in Kane`ohe, Hawai`i, and on December 19, 2014, in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as part of NOAA's draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and draft management plan (DMP) process to solicit comments for the preparation of a DEIS and DMP on the Proposed He'eia National Estuarine Research Reserve in Kane'ohe Bay.

NMFS proposes 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). If implemented, this rule would revise the recreational accountability measures (AMs) and establish a recreational annual catch target (ACT) for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The purpose of this proposed rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) for the Gulf red snapper resource and better ensure red snapper recreational landings do not exceed the recreational quota established in the rebuilding plan, in accordance with sections 303(a)(15) and 407(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1853(a)(15); 16 U.S.C. 1883(d)).

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 151st meeting.

This notice announces the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) on the application from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Region 1 for a Scientific Purposes and Enhancement of Survival Permit for a Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for take of a threatened species in accordance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This notice also announces that NMFS has made a decision to issue a permit (Permit No. 15755) to CDFW for activities described in their HGMP, and has authorized the Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for the Iron Gate Hatchery coho salmon program in the Klamath River watershed in California. This notice is provided under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and NMFS ESA permit regulations to inform the public that the Final EA, HGMP, responses to public comments, and associated documents are available for review.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will hold public meetings, December 10-16, 2014.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2014 total allowable catch of northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

This final rule announces inseason changes to management measures in the Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. This action, which is authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP), is intended to allow fisheries to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for dusky rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2014 total allowable catch of dusky rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is adjusting the 2014 seasonal apportionments of the total allowable catch (TAC) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) by re- apportioning unharvested pollock TAC from Statistical Areas 610 to Statistical Areas 620 and 630 of the GOA. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2014 pollock TAC, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) will meet December 5, 2014.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of thornyhead rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2014 total allowable catch of thornyhead rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA will be reached.

NMFS issues regulations to revise the at-sea scales program for catcher/processor vessels (C/Ps) and motherships that are required to weigh catch at sea. This action makes three major changes to current regulations. First, this action requires enhancements of daily scale testing for flow scales used to weigh catch at sea and requires electronic reporting of the daily flow scale test results. Second, this action requires that vessels required to use flow scales to weigh catch have electronics capable of logging and printing the frequency and magnitude of scale calibrations, as well as the time and date of each scale fault (or error) and scale startup. Third, this action requires that vessels use video to monitor the flow scale and the area around the flow scale. In addition, this action revises minor technical regulations related to equipment and operation regulations and removes certain regulations that are no longer applicable; and improves the accuracy of catch estimation by the C/Ps and motherships using at-sea scales and reduces the possibility of scale tampering. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and other applicable laws.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service, announce the revised taxonomy of Monachus schauinslandi (Hawaiian monk seal) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We are revising the Enumeration of endangered marine and anadromous species and Critical habitat for Hawaiian monk seals to reflect the scientifically accepted taxonomy and nomenclature of this species. We revise the scientific name of the species as follows: Neomonachus schauinslandi (= M. schauinslandi).

NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) northern rockfish and BSAI skates, and the total allowable catch (TAC) of Bering Sea (BS) ``other rockfish'' and BSAI octopuses in the BSAI management area. This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Ad Hoc Red Snapper For-Hire Advisory Panel.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's (Council) will hold public meetings to solicit public input on the management of bottomfish and yellowfin tuna in the Main Hawaiian Islands.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for gag in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings for gag, as estimated by the Science Research Director, are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for gag in the South Atlantic EEZ on November 21, 2014, for the remainder of the 2014 fishing year, through December 31, 2014. This action is necessary to protect the South Atlantic gag resource.

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), which is part of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has finalized an Environmental Assessment (EA) which analyzed the potential impacts of a slant test well project proposed by California American Water, a privately-owned water and wastewater company, and prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the environmental resources within MBNMS and adjacent shoreline areas. The proposed project described in the EA has been evaluated for consistency with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), sanctuary goals and objectives, and ONMS and MBNMS permitting regulations. The environmental impacts of the permitted action are described in the EA, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and related implementing regulations. The final EA and FONSI are available for download on the MBNMS Web site at: https://montereybay.noaa.gov/new/welcome.html#calam.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of the: Habitat and Environmental Protection Committee; Protected Resources Committee; Personnel Committee (closed session); Advisory Panel Selection Committee (closed session); Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; a joint meeting of the Dolphin Wahoo Committee and Snapper Grouper Committee; King & Spanish Mackerel Committee; Executive Finance Committee; Golden Crab Committee; Data Collection Committee; and a meeting of the Full Council. The Council will also hold a Council Member Visioning Project Workshop and receive a presentation on the Biscayne National Park Fishery Management Plan as part of the meeting. The Council will take action as necessary. The Council will also hold an informal public question and answer session regarding agenda items and a formal public comment session.

NMFS proposes 2015 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, 2015-2017 specifications for Illex squid, 2015-2017 specifications for longfin squid, and 2015-2017 specifications for butterfish. This action also proposes simplifying the butterfish fishery closure mechanism. These proposed specifications and management measures are intended to promote the utilization and conservation of the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish resources.