National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 23, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that NOAA is establishing a national marine sanctuary advisory council for the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary (LONMS). The new advisory council (council) will replace the pre-designation advisory council which was established September 17, 2019 and which expired upon the designation of LONMS. The council will provide advice and recommendations to ONMS regarding the sanctuary management plan and will serve as liaisons between the sanctuary and constituents and community groups. As a result, ONMS is adding the council to the list of established national marine sanctuary advisory councils. ONMS solicits applications to fill council seats on an as needed basis and is currently seeking applicants for seats on the LONMS Advisory Council. This notice contains web page links and contact information for LONMS and application materials to apply for the council.

NMFS approves and implements the 2024-2026 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This final rule sets the 2024 Illex and longfin squid specifications, and projects the 2025 Illex and 2025-2026 longfin squid specifications. This rule also reaffirms the 2024 butterfish and Atlantic chub mackerel specifications and the previously published projected 2025 chub mackerel specifications. These specifications establish allowable harvest levels that will prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information.

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

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public webinar of its Risk Policy Working Group 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 announces inseason action for the Washington and Oregon subareas in the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. Specifically, this action announces additional fishing dates in August and September for the Washington subareas and in August through October for the Oregon Central Coast subarea. This action is intended to provide opportunity for anglers to achieve the catch limit in the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) 2024 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is providing notice that the final rule published on June 6, 2023, to designate Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary (LONMS), is effective on July 22, 2024.