IFCNR staff monitors the U.S. Federal Register daily and provides breaking information to members about policies, meetings, and activities impacting fisheries. (Note: No postings will be made on days where items of immediate importance to fisheries are lacking.)

Wednesday, 19 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 118

Rules & Regulations

Bering Sea/Aleutian Island Yellowfin Sole Trawl Fishery Closed

In an effort to avoid exceeding the third seasonal apportionment of the 2001 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance, NMFS closed the trawl gear fishery for yellowfin sole in Alaska’s Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands management area. For more information contact Mary Furuness at 907.586.7228. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 41639.

Notices

Gulf of Mexico Spiny Lobster Panel to Hold Telephone Conference Meeting

A public meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel will be held July 2nd via telephone conference call. The issue on the table is a proposed rule to bring federal regulations into line with Florida’s state regulation allowing an additional sublegal-size lobster per pot to be on board vessels (over and above the 50 sublegal limit now allowed). For information about a listening station in Miami contact Sophia Howard at 305.361.4285. For more information about the meeting in general contact Wayne Swingle at 813.228.2815. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 41697-8.

Tuesday, 11 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 112

Rules & Regulations

Recreational Limit Adjustments for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Effective June 15-October 31, 2002, the daily retention limit for all Angling category vessels is four bluefin tuna from the school, large school, or small medium classes. From November 1-May 31, 2003, the daily limit is one large school or small medium bluefin tuna. For more information contact Brad McHale at 978.281.9260. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA. Pages 39869-70.

Notices

Gulf of Mexico Council to Hold Meetings on Reef Fish

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold public meetings of its reef fish advisory panel and standing and special reef fish scientific and statistical committees June 24-27. The meetings will be held at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel in Tampa, Florida. For more information contact Steven Atran at 813.228.2815. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 39959-60.

Monday, 10 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 111

Rules & Regulations

2002 Pacific Whiting Mothership Fishery Closed

NMFS closed the 2002 mothership fishery for Pacific whiting until the start of the 2003 season to avoid exceeding the annual harvest allotment. Comments are sought. For more information contact Becky Renko or Carrie Nordeen at 206.526.6140. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 39632-33.

Proposed Rules

Western Pacific Council to Hold Meetings on Over-fishing Pelagic, Bottomfish & Crustacean Fisheries

Public hearings on revisions to the Sustainable Fisheries Act and on definitions of overfishing for the pelagic, bottomfish and crustacean fisheries will be held by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council June 25-26 at the American Samoa Convention Center in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Also covered will be limited entry options for American Samoa and final actions on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands bottomfish landing requirements. For more information contact Kitty Simonds at 808.522.8220. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 39330-31.

Notices

NOAA Publishes List of Charts Complying with Convention on Safety at Sea

Revisions to requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLA) regarding charts and nautical publications will be issued in July 2002 by NOAA and the National Ocean Service. In compliance, NOS is providing a statement of products that meet SOLA definitions. Comments are requested. For more information contact Captain Nicholas Perugini at 301.713.2724 ext. 101. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Pages 39695-6.

Thursday, 6 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 109

Rules & Regulations

2nd Quarter Quota for NE Black Sea Bass Fishery Closed

The 964,046 pound 2nd Quarter commercial harvest quota for black sea bass is harvested. The fishery will close June 7 -30 from Maine through North Carolina. For more information contact Richard Pearson at 978.281.9279. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 38909.

Commercial Specs Ready for 2002 Atlantic Bluefish

NMFS issued its 2002 specifications fort the Atlantic bluefish fishery including state-by-state total allowable harvest levels, commercial harvest and recreational fishing quotas for the East Coast of the United States. For more information contact Myles Raizin at 978.281.9104. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38909-12.

Proposed Rules

14 Gulf Sturgeon Critical Habitat Areas Proposed

The US Fish & Wildlife Service together with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are proposing 14 separate critical habitat areas for the Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi). The 2,544 river kilometers along Gulf of Mexico rivers and tributaries will be discussed at four public hearings: August 19 at the Suwannee River Water Management District in Live Oak, Florida; August 20 at the Chautaugua Museum Building, Defuniak Springs, Florida; August 21 at the J.L. Scott Marine Ed Center, Biloxi, Mississippi; and August 22 at the Hilton New Orleans Airport in Kenner, Louisiana. For more information contact Patty Kelly at 850.769.0552. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 39105-39199.

Wednesday, 5 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 108

Rules & Regulations

NMFS Issues Interim Rule for NE Multispecies Fishery

In compliance with a court order, NMFS issued an interim rule removing closures for Cashes Ledge East and West, and the minimum six inch spacing between fairhead rollers of de-hooking gear. NMFS also reduced the 22” minimum size for cod to 19 inches. The suit was brought against NMFS by the Conservation Law Foundation, the Center for Marine Conservation, the National Audubon Society and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Comments are sought. For more information contact Thomas Warren at 978.281.9347. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38608-09.

Tuesday, 4 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 107

Proposed Rules

NMFS To Review Claim that N. Florida Loggerheads Are Endangered

A petition by the EarthJustice Legal Defense Fund, Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity asking NMFS to reclassify Florida’s Northern and Panhandle loggerhead sea turtle “subpopulations” as distinct population segments and as endangered. Upon reviewing the petition NMFS decided to open an official review of the issue and ordered a 90-day “finding” for the petitioners. Comments are sought no later than August 5th. For more information contact Barbara Schroeder at 301.713.0376. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38459-61.

