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

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Citizen Science Advisory Panel Volunteers Action Team via webinar.

This action corrects an error in the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that set a control date for the Northeast Multispecies charter/party fishery. This action is necessary because the document provided an incorrect internet address for submission of electronic comments. This action is intended to provide the correct internet address to ensure the public can easily access the online rulemaking portal.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (CEQ), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces its intention to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential environmental effects associated with continued implementation of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP). In addition, this PEIS will address changes to increase efficiencies made in the program since the initial MMHSRP PEIS was published in 2009. These updates include changes to the Best Practices for Marine Mammal Stranding Response, Rehabilitation and Release (Policies and Practices), as well as other aspects of the program including large whale entanglement response, health surveillance, research, morbidity and mortality investigations, and assessments.

Notice is hereby given that Patricia Fair, Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, has applied in due form for a permit to receive, import, and export marine mammal parts for scientific research.

The SEDAR 58 assessment(s) of the Atlantic stock(s) of cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Stock ID Workshop; Stock ID Review Workshop; Stock ID Joint Cooperator Technical Review; Data Workshop; Assessment Workshop and/or Webinars; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold two public scoping meetings via webinar pertaining to Amendment 42 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP) of the South Atlantic Region. The amendment addresses modifications to sea turtle release gear requirements for the snapper grouper fishery.

This notice sets forth the proposed schedule and agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee's (MAFAC's) Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force (CBP Task Force). The CBP Task Force will discuss the issues outlined in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

California American Water Company (CalAm) submitted a permit application to NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) to construct and operate a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination facility project (Project) in Monterey County, California. NOAA is conducting the permit review process in accordance with review and consultation requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable statutes. NOAA, as Federal lead agency for purposes of NEPA, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the state lead agency for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), have prepared a joint final environmental impact review/ environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) that analyzes the potential effects on the physical and human environment of the proposed action and alternatives.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering amending regulations governing the utilization of purse seine vessel capacity limits associated with the Regional Vessel Register of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) is intended to provide notice to the public of our planning efforts and request comment that will assist in identifying revised administrative processes to improve the efficient utilization and management of capacity limits. This information will help inform our evaluation of what, if any, regulatory amendments are necessary and advisable.

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

This final rule authorizes the use of midwater long-leader gear for recreational fishing in waters seaward of a boundary line approximating the 40 fathoms depth contour off the coast of Oregon. Both charter and private vessels are authorized to use midwater long- leader gear seaward of the 40 fathom seasonal depth closure, while being monitored with the existing Oregon Ocean Recreational Boat Sampling (ORBS) program. The use of midwater long-leader gear is intended to limit bycatch of overfished and rebuilding rockfish species, such as bottom-dwelling yelloweye rockfish, while still allowing for the catch of abundant midwater species such as yellowtail and widow rockfish. The season will occur between April and September, months currently subject to depth restrictions.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has been preparing an amendment to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, known as the ``Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment,'' to modify aspects of the fishery management plan related to summer flounder commercial and recreational management. To avoid delaying the amendment while waiting for updated recreational information, the Council is now splitting several issues within this original action, including fishery management plan goals and objectives, commercial allocation, commercial moratorium permits, and commercial framework provisions into a separate action that will continue to be developed as an EIS. The Council is taking comments on this modified action, which is now being referred to as the ``Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment.'' Following completion of this ``Commercial Issues'' amendment, the Council may then develop at least one future action relating to recreational fishery issues and commercial/recreational allocation to incorporate updated recreational fishery data when it becomes available later this year. The purpose of this notification is to alert and seek comment from the public about the Council's consideration of splitting this amendment, by delaying some issues to be pursued via later actions.

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program Office will hold an organizational meeting of the NIDIS Executive Council on April 17, 2018.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the first seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA will be reached.

The Council will hold meetings of the following advisory panels in April 2018: Snapper Grouper; the Mackerel Cobia and Cobia Sub-Panel; and Law Enforcement.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 117 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 106 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP), (collectively Amendments 117/106) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendments 117/106 would classify squid in these fishery management plans (FMPs) under the ecosystem component (EC) category. This action is necessary to ensure the squid complex is accurately classified in the FMPs based on the best available scientific information. Amendments 117/106 are intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMPs, and other applicable laws.

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 B season allowance of the 2018 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.

NMFS approves and implements those measures included in Framework Adjustment 29 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan that establish fishing year 2018 and 2019 scallop specifications and other measures for the Northern Gulf of Maine scallop management area. This action is necessary to prevent overfishing and improve both yield-per-recruit and the overall management of the Atlantic sea scallop resource in the Northern Gulf of Maine. The intended effect of this rule is to implement these measures for the 2018 fishing year.

This interim final rule sets the 2018 Pacific halibut catch limit in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's Regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. The International Pacific Halibut Commission, at its annual meeting, did not recommend 2018 catch limits for any of its regulatory areas, including Area 2A. The best available scientific information indicates the Pacific halibut stock is declining. Without NMFS action, a higher Area 2A catch limit would remain in place for 2018. The Secretary of Commerce has authority to establish regulations that are more restrictive than those adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. An interim final rule is necessary to ensure that lower 2018 halibut catch limits are in place at the start of the tribal fishery March 24, 2018, and before incidental halibut retention in the sablefish and salmon fisheries begins on April 1, 2018. This action is intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut.

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 take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This rulemaking proposes allocations of annual catch entitlements to groundfish sectors for the 2018 fishing year and also proposes a new regulatory exemption for sectors. The action is necessary because sectors must receive allocations in order to operate. This action is intended to ensure sector allocations are based on the best scientific information available and help achieve optimum yield for the fishery.

NMFS proposes to set 2018 recreational management measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock and Georges Bank cod. This action is necessary to respond to updated catch and other scientific information. The proposed measures are intended to ensure the recreational fishery achieves, but does not exceed, its fishing year 2018 catch limits.