National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The SEDAR 41 assessments of the South Atlantic stocks of red snapper and gray triggerfish will consist of a series of workshop and webinars: Data Workshops; an Assessment Workshop and Webinars; and a Review Workshop, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Office is requesting public comments to better understand the scientific community and small business concerns associated with the environmental industry, as well as improve our SBIR solicitation process. Of NOAA's four major topics, which was derived from NOAA's Research and Development (R&D) goals, what problem statements or subtopic ideas can you suggest where the project outcome enables commercial products/ services which would satisfy current or near term unmet industry needs. Please remember all submissions must be directly relevant to NOAA's mission. NOAA's four major mission topics are as follows: a. Climate Adaptation and Mitigation b. Weather-Ready Nation c. Healthy Oceans d. Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies Please categorize submissions based on the four topics above and include as many problem statements or subtopic ideas as you see fit per topic. Also, please provide a brief description of the potential commercialized products/services for each idea submitted.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that Exempted Fishing Permits to facilitate the use of monkfish research set-aside days-at-sea warrants further consideration. This notice is to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

Notice is hereby given that Carlos E. Diez, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de Puerto Rico, Programa de Especies Protegidas, P.O. Box 366147, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936, has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

The SEDAR Data Best Practices Panel will develop, review, and evaluate best practice recommendations for SEDAR Data Workshops, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS issues this interim final rule to revise regulations implementing the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act (DPCIA) to enhance the requirements for documentation that demonstrates the accuracy of dolphin-safe labels on tuna products. This interim final rule: Modifies the regulations (referred to hereafter as the ``determination provisions'') under which the NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) may require proof of an observer certification if the Assistant Administrator determines that a fishery has a regular and significant association between dolphins and tuna and/or has a regular and significant mortality or serious injury of dolphins, to apply equally to purse seine and other gear-type tuna fisheries; provides that a government certificate validating the catch documentation, segregation, and chain of custody may be required for tuna produced from a fishery about which the Assistant Administrator has made a determination under the determination provisions; restructures NOAA regulations such that they now provide for one straightforward certification regarding intentional deployment and mortality/serious injury for all fisheries that produce tuna that is potentially eligible for the dolphin-safe label; modifies the Fisheries Certificate of Origin (FCO) to require captains to complete a training for certifications that must accompany the FCO; enhances chain of custody tracking requirements for tuna and tuna product; and makes several non-substantive modifications to the regulations. This interim final rule brings the United States into compliance with its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Tilefish Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting.

Notice is hereby given that the California State University, Bakersfield [Responsible Party: Antje Lauer, Ph.D.], 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on pinnipeds for scientific research, and receive, import, and export specimens from these species.

This action transfers unused quota of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder from the Atlantic scallop fishery to the Northeast multispecies fishery for the remainder of the 2015 fishing year. This quota transfer is justified when the scallop fishery is not expected to catch the entire allocation of either stock of yellowtail flounder. The quota transfer is intended to provide additional harvest opportunities for groundfish vessels to help achieve the optimum yield for these stocks while ensuring sufficient amounts of yellowtail flounder are available for the scallop fishery.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory entities will hold public meetings.

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

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Port of Anchorage (POA) to incidentally harass four species of marine mammals during activities related to the implementation of a Test Pile Program, including geotechnical characterization of pile driving sites, near its existing facility in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

This action proposes approval of, and regulations to implement, Framework Adjustment 55 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This rule would set 2016-2018 catch limits for all 20 groundfish stocks, adjust the groundfish at-sea monitoring program, and adopt several sector measures. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information and achieve the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.

NMFS announces final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2016 and 2017 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

This action corrects an error in the Gulf of Maine haddock closed season in the proposed rule to implement 2016 recreational groundfish management measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. NMFS is also extending the public comment period to provide additional time for the public to submit comments on the corrected measure.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP) via webinar.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Tilefish Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes annual management measures governing the Pacific halibut fishery recommended as regulations by the IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of State. This action is intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and further the goals and objectives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC).

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 B season allowance of the 2016 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 630 in the GOA.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 17 to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 17 management measures were developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to: Add cost recovery provisions for the Individual Transferable Quota component of the fishery; modify how biological reference points are incorporated into the fishery management plan; and remove the plan's optimum yield range. These changes are intended to make the management plan consistent with requirements of the Magnuson- Stevens Act, and to improve the management of these fisheries.

NMFS announces the withdrawal of the Federal moratorium on fishing for American eel in the State waters of Delaware. NMFS withdraws the moratorium, as required by the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act), based on the determination that Delaware is now in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel.

NMFS and the Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (SAW) will convene the 62nd SAW Stock Assessment Review Committee for the purpose of reviewing the stock assessments of Black Sea Bass and Witch Flounder. The Northeast Regional SAW is a formal scientific peer- review process for evaluating and presenting stock assessment results to managers for fish stocks in the offshore U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. Assessments are prepared by SAW working groups and reviewed by an independent panel of stock assessment experts called the Stock Assessment Review Committee, or SARC. The public is invited to attend the presentations and discussions between the review panel and the scientists who have participated in the stock assessment process.

We (NMFS) intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and to conduct public scoping meetings to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by assessing potential impacts resulting from the proposed implementation of new sea turtle regulatory requirements in the shrimp fishery of the southeastern United States. These requirements are proposed to protect threatened and endangered sea turtles in the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico from incidental capture, and would be implemented under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its Marine Planning and Climate Change Committee (MPCCC), Social Science Plan Committee (SSPC) and Protected Species Advisory Committee (PSAC) to review relevant sections of the draft 2015 annual reports for the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan (Pelagic FEP), American Samoa Archipelago FEP, Hawaii FEP, Mariana Archipelago FEP and Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) FEP and related purposes. The committees will also receive updates on matters related to fishery management and may make recommendations on these topics.