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

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Committee via webinar 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.

We, the NMFS, announce the revised taxonomy and common name of Balaenoptera edeni (unnamed subspecies; Bryde's WhaleGulf of Mexico subspecies) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We are revising the Enumeration of endangered marine and anadromous species for Bryde's WhaleGulf of Mexico subspecies, to reflect the scientifically accepted taxonomy and nomenclature of this species. We revise the common name to Rice's whale, the scientific name to Balaenoptera ricei, and the description of the listed entity to entire species. The changes to the taxonomic classification and nomenclature do not affect the species' listing status under the ESA or any protections and requirements arising from its listing.

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

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee via webinar 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 New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has cancelled a public meeting of its Monkfish Committee that was scheduled for Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

NMFS is reapportioning the projected unused amount, 1,350 Chinook salmon prohibited species catch limit, from the vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector participating in directed fishing for groundfish, other than pollock, in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a notice in the Federal Register on May 19, 2021 seeking nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as a member of the Marine Debris Foundation Board of Directors (Board). This solicitation of nominations of qualified persons to the Board is hereby reopened.

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 University of Alaska Geophysics Institute (UAGI) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment, marine mammals during geophysical surveys in the Arctic Ocean. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is providing notice that the final rule published on June 23, 2021, to designate Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary (WSCNMS) became effective on August 16, 2021. NOAA is also amending the WCSNMS regulations to reflect the effective date.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the United States Navy (Navy) to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to construction activities for the Service Pier Extension Project at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor in Silverdale, Washington.

We, NMFS, announce 12-month findings on 2 petitions to list populations of spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) as threatened or endangered Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to designate critical habitat concurrently with the listings. We have completed a comprehensive analysis of Oregon Coast (OC) and Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal (SONCC) spring-run Chinook salmon populations in response to the petitions. Based on the best scientific and commercial data available, including the ESU configuration report, we have determined that listing the OC and SONCC spring-run Chinook salmon populations as threatened or endangered ESUs is not warranted. We determined that the OC and SONCC spring-run Chinook salmon populations do not meet the ESU Policy criteria to be considered ESUs separate from the OC and SONCC fall-run Chinook salmon populations and, therefore, do not meet the statutory definition of a species under the ESA. We also announce the availability of an ESU configuration report we prepared to inform our determination.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan (BS FEP) Team will meet September 1, 2021, and on September 2, 2021.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Committee via webinar 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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) ad hoc Marine Planning Committee will hold an online meeting. This meeting is open to the public.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Advisory Panel will hold a public webinar meeting.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council's September 2021 meeting agenda. This meeting is open to the public.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to begin a rulemaking process that will amend the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (Plan) to reduce the risk of mortalities and serious injuries of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and other large whales caused by entanglement in commercial trap/pot and gillnet fisheries along the U.S. East Coast. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to analyze the impacts to the environment of alternatives to amend the Plan. This notice informs the public of upcoming scoping meetings to solicit public input on Phase 2 of our efforts to reduce the risk of entanglement to right, humpback, and fin whales in U.S. commercial fisheries managed under the Plan. Phase 1, a final rule implementing new modifications to reduce mortalities and serious injuries caused by incidental entanglement in the northeast American lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fishery, is anticipated shortly, and was analyzed in a Final Environmental Impact Statement released (FEIS) on July 2, 2021. Phase 2 focuses on risk reduction in U.S. East Coast gillnet, Atlantic mixed species trap/pot, and Mid- Atlantic lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries.

NMFS announces three inseason actions in the 2021 ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to the Oregon/California border.

Notice is hereby given that permits and permit modifications have been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as applicable.

Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (Responsible Party: John Bengtson), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on 20 species of marine mammals.

NMFS is transferring 30 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the Harpoon category. With this transfer, the adjusted Harpoon category quota for the 2021 fishing season is 76 mt. The 2021 Harpoon category fishery is open until November 15, 2021, or until the Harpoon category quota is reached, whichever comes first. The action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, and applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category (commercial) permitted vessels.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its proposed List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2022, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The LOF for 2022 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The classification of a fishery on the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan (TRP) requirements.

NMFS has received a request from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Elkhorn slough Tidal Marsh Restoration Project (Phase III) in Monterey County, CA. which includes the excavation and movement of soil with heavy machinery for marsh restoration. NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.