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

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.

This notice sets forth the proposed schedule and agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee (MCAM). The members will discuss and provide advice on issues outlined under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

This serves as the notice of a public meeting for the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) Federal Advisory Committee from March 5th, through March 7th, 2024, in San Pedro, CA. 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, during the public meeting in person, or via the ``Questions'' function in the meeting webinar if joining the public meeting virtually.

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 Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment, marine mammals during construction activities associated with a pile driving project for improvements to the Auke Bay East Ferry Terminal in Juneau, Alaska.

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 Port of Alaska (POA) to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction activities associated with the North Extension Stabilization Step 1 (NES1) Project in Anchorage, Alaska.

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 City of Oceanside to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with harbor fishing pier and non-motorized vessel launch improvement in Oceanside, California. There are no changes from the proposed authorization to the final authorization.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council, NEFMC) will hold a three-day hybrid meeting with both in-person and remote participation to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (Chevron) for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (Anadarko) for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the GOM.

Notice is hereby given that Sean Todd, Ph.D., College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, has applied in due form for a permit for scientific research on marine mammal parts.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 4-day hybrid meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

This temporary rule implements an extension of the Gulf of Maine haddock emergency action for the Northeast multispecies fishery through the remainder of the 2023 fishing year. The emergency action extension is necessary to minimize the potential economic consequences associated with a substantial reduction in the Gulf of Maine haddock annual catch limit compared to recent years for a stock that remains at a very high level of biomass, while still preventing overfishing.

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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Marine Planning Committee (MPC) will hold an online public meeting.

The SEDAR 88 assessment of Gulf of Mexico red grouper will consist of a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS has received a request from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys in waters off of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, including in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Areas OCS-A 0499, OCS-A 0541, OCS-A 0549, and associated export cable corridor (ECC) areas. 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.

NMFS has received a request from US Wind, Inc., (US Wind) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, of small number of marine mammals over the course of 5 years (2025-2029) incidental to construction of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project offshore of Maryland within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0490 (Lease Area) and associated Export Cable Routes. Project activities likely to result in incidental take include impact pile driving and site assessment surveys using high-resolution geophysical (HRG) equipment. NMFS requests comments on its proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. The proposed regulations, if issued, would be effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee Informational meeting will be held.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.

NMFS corrects the final rule that implemented management measures described in Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), which published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2023. For greater amberjack, that final rule revised the sector annual catch limits (ACLs), the commercial minimum size limit, the commercial seasonal trip limits, and the April spawning season closure. In addition, Amendment 49 revised the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, annual optimum yield, and sector allocations of the total ACL, as well as removed the recreational annual catch targets for species in the FMP. In that final rule, NMFS inadvertently neglected to include a previously contained commercial quota provision that did not change through Amendment 49, and did not include a commercial trip limit paragraph heading that did not change through Amendment 49. The purpose of this correcting amendment is to fix these errors.

The Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) Steering Committee will convene a public meeting to discuss and approve the 5- year calendar for stock assessments, and to address any other concerns related to the WPSAR process.

The SEDAR 89 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of tilefish will consist of a series of LH-TWG webinars. A SEDAR 89 LH-TWG Webinar is scheduled for January 24, 2024. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Committee of the Whole (COTW) will hold a 2-day in-person work session that is open to the public.