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

Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to modify a Letter of Authorization issued to Hilcorp Alaska LLC (Hilcorp) to take marine mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold a week-long work session that is open to the public.

NMFS announces the receipt of an application from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to expand the scope of an exempted fishing permit (EFP) issued in November 2018. The amended EFP would increase the sampling area from specified waters of the South Atlantic to all Federal waters of the South Atlantic off Monroe County, Florida and Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) near Pulley Ridge. The amended EFP would also increase the amount of traps in the water at any one time, extend the trap soak period, would no longer require research traps to have a current stamp, endorsement, or certificate, and would no longer allow commercial fishermen to harvest and sell any species but lionfish from the research traps. The project seeks to determine the effectiveness of traps, as applicable, for attracting and collecting invasive lionfish while avoiding impacts to non-target species, protected species, and habitats.

NMFS will hold a 2-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in September 2019. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) Steering 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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) and Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS) will hold a webinar meeting to consider agenda items for the September Pacific Council meeting. This webinar is open to the public.

The SEDAR 58 assessment of the Atlantic stock of Cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Data Workshop; Assessment Webinars; and a Review

NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the use of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) sonar systems onboard U.S. Navy surveillance ships for training and testing activities conducted under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy in the western and central North Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean (SURTASS LFA sonar activities) beginning August 2019. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

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

NMFS has received a request from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a low-energy marine geophysical survey in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. 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-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.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of blackspotted/rougheye rockfish in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2019 blackspotted/rougheye rockfish total allowable catch (TAC) in the Western and Central Districts of the BSAI has been reached.

NMFS has received a request from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates that are ten months later (August 1, 2019-July 31, 2020). The initial IHA authorized take of 12 species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction associated with the Mukilteo Multimodal Project in Mukilteo, Washington. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA (effective October 1, 2018-September 30, 2019) has been conducted. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers would not change, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting would remain the same as authorized in the 2018 IHA referenced above. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second IHA to cover the identical incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2019 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

NMFS proposes modifications to aspects of the commercial and recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass management program, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. NMFS proposes these management measure adjustments to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of this action is to allow for more flexibility in the management of these species.

Notice is hereby given of a virtual meeting of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee).

NMFS is transferring 15 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 2019 fishing season is 91 mt. The 2019 Harpoon category fishery is open until November 15, 2019, 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 Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendments 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, and 50F to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS (Amendments 50A-F). Amendments 50A-F would delegate authority to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas (Gulf states), to establish specific management measures for the harvest of red snapper in Federal waters in the Gulf by the private angling component of the recreational sector. The purposes of Amendments 50A-F are to increase fishing opportunities and economic benefits by allowing each Gulf state to establish specific management measures for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Federal waters by private anglers landing in that state.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat 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 Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee and Plan Development Team 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 SEDAR 58 assessment of the Atlantic stock of Cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Data Workshop; Assessment Webinars; and a Review.

The hearing date previously announced in the Federal Register for a proposed waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and proposed regulations governing the hunting of eastern North Pacific (ENP) gray whales by the Makah Indian Tribe in northwest Washington State, and the related deadlines for submission of testimony and motions, is being changed as noted below.

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 serious injuries and mortalities to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and other large whales caused by entanglement in commercial trap/pot 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 comments on ways to reduce the risk of entanglement in trap and pot fisheries for right, humpback, and finback whales. NMFS requests comments on management options for this action, particularly including information about operational challenges, time, and costs required to modify gear by changing configurations such as traps per trawl to reduce endline numbers, installing new line or sleeves, and by expanding gear marking requirements. Team recommendations and additional risk reduction measures identified during Team discussions and during this scoping period will form the basis of the alternatives that will be analyzed through the EIS process.

NMFS revises Illex squid specifications and maintains previously approved longfin squid and butterfish specifications for the 2019 fishing year. This action is necessary to specify catch levels for the Illex squid fishery based on updated information on allowable catch levels and to provide notice that NMFS is maintaining the previously approved longfin squid and butterfish specifications. These specifications are intended to promote the sustainable utilization and conservation of the squid and butterfish resources.