National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is adjusting the commercial aggregated large coastal shark (LCS) and hammerhead shark management group retention limit for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region from 25 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip to 3 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip. This action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments. The retention limit will remain at 3 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip in the Atlantic region through the rest of the 2017 fishing season or until NMFS announces via a notification in the Federal Register another adjustment to the retention limit or a fishery closure is warranted. This retention limit adjustment will affect anyone with a directed shark limited access permit fishing for LCS in the Atlantic region.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management will hold public meetings to solicit comments for the performance evaluation of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.

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 is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolution C-17-01 (Conservation of Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean During 2017), which was adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC or Commission) in February 2017. Applicable to 2017 only, most provisions of Resolution C-17-01 are identical in content to the previous resolution on tropical tuna management that expired at the end of 2016. The provisions that are maintained in Resolution C-17-01 from the previous resolution include a 500 metric ton (mt) bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) calendar year catch limit applicable to longline vessels greater than 24 meters (m) in overall length and a 62-day closure period applicable each year to purse seine vessels of class size 4 to 6 (greater than 182 mt carrying capacity). In addition, the resolution includes a new requirement for total allowable catch limits (TACs) for yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna harvested in purse seine sets on floating objects (97,711 mt) and in sets involving chase and encirclement of dolphins (162,182 mt). This rule implements all of those requirements and revises related regulations for clarification purposes. This rule is necessary for the conservation of tropical tuna stocks in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement AP in Charleston, SC. The meeting is open to the public.

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 Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) to incidentally harass seven species of marine mammals during activities related to the implementation of a Ferry Terminal Improvements Project in Gustavus, Alaska.

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.

Notice is hereby given that nine individuals or organizations have been issued permits to take Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research.

Notice is hereby given that Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK (Responsible Party: Robert Small, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on ice seals in Alaska.

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to operations and information services. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support to resource management. Time and Date: The meeting will be held Monday, April 24, 2017 from 9:45 a.m. EDT to 5:45 p.m. EDT and on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. EDT to 12:00 p.m. EDT. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to the Web page www.sab.noaa.gov/SABMeetings.aspx for the most up-to-date meeting times and agenda. Place: The meeting will be held at The DoubleTree by Hilton, 8727 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 15- minute public comment period on April 25th from 10:45-11:00 a.m. EDT (check Web site to confirm time). The SAB 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 (2) minutes. Individuals or groups planning to make a verbal presentation should contact the SAB Executive Director by April 17, 2017 to schedule their presentation. Written comments should be received in the SAB Executive Director's Office by April 17, 2017, to provide sufficient time for SAB review. Written comments received by the SAB Executive Director after April 17, 2017, will be distributed to the SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seating at the meeting will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Special Accommodations: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations may be directed no later than 12:00 p.m. on April 17, 2017, to Dr. Cynthia Decker, SAB Executive Director, SSMC3, Room 11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MC 20910; Email: Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov. Matters to be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) Draft Report on Indigenous and Local Ecological Knowledge and NOAA; (2) Proposal for Creation of a High Performance Computing Standing Working Group; (3) Discussion of the Process to Review SAB Standing Working Groups; (4) Discussion of Short-Term Topics for the SAB; (5) Discussion on SAB Transition Materials; and (6) Updates from the Acting NOAA Administrator and Acting Chief Scientist.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold nine public hearings in April and May 2017 to solicit public input on an amendment to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The amendment focuses on the plan's longfin squid and Illex squid fisheries. The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through May 18, 2017.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the California Department of Fish and WildlifeCentral Region (CADFW) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with the tidal marsh restoration project within the Minhoto-Hester Marsh in Elkhorn Slough (Monterey, CA).

NMFS will hold a 3-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in May 2017. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

NMFS is amending the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) based on the results of the 2016 stock assessment update for Atlantic dusky sharks. Based on this assessment, NMFS determined that the dusky shark stock remains overfished and is experiencing overfishing. Consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act), NMFS is implementing management measures that will reduce fishing mortality on dusky sharks to end overfishing and rebuild the dusky shark population consistent with legal requirements. The final measures could affect HMS-permitted commercial and recreational fishermen who harvest sharks or whose fishing vessels interact with sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a public hearing via webinar pertaining to Regulatory Amendment 4 to the Spiny Lobster Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Region. The amendment addresses updates to biological parameters for spiny lobster in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, and a prohibition on traps for recreational harvest of spiny lobster in the South Atlantic Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ).

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a meeting of its Archipelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team (FEP) and the Fishery Data Collection and Research CommitteeTechnical Committee (FDCRC-TC). The Archipelagic FEP Team will review the fishery performance, ecosystem consideration, and data integration chapter of the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report for the Western Pacific region, conduct the evaluation of the 2016 catches to the 2016 Annual Catch Limits (ACL) for the coral reef, crustacean, and Territory bottomfish fisheries, review of the ecosystem component analysis, monument expansion area regulations, aquaculture, and essential fish habitat. The FDCRC-TC will review the status of the data collection improvement efforts in the Western Pacific region, identify gaps in the non-commercial data collection and conduct a writing workshop to develop the Marine Recreational Information Program Pacific Islands Regional Implementation Plan.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its SSC and SEP. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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

The SEDAR 56 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of black seabass will consist of a series webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Notice is hereby given that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 585 Prineville Street, Port Charlotte, FL 33954 [Responsible Party, Gregg Poulakis, Ph.D.], has applied in due form for a permit to take Pristis pectinata for purposes of scientific research.

NMFS has received an application from Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to Seattle Multimodal Construction Project in Washington State. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to the WSDOT to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities.

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) will meet April 12, 2017.

This notice responds the Sea Grant Program Improvement Act of 1976, which requires the Secretary of Commerce to solicit nominations at least once a year for membership on the National Sea Grant Advisory Board (Board), a Federal Advisory Committee that provides advice on the implementation of the National Sea Grant College Program. The NOAA intends to fill two expected vacancies on the Board in 2017 and another two in 2018 to apply for membership to the Board, applicants should submit a current resume, via the methodology discussed in the Contact Information Section of this notice. A cover letter highlighting specific areas of expertise relevant to the purpose of the Board is helpful, but not required. NOAA is an equal opportunity employer.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat 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 Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 159th meeting.