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

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will conduct a question and answer session via webinar with NMFS's Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).

NMFS has received an application from the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to a proposed Central Bay Operations and Maintenance Facility Project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to WETA to incidentally take, by Level B Harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

In cooperation with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council announces its intent to prepare an amendment to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan and to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to analyze the impacts of any proposed management measures. This notice also announces a public process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to summer flounder fisheries in the Greater Atlantic region. This notice is to alert the interested public of the scoping process, the development of the amendment and Environmental Impact Statement, and to provide for public participation in that process.

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 has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) training activities in Virginia and North Carolina, from June 2015 through June 2020. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing our receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

NMFS is soliciting nominations to the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for technical advisors to the Advisory Committee's species working groups.

NMFS adopts a final rule to implement Amendment 106 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). Amendment 106 is necessary to bring the BSAI FMP into conformity with the amendments to the American Fisheries Act (AFA) in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (Coast Guard Act). This rule allows the owner of an AFA vessel to rebuild or replace an AFA vessel without any limitation on the length, weight, or horsepower of the rebuilt or replacement vessel when the rebuilt or replacement vessel is operating in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This rule also allows the owner of an AFA catcher vessel in an inshore cooperative to remove the vessel from the cooperative and assign the Bering Sea pollock catch history of the removed vessel to one or more vessels in the cooperative. This action is also intended to improve vessel safety and operational efficiency in the AFA fleet by allowing the rebuilding or replacement of AFA vessels with safer and more efficient vessels and by allowing the removal of inactive catcher vessels from the AFA fishery. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the AFA, the BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation's pollock directed fishing allowance from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea directed fisheries. These actions are necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2014 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

NMFS proposes to revise the regulations governing transshipment and international port inspection for vessels with Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) permits to implement recommendations adopted at recent meetings of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The proposed rule would expand the current prohibition on transfer at sea to include any tuna, tuna-like species, or other Atlantic HMS both at sea and in port inside the Atlantic Ocean, and also prohibit the transfer of Atlantic HMS by U.S. vessels outside of the Atlantic Ocean and its surrounding seas. However, tuna purse seine vessels would still be allowed to transfer Atlantic bluefin tuna from the catcher vessel to the receiving vessel in certain limited circumstances. Additionally, the proposed rule would revise current regulations for U.S.-permitted vessels landing tuna, tuna-like species, or other HMS in foreign ports or making port calls in foreign ports to update information and reporting procedures. NMFS is also notifying vessels with HMS permits of a proposed requirement that they provide an International Maritime Organization (IMO)/Lloyd's Registry (LR) number on their permit application by no later than January 1, 2016. The purpose of this proposed rule is to ensure U.S. compliance with ICCAT recommendations and to facilitate implementation of international monitoring, control, and surveillance measures for Atlantic HMS.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel will meet to develop comments relative to the 2015 spiny dogfish fishing year. Comments will be reviewed by the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee and the Council in their consideration of alternative management measures for the 2015 fishing year.

NMFS has received an application from Bluecrest Alaska Operating, LLC (Bluecrest) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting an offshore exploratory drilling program in lower Cook Inlet, AK, during the 2015 open water season. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to Bluecrest to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the U. S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee) in Duluth, MN. Dates and Times: The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and on Friday, October 3, 2014, from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Refer to the Web page listed below for the most up-to-date meeting agenda.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Sanctuary System Business Advisory Council (Council). The meeting is open to the public, and participants may provide comments at the appropriate time during the meeting.

In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC (DWBI) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to construction of the Block Island Wind Farm.

NMFS is closing the fisheries for commercial blacknose sharks and non-blacknose SCS in the Gulf of Mexico region. This action is necessary because the commercial landings of Gulf of Mexico non- blacknose SCS for the 2014 fishing season could exceed 80 percent of the available commercial quota as of September 5, 2014, and the fisheries are quota-linked under current regulations.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings for vermilion snapper, as estimated by the Science Research Director (SRD), are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the July 1 through December 31, 2014, fishing period on September 12, 2014. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 12, 2014, and it will remain closed until the start of the January 1 through June 30, 2015, fishing period. This closure is necessary to protect the vermilion snapper resource.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop 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.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires that NMFS periodically review existing regulations that have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, such as small businesses, small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions. This plan describes how NMFS will perform this review and describes the regulations that are being proposed for review during the current review cycle.

NMFS announces a 5-year review of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any information on southern right whales and sperm whales that has become available since their last 5-year review in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has submitted applications to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) (together, the Services) for incidental take permits (permits) for a term of 50 years, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permit applications address incidental take of listed species caused by WDNR authorizations of shellfish aquaculture, log booming and storage, and overwater structures undertaken by individuals, businesses, and governmental agencies on 2.6 million acres of State-owned aquatic lands, including marine and freshwater tidelands, shorelands, and bedlands of the State of Washington. The proposed permits would authorize take, incidental to otherwise lawful activities, of 29 species of fish and wildlife, including federally listed threatened and endangered species. As required by the ESA, WNDR has prepared a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) designed to minimize and mitigate the impacts to the maximum extent practicable, that will likely result from such taking. A draft implementing agreement (IA) for the HCP has also been prepared. The Services have jointly prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The DEIS evaluates the impacts of, and alternatives to, the proposed HCP and issuance of the permits. We are announcing public meetings and requesting public comment on the DEIS, proposed HCP, and the IA.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BS/AI) groundfish plan teams will meet in Seattle, WA.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability for public review of the draft Recovery Plan (Plan) for elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis). The Plan is available on the NMFS Web site at https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/recovery/plans.htm and the Southeast Regional Office Web site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ protectedresources/coral/elkhorncoral/document/ KeyDocs/DraftAcroporaRecoveryPlan.pdf. NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the draft Plan, and NMFS will consider all relevant, substantive comments received during the review period before finalizing the Plan.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities as part of a pier replacement project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Navy to incidentally take marine mammals, by Level B Harassment only, during the specified activity.

NMFS announces the closure of the 2014 commercial fishing season for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic through this temporary rule. Commercial landings for red snapper, as estimated by the Science and Research Director (SRD), are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for red snapper by September 9, 2014. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for red snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 9, 2014. This closure is necessary to protect the South Atlantic red snapper resource.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2014 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.