National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 30, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is closing the Atlantic herring fishery and implementing a 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) possession limit for herring in all Herring Management Areas. This is required because NMFS projects that herring catch will reach 95 percent of the annual catch limit before the end of the fishing year. This action is intended to prevent overharvest of herring, which would result in additional catch limit reductions in a subsequent year.

NMFS publishes standard prices and fee percentages for cost recovery for the Amendment 80 Program, the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Program, the Aleutian Islands Pollock (AIP) Program, and the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program in the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. The fee percentage for 2021 is 1.43 percent for the Amendment 80 Program, 0.25 percent for the AFA inshore cooperatives, zero percent for the AIP program, and 0.83 percent for the CDQ Program. This notice is intended to provide the 2021 standard prices and fee percentages to calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees due by December 31, 2021.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has prepared a draft management plan as part of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS or sanctuary) management plan review pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. The draft management plan, which would update the 2010 sanctuary management plan, addresses current and emerging threats in SBNMS and reflects changes in new science and technologies, how people use the sanctuary, and community needs. The draft management plan supports continued protection of sanctuary resources through enforcement of existing sanctuary regulations, education and outreach strategies that promote ocean stewardship, and community engagement. Consistent with the information provided in the 2020 Notice of Intent, NOAA is not proposing modifications to the sanctuary regulations at this time, but may consider regulatory changes in the future. NOAA also prepared an environmental assessment, which evaluates the environmental impacts of implementing the draft management plan and ongoing field activities. NOAA is soliciting public comments on the draft updated management plan and environmental assessment at this time.