Notices

Gulf of Mexico Council’s Ad Hoc Red Snapper and Shrimp Assessment Panels to Meet

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Red Snapper Advisory Panel and the Council’s Shrimp Assessment Advisory Panel will meet at separate sites on June 17-19. The former will discuss development of individual fishing quotas (ITQs) at the Tampa Airport Hilton Hotel in Tampa, Florida. The Shrimp Panel will discuss management measures and including rock shrimp into those measures at the New Orleans Hilton Hotel in Kenner, Louisiana. For information regarding the Red Snapper meeting contact Wayne Swingle at 813.228.2815. For the shrimp meeting contact Rick Leard at 813.228.2815. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38472-73.

New England Council’s Recreational Advisory Panel and Habitat Committee to Meet

The Recreational Advisory Panel and Habitat Committees of the New England Fishery Management Council will meet in June. The Recreational Avisory Panel will meet on June 18 to discuss management measures and the development of Amendment 13 to the NE multispecies fishery management plan. The Habitat Committee will meet June 19-20 at the Mansfield, Massachusetts Holiday Inn. The Recreational panel meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn in Peabody, Massachusetts. For more information contact Paul J. Howard at 978.465.0492. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38473-4.

Pacific Council & Advisory Panels to Discuss Pacific Rockfish Plight

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will hold public meetings June 16-21 to discuss a range of topic including the rebuilding efforts for Bocaccio, Canary Rockfish, Yelloweye Rockfish and sable fish. The meetings will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Foster City, California. For more information contact Donald McIsaac at 503.820.2280. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38474-5.

Monday, 3 June 2002/Vol. 67, No. 106

Proposed Rules

Proposed Rule Set for American Samoa Pelagic Longliners

NMFS announced that entry into the pelagic longline fishery in the U.S. exclusive economic zone around American Samoa after March 21, 2002 are not guaranteed inclusion in any future program limiting entry for that fishery. Comments are sought. For more information contact Kitty Simonds at 808.522.8220. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 38245.

Notices

South Atlantic Council Committees to Meet

A range of committees of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet June 17-20 at the Wyndam Reach Resort in Key West, Florida. Those committees include the Scientific and Statistical Committee, Habitat Committee, Personnel Committee, Finance Committee, Protected Resources Committee, Snapper Group Committee, and National Environmental Policy Act/Environmental Impact Statement Committee. A scoping meeting on use of powerheads and spearguns to harvest cobia will also meet during that time. For more information contact Kim Iverson at 843.571.4366. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38260-2.

Friday, 31 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 105

Proposed Rules

Caribbean Fishery Council Set to Draft EIS on Management Changes

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council is planning to draft an environmental impact statement on the impact of management changes on the human and natural environments. Those changes involve the fisheries for Queen conch, reef fish, spiny lobsters and may include sections involving bycatch, closures for spawning aggregations and habitat protection as well as size, possession and trip limits and licensing provisions. Comments are sought. Scoping meetings will be held in June 2002. For more information contact Graciela Garcia-Moliner at 787.766.5926. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 38060-1.

Thursday, 30 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 104

Rules & Regulations

Temporary Leatherback Protection Rule Imposed on Atlantic Shrimpers

NMFS is imposing a 30-day regulation requiring Atlantic shrimp trawlers from Cape Fear, North Carolina to St. Augustine, Florida to use TEDs (turtle excluder devices) with openings large enough to allow leatherback turtles to escape. The temporary rule starts May 24th and ends June 24th. Comments are sought. For more information contact Bob Hoffman at 727.570-5312. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 37723-25.

North Atlantic Loligo Squid Fishery Closed Until July 1st

In order to avoid over-fishing its Quarter II quota, NMFS shut the Loligo squid fishery in the Northeastern U.S. For more information contact Paul H. Jones at 978.281.9273. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 37725-6.

Halibut By-catch Limit Closes Gulf of Alaska Deep Water Trawl Season

The 2002 Pacific halibut by-catch allowance for deep-water fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska has been reached. As a result the deep-water trawl fisheries there are closed by order of NFMS from May 24 until June 30th. For more information contact Mary Furuness at 907.586.7228. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 37726.

Notices

FEDs Plan Study of Threat to Fish by Bellingham, Washington Water Supply

Both the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (US F&WS) are planning a joint environmental impact statement on the dangers posed to endangered stocks of salmon, trout and Dolly varden by water diversion by the city from the Middle Fork Nooksack River and Lake Whatcom in Washington State. Comments are requested. For more information contact Mark Oswald at 360.753.9564. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA and Dept. of Interior, US F&WS, pages 37776-7.

Wednesday, 29 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 103

Rules & Regulations

Season Extension for Atlantic Migratory Sharks

NMFS is extending the expiration date for the commercial quotas of large and small coastal sharks set at 1285 and 1760 metric tons dressed weight respectively. Opening and closing dates for the Atlantic large and small coastal shark, pelagic shark, blue shark and porbeagle shark fishing dates are now set. July 1 to Sept. 15 for large coastal sharks and July 1 through December 31st for the rest are the season dates. Comments are requested. For more information contact Margo Schulze-Haugen at 301.713.2347. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA pages 37354-5.

Notices

Draft Environmental Assessment of 14 Threatened Evolutionary Units Available

NMFS has copies of its draft Environmental Assessment for 14 threatened salmon and steelhead “evolutionarily significant units” in the upper northwest. They include Chinook units in the Puget Sound, Lower Columbia River and Upper Williamette River; coho salmon along the Oregon coast; Sockeye salmon in Ozette lake; chum salmon in the Hood Canal (summer run) and Columbia river; steelhead in the snake river, central California coast, south-central California coast, the Lower Columbia river, Central valley CA, Middle Columbia and Upper Williamette. Comments