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

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate 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 North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee will meet May 20, 2019 through May 21, 2019.

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 Equinor Wind US LLC to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of New York in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0512) and coastal waters where cable route corridors will be established.

Notice is hereby given that Space Exploration Technology Corporation (SpaceX) has withdrawn its application for an IHA to take marine mammals incidental to boost-back and landing of Falcon 9 rockets at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California, and at contingency landing locations in the Pacific Ocean. Accordingly, NMFS has withdrawn its related proposed IHA.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announces the availability of draft revisions to NOAA's Policy for the Assessment of Civil Administrative Penalties and Permit Sanctions (Penalty Policy) for public review and comment. The revisions to the policy reflect new legislation enacted and regulations promulgated, the most recent adjustments to the maximum civil monetary penalties authorized under statutes administered and enforced by NOAA, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, and clarifications to improve enforcement consistency nationally, increase predictability in enforcement, improve transparency in enforcement, and more effectively protect natural resources.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 (TCA) to implement Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Resolution C-18-01 (Measures for the Conservation and Management of Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 2019-2020) and Resolution C-18-02 (Amendment to Resolution C-16-08 on a Long-term Management Framework for the Conservation and Management of Pacific Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean). This rule would implement annual limits on commercial catch of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) for 2019 and 2020. This action is necessary to conserve Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

NMFS has received a request from the Eastern Massachusetts (MA) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting biological research, monitoring, and maintenance at the Eastern MA NWR Complex (Complex). The USFWS's activities are similar to activities previously analyzed and for which take was authorized by NMFS. 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 has received a request from Vineyard Wind, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to construction of a commercial wind energy project offshore Massachusetts. 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.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) ad hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee (SaMTAAC) will hold a meeting.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) will hold a meeting that will be open to the public and public comments are requested in advance and/or during the meeting. Information about the HSRP meeting, agenda, presentations, webinar registration, and other background documents will be posted online at: https:// www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/hsrp.htm and https:// www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/meetings.htm Date and Location: The meeting is planned for two and a half days during August 27-29, 2019, in New Orleans, LA. The agenda, speakers and times are subject to change. The agenda and location will be posted online at the end of June 2019. For updates, please check online at: https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsrp/hsrp.htm. To receive notice of the venue and meeting announcements by email, and to inform the participant list, please email your name, organization and email address to: Virginia.Dentler@noaa.gov and Lynne.Mersfelder@noaa.gov.

We, NMFS, announce final revisions to the Recovery Plan Preparation and Implementation Priorities and the Recovery Plans sections of the 1990 Listing and Recovery Priority Guidelines. The revised guidelines prioritize limited agency resources to advance the recovery of threatened and endangered species by focusing on the immediacy of the species' overall extinction risk; the extent of information regarding major threats; the extent to which major threats are primarily under U.S. authority, jurisdiction, or influence; and the certainty that management or protective actions can be implemented successfully. We did not revise the Listing, Reclassification, and Delisting Priorities section of the 1990 Listing and Recovery Priority Guidelines. We determined those guidelines, which are repeated herein (with minor editorial and format changes for consistency), are sufficient to prioritize listing actions.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2019 Greenland turbot initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI.

This action implements measures for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the 2019 fishing year. This action is necessary to ensure that the Northeast multispecies common pool fishery may achieve the optimum yield (OY) for the relevant stocks, while controlling catch to help prevent inseason closures or quota overages. These measures include possession and trip limits and the allocation of zero trips into the Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access Program for common pool vessels to target yellowtail flounder.

NMFS has received a request from Chevron for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal associated with the Long Wharf Maintenance and Efficiency Project (LWMEP) in San Francisco Bay, California. 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.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to the Biorka dock replacement project in Symonds Bay, Alaska.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Social Science Planning Team will meet May 7, 2019 through May 9, 2019.

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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will host a meeting of the RFMC CCC, in Charleston, SC.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute are hosting a workshop on ``Stakeholder Engagement in Management Strategy Evaluation of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries.'' This educational workshop is supported with NMFS funding through the Bluefin Tuna Research Program and is open to the public.

The Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application from the New England Aquarium contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

NMFS announces a public meeting of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission on June 5, 2019, and a public meeting of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee to the General Advisory Committee on June 4, 2019. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting that includes its Committee and Advisory Panel for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2019 total allowable catch (TAC) of northern rockfish in the BSAI.

In accordance with section 304(a) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA), and based on the area's qualities and boundaries described in the community-based nomination submitted to NOAA on January 17, 2017 (https://nominate.noaa.gov/nominations), NOAA is initiating a process to consider designating a portion of eastern Lake Ontario in New York as a national marine sanctuary. The designation process, as required by the NMSA, will be conducted concurrently with a public process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice also informs the public that NOAA will coordinate its responsibilities under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) with its ongoing NEPA process, including the use of NEPA documents and public meetings to also meet the requirements of section 106. The public scoping process is intended to solicit information and comments on the scope and significance of issues to be addressed in an environmental analysis under NEPA that are related to designating this area as a national marine sanctuary. The results of this scoping process will assist NOAA in moving forward with the designation process and in formulating alternatives for the draft environmental impact statement and proposed regulations, including developing national marine sanctuary boundaries. It will also inform the initiation of any consultations with federal, state, or local agencies, tribes, and other interested parties, as appropriate.