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

NOAA announces the appointment of members who will serve on the NOAA Performance Review Board (PRB). The NOAA PRB is responsible for reviewing performance appraisals and ratings of Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level (SL), and Scientific and Professional (ST) members and making written recommendations to the appointing authority on retention and compensation matters, including performance-based pay adjustments, awarding of bonuses, and reviewing recommendations for potential Presidential Rank Award nominees. The appointment of members to the NOAA PRB will be for a period of 2 years.

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. This Exempted Fishing Permit would allow a single commercial fishing vessel to participate in exploratory fishing Gulf of Maine, targeting haddock with 6-inch (15.24-cm) mesh gillnet gear. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit applications.

Notice is hereby given that permits and permit amendments have been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as applicable.

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 an additional 30 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB, and to serve as a correction of the public comment period incorrectly published in the Federal Register on October 6, 2021 (86 FR 54941).

NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Dr. Matthew Ajermian of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute of Florida Atlantic University (FAU). If granted, the EFP would authorize the captain and crew of certain federally permitted charter vessels to collect limited numbers of snapper-grouper, coastal migratory pelagic, and dolphin and wahoo species in the waters of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Florida east coast. The purpose of the EFP is to quantify shark depredation impacts in the recreational fisheries off the Atlantic using a citizen science approach.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a webinar question and answer session for stakeholders regarding electronic vessel trip reporting (eVTR) in preparation for required commercial electronic reporting.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a joint public meeting of its Scallop Committee via webinar 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.

This final rule implements Amendment 9 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP). It modifies the American Samoa longline fishery limited entry program to consolidate vessel class sizes, modify permit eligibility requirements, and reduce the minimum harvest requirements for small vessels. This final rule also makes several housekeeping changes to the program's regulations. The intent of this rule is to reduce regulatory barriers that may be limiting small vessel participation in the fishery, and provide for sustained community and American Samoan participation in the fishery.

NOAA is soliciting applications to fill up to four membership vacancies on the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB).

As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Secretary of Commerce established three independent regional scientific review groups (SRG) to provide advice on a range of marine mammal science and management issues. NMFS conducted a membership review of the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific SRGs, and is soliciting nominations for new members to fill vacancies and gaps in expertise (see below).

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The meeting is a hybrid meeting open to the public offering both in-person and virtual options for participation.

NMFS issues a proposed rule to modify recordkeeping and reporting requirements to remove pot gear tag requirements in the sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and remove requirements to obtain and submit a notary certification on various programs' application forms. This action is intended to reduce administrative burden on the regulated fishing industry and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This action promotes the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Halibut Act, fishery management plans (FMPs), and other applicable laws.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) District Advisory Panels (DAPs) will hold public virtual meetings to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS is transferring 140 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the General category. This action is intended to provide further opportunities for General category fishermen to participate in the October through November General category fishery, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments. This action would affect Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued a scientific research permit (Permit 19571-2R) to the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The research is intended to increase knowledge of black abalone listed under the ESA and to help guide management, conservation, and recovery efforts.

NMFS is temporarily reopening the recreational fishing season for the Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The most recent landings data for the red snapper for-hire component in the Gulf indicates the component annual catch target (ACT) for the 2021 fishing year has not yet been reached. The red snapper recreational for-hire component in the Gulf EEZ will reopen for 22 days to allow harvest of the remaining for-hire component ACT. NMFS intends this action to increase benefits to for- hire fisherman while protecting the Gulf red snapper resource by continuing to constrain harvest to the component quota.

We, NMFS, are convening a workshop to solicit information from experts to inform recovery planning for Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei) under section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This workshop will be open to the public.

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 an additional 30 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB. A 60-day notice of request for comment on the extension of this collection was published in the Federal Register on June 8, 2021. This additional notice alerts the public that NOAA intends to revise the information.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the individual fishing quota (IFQ), Federal dealer reporting, and Federal charter vessel and headboat (for-hire vessel) reporting programs specific to the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) fisheries in the Gulf, the Regional Administrator (RA), Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined that the catastrophic conditions caused by Hurricane Ida in the Gulf for certain Louisiana parishes still exist. This temporary rule authorizes any dealer in the affected area described in this temporary rule who does not have access to electronic reporting to delay reporting of trip tickets to NMFS and authorizes IFQ participants within the affected area to use paper-based forms, if necessary, for basic required administrative functions. This rule also authorizes any Federal for- hire owner or operator in the affected area described in this temporary rule who does not have access to electronic reporting to delay reporting of logbook records to NMFS. This temporary rule is intended to facilitate continuation of IFQ, dealer, and Federal for-hire reporting operations during the period of catastrophic conditions.

NMFS adjusts the 2021 baseline quotas for U.S. North Atlantic albacore tuna (northern albacore), North and South Atlantic swordfish, and the Atlantic bluefin Reserve category based on available underharvest of the 2020 adjusted U.S. quotas. This action is necessary to implement binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), as required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and to achieve domestic management objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). This action to adjust the quotas is only temporary and will be effective through December 31, 2021. On January 1, 2022, full annual baseline allocations of northern albacore, North and South Atlantic swordfish, and the Atlantic bluefin tuna will renew and be available to U.S. harvest.

The Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is announcing the convening of its fall meeting.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will host a virtual meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors from October 19 to October 21, 2021. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils and NMFS, including issues related to the implementation of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSA).

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Charter Halibut Management Committee will meet October 26, 2021, through October 27, 2021.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Sanctuary System Business Advisory Council (council). The meeting is open to the public, and an opportunity for oral and written comments will be provided.