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

NMFS approves and implements the measures included in Framework Adjustment 38 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan as adopted and submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council. Framework 38 establishes scallop specifications and other measures for fishing years 2024 and 2025. Framework 35 implements measures to protect small scallops which would thereby support rotational access area trips to the fleet in future years. To promote uniformity in the fishery, this final rule also corrects and clarifies regulatory text that is unnecessary, outdated, or unclear. This action is necessary to prevent overfishing and improve both yield-per-recruit and the overall management of the Atlantic sea scallop resource.

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 Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during 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.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a two-and-a-half- day public hybrid meeting to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC (Transco), to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction activities associated with a natural gas pipeline stabilization project in Sandy Hook Channel, New Jersey (NJ).

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting via webinar of its Snapper Grouper Recreational Permitting and Reporting Technical Advisory Panel (AP) to discuss permitting and education alternatives for the private recreational component of the snapper grouper fishery.

Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in April, May, and June of 2024. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops will be conducted in 2024 and will be announced in a future notice. In addition, NMFS has implemented online recertification workshops for persons who have already taken an in-person training.

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 (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet April 5-11, 2024 in Seattle, WA and via webinar. The Council meeting will be live streamed with the opportunity to provide public comment remotely. The following groups will meet in person in Seattle: Budget Committee, Salmon Technical Team, Salmon Advisory Subpanel, Enforcement Consultants, Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel, Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team, Groundfish Management Team, and Groundfish Advisory Subpanel. The Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet remotely.

The SEDAR 79 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic mutton snapper will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) natural resource Trustees for the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group (Alabama TIG) have prepared the Draft Supplemental Restoration Plan II and Environmental Assessment: Marine Mammals (Supplemental RPII/EA). The Draft Supplemental RPII/EA proposes to use additional funds from the Marine Mammals Restoration Type to extend the implementation of one or more projects currently underway in the Alabama Restoration Area to continue the Alabama TIG's efforts to restore for injuries to marine mammals impacted by the DWH oil spill. The Draft Supplemental RPII/EA evaluates two restoration alternatives under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This evaluation includes consideration of the criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) regulations, and an analysis under NEPA's implementing regulations. A No Action Alternative is also evaluated pursuant to the NEPA. The total estimated cost to implement the Alabama TIG's Preferred Alternativean extension of the Enhancing Capacity for the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network Projectis $1,881,237. If selected for implementation, this action would allocate the Alabama TIG's remaining Marine Mammals restoration funds. The Alabama TIG invites the public to comment on the Draft Supplemental RPII/EA.

NMFS corrects an error in the final rule designating critical habitat for threatened Caribbean corals that published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2023. The final rule incorrectly identified the northern geographic extent of critical habitat designated for Orbicella franksi as St. Lucie Inlet, Martin County, Florida in the ``Table of the Locations of the Critical Habitat Units for Orbicella franksi, O. annularis, O. faveolata, Dendrogyra cylindrus, and Mycetophyllia ferox,'' codified at 50 CFR 266.230(b) and in Table 4 of the Critical Habitat Unit Descriptions in the preamble of the rule. This correcting amendment fixes that error by revising the description of the geographic extent of the OFRA-1 Unit to refer to Lake Worth Inlet, Palm Beach County, Florida.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes as regulations the 2024 annual management measures governing the Pacific halibut fishery that have been recommended by the IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce. These measures are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and further the goals and objectives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a permit application (25803) from NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center Fisheries Ecology Division (FED) to continue hatchery activities associated with the Southern Coho Salmon Captive Broodstock Program (SCSCBP, or program) in accordance with its Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP). The application has been submitted pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. NMFS has also prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) describing the potential effects of NMFS' proposed issuance of the Permit associated with the submitted HGMP. NMFS is furnishing this notice in order to allow other agencies, Tribes, and the public an opportunity to review and comment on these documents.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2024, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. This period is the same as the 2024 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season dates are the same as specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures, which should be referenced for the halibut specific open and closure times.

Notice is hereby given that Lars Bejder, Ph.D., University of Hawaii at Manoa, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on cetaceans.

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.

Notice is hereby given that Joshua Schiffman, M.D., University of Utah, 2000 Circle Of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, has applied in due form for a permit to import marine mammal parts for scientific research.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar to collect input on the Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size Exemptions Framework/Addendum.

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.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to the following entity under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

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 Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture (CTJV) to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction associated with the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project (PTST) in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The exempted fishing permit would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed exempted fishing permits (EFP).

NMFS proposes to implement fishing periods and fishing period limits for the 2024 non-tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery that operates south of Point Chehalis, WA, (lat. 46[deg]53.30' N) in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. The proposed action includes two 58-hour fishing periods. The first fishing period would begin at 8 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on June 25, 2024, and close at 6 p.m. PDT on June 27, 2024. The second fishing period would start at 8 a.m. PDT on July 9, 2024, and close at 6 p.m. PDT on July 11, 2024. NMFS is also proposing four fishing period limits (i.e., vessel catch limits) across eight vessel size classes for both fishing periods. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut and provide fishing opportunity where available.

Notice is hereby given that BBC Studios, Ltd., Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2LR, UK (Emily-Kate Moorhead, Responsible Party) has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial and educational photography on marine mammals.