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

Notice is hereby given that Michelle Shero, Ph.D., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii).

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the gray triggerfish recreational sector in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2020 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has projected that the 2020 recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf gray triggerfish will be reached by May 2, 2020. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for Gulf gray triggerfish on May 2, 2020, and it will remain closed through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2020. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995.

NMFS closes the southern area Angling category 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 is being taken to prevent further overharvest of the Angling category southern area trophy BFT subquota.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.

NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in Framework Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and Atlantic Region (FMP)(Framework Amendment 7), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). This final rule revises the commercial and recreational minimum size limit for the Gulf zone of the Gulf migratory group of cobia (Gulf cobia). The purpose of this final rule is to reduce harvest of Gulf cobia in the Gulf zone in response to concerns about the status of the stock until additional stock information becomes available.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting via webinar of its Standing, Reef Fish, Mackerel, Shrimp and Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC), in conjunction with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission's Law Enforcement Committee (LEC).

NMFS has received a request from the United States Navy (Navy) for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the change being a minor modification to the effective dates. The initial IHA authorizes take of one species of marine mammal, by Level B harassment only, incidental to pile driving associated with the South Quay Wall Recapitalization Project, Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA has an effective period from February 15, 2020, through February 14, 2021. The Navy has requested re-issuance with new effective dates of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. Therefore, NMFS re-issued the IHA.

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) Renewal to Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) to harass marine mammals incidental to seabird research activities in central California.

We are proposing specifications for the 2020 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit, projected quotas for 2021-2023, and a clarification to the specifications process. The proposed action is intended to establish the allowable 2020 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan. This action is necessary to establish allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing.

NMFS revises regulations to implement Amendment 119 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 107 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). This final rule requires that the operator of a federally permitted catcher vessel using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska retain and land all rockfish (Sebastes and Sebastolobus species) caught while fishing for groundfish or Pacific halibut. This action is necessary to improve identification of rockfish species catch by vessels using electronic monitoring, provide more precise estimates of rockfish catch, reduce waste and incentives to discard rockfish, reduce overall enforcement burden, and promote more consistent management between State and Federal fisheries. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the BSAI FMP, the GOA FMP, and other applicable law.

NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial longline landings for golden tilefish are projected to reach the longline component's commercial quota by February 18, 2020. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on February 18, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. eastern time. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the will hold a meeting.

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.

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Institute of Houston at the University of Houston, Clear Lake (Responsible Party: George Guillen), 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Box 540, Houston, TX 77508-1002, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) will hold a meeting of its Ecosystem Technical Committee.

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval. We are requesting comments from the public on this amendment. This amendment would designate essential fish habitat; set catch limits for 2020-2022; and implement an annual catch limit, accountability measures, possession limits, permitting and reporting requirements, and other administrative measures for Atlantic chub mackerel caught from Maine through North Carolina. The purpose of this action is to implement measures required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to formally integrate Atlantic chub mackerel as a stock in the fishery under the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 135th Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Social Science Planning Committee, Program Planning and Research Standing Committee, Pelagic and International Standing Committee, Executive and Budget Standing Committee, and 181st Council meetings to take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

In accordance with Section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended (NMSA), the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is initiating 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 anticipates management plan changes will require preparation of an environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NOAA will conduct 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. The scoping meetings are scheduled as detailed in the DATES section.

NMFS published a final rule on January 3, 2020 that made routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. This action corrects publication errors in the trip limit tables for non-individual fishing quota (IFQ) species and limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) vessels that were implemented through the final rule.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate Change Taskforce will meet February 26, 2020 through February 28, 2020.