National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a public meeting of the Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) to advise the U.S. Commissioners to the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC) on March 18, 2021. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The U.S. Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) Program, which is managed by NOAA and assisted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard, requests input from all interested persons on the U.S. authorization of Return Link Service (RLS) acknowledgment Type 1 capable Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz distress beacons. Through this Request for Information (RFI), the SARSAT Program seeks the public's views on the inclusion of this optional feature on U.S. country-coded beacons.

NMFS has received a request from the Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture (CTJV) for the Renewal of their currently active incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project (PTST) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. These activities are identical to those covered in the current authorization. The project has experienced delays and most of the work covered in the initial IHA will not be completed by the time it expires. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prior to issuing the currently active IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. The Renewal requirements have been satisfied, and NMFS is now providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed Renewal not previously provided during the initial 30-day comment period.

Notice is hereby given that America Films, Ltd., Embassy House, Queens Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1SB, United Kingdom, (Responsible Party: Tom Stephens), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial or educational photography on gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus).

Notice is hereby given that a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public comment on a summer steelhead hatchery program and trap and haul program in the Skykomish River Basin, Washington. A Hatchery and Genetics Management Plan (HGMP) was submitted to NMFS for review and determination under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 4(d) Rule. The trap and haul program would be permitted under section 10 of the ESA.

NMFS has approved six companies to provide Northeast multispecies sector at-sea and/or electronic monitoring services in fishing years 2021 and 2022. Regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require at-sea and electronic monitoring companies to apply to, and be approved by, NMFS in order to be eligible to provide monitoring services to sectors. This action will allow sectors to contract for at-sea and electronic monitoring services with any of the approved service providers for fishing years 2021 and 2022.

The SEDAR 71 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of gag grouper will consist of a data webinar and a series assessment webinars.

The SEDAR 80 stock assessment of U.S. Caribbean queen triggerfish will consist of a series of data webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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 U.S. Navy (Navy) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during activities associated with the Naval Base San Diego Pier 6 Replacement Project in San Diego, California.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) 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 prevent exceeding the 2021 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2021 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online meeting of its Habitat Committee (HC) to consider information on marine planning and offshore development activities. This meeting is open to the public.