National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Hawaii Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP) to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

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.

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 City of Seattle, Washington (City) to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to the Pier 58 Reconstruction Project.

On July 6, 2023, NMFS published a notice of receipt of application for an Endangered Species Act incidental take permit, with comments due by August 7, 2023. In response to two requests to extend the public comment period, NMFS has decided to reopen the public comment period for an additional 15 calendar days. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review.

This serves as notice of a public meeting for the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) Federal Advisory Committee between September 27th, and September 29th, 2023. The agenda for the HSRP public meeting will be posted in advance of the meeting on the HSRP website. Individuals or groups who would like to comment on NOAA navigation, observation, and positioning services topics are encouraged to submit public comments in advance of the HSRP public meeting via email or during the public meeting via the ``Questions'' function in the webinar for the public meeting.

Under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) shall issue protective regulations the Secretary deems necessary and advisable for the conservation of species listed as threatened. The Secretary may apply any of the prohibitions in section 9 of the ESA. This proposed rule would promulgate protective regulations to apply a subset of the ESA section 9 prohibitions to the Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni). We also announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes the environmental impacts of this action, and solicit comments regarding this action and the draft EA.

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

This rule implements changes to fishing year 2023 recreational management measures for Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod, and Gulf of Maine haddock. The measures are necessary to ensure the recreational fishery achieves, but does not exceed, fishing year 2023 catch limits for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock, and the recreational catch target for Georges Bank cod.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring 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 New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a joint public meeting of its Monkfish Advisory Panel 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 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team, Fishing Industry Advisory Committee, American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP), Education Committee, Mariana Archipelago FEP Guam AP, Mariana Archipelago Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Advisory AP, and the Hawaii Archipelago FEP AP to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Advisory Panel 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.

NMFS is implementing specifications submitted by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (collectively, the Councils) in Framework Adjustment 13 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This action sets monkfish specifications for fishing years 2023 through 2025, adjusts annual Days-At-Sea (DAS) allocations, and, beginning in fishing year 2026, increases the minimum gillnet mesh size for vessels fishing on monkfish DAS. This action is needed to establish allowable monkfish harvest levels and management measures that will prevent overfishing and reduce bycatch.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the National Sea Grant Advisory Board (Board), a Federal Advisory Committee. Board members will discuss and provide advice on the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) in the areas of program evaluation, strategic planning, education and extension, science and technology programs, and other matters as described in the agenda found on the Sea Grant website. For more information on this Federal Advisory Committee please visit the Federal Advisory Committee database: https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/login/ ?ec=302&inst=3d&startURL=%2FFACA%2FFACAPublicPage. This notice also responds to 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. To apply for membership to the Board, applicants should submit a current resume. A cover letter highlighting specific areas of expertise relevant to the purpose of the Board is helpful, but not required. Nominations will be accepted by email. NOAA is an equal opportunity employer.

This notice announces 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 related to a funding program addressing species affected by fisheries managed under the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST). NMFS intends to make funding decisions related to increasing the availability of prey to Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKWs). This notice is necessary to inform the public of NMFS's intent to prepare this EIS and to provide the public with an opportunity to provide input for NMFS's consideration.

NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) in partnership with the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) and Southeast Regional Office (SERO), hereafter NOAA, are working to build spatial science capacity in the U.S. Caribbean Region. Through this Request for Information, we are seeking public input to identify coastal and marine spatial data or other critical information to inform marine spatial analyses. Additionally, we are seeking feedback on data shortcomings and gaps that should be addressed prior to commencing marine spatial studies. The input we receive from meetings, as well as the responses to the items listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document, will be used to inform potential coastal and ocean development activities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), such as development of renewable energy facilities, aquaculture, and other blue economy sectors.

NMFS closes the Angling category Gulf of Maine area fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally.

NMFS announces one inseason action for the 2023-2024 ocean salmon fishing season. This inseason action modifies the July-September sub-quota for the treaty Indian salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon.

NMFS has received a request from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a marine geophysical survey in coastal waters off of Texas. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), 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, 1-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 authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an update to an application for a direct take permit, in the form of a Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for hatchery plans rearing and releasing Sockeye salmon into the Snake River basin. The permits describe hatchery programs operated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Shoshone-Bannock Tribe (SBT), National Marine Fisheries Service's Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). This document serves to notify the public of the availability and opportunity to comment on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and an HGMP on the proposed hatchery program.

NMFS announces closure of the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the California Coast subarea of the International Pacific Halibut Commission's regulatory Area 2A. The California Coast subarea will close on August 4, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. This action is intended to conserve Pacific halibut.

On February 13, 2020, NOAA initiated a review of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS or the sanctuary) management plan to evaluate substantive progress toward implementing the goals of the sanctuary and to make revisions to the management plan as necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA. NOAA anticipated that management plan changes would require preparation of environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and initiated public scoping meetings to gather information and other comments from individuals, organizations, tribes, and government agencies on the scope, types, and significance of issues related to the SBNMS management plan and the proper scope of environmental analysis for the management plan review. NOAA is providing notice of availability of a final management plan and a final environmental assessment (EA) for SBNMS.

This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. This action is intended to allow fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting rebuilding stocks.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2023 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.