National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 9, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Office (GARFO), 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester MA 01930 [Responsible Party: Julie Crocker], has applied in due form for a permit to take Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose (A. brevirostrum) sturgeon parts for purposes of scientific research.

This final rule revises the current closure regulations for commercial shark fisheries. These changes affect commercial shark fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Revisions include changes to the landings threshold that prompts a closure and the minimum time between filing of the closure with the Federal Register and the closure becoming effective. This action is necessary to allow more flexibility when closing shark fisheries and to facilitate the use of available quota while still preventing overharvests.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) is sponsoring a meeting via webinar to review a new method proposed to improve catch estimation methods in sparsely sampled mixed stock fisheries. The Methodology Review webinar is a follow-up to a March 28-29, 2018 Methodology Review. The webinar meeting is open to the public.

The SEDAR 58 assessment(s) of the Atlantic stock(s) of cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Stock ID Workshop; Stock ID Review Workshop; Stock ID Joint Cooperator Technical Review; Data Workshop; Assessment Workshop and/or Webinars; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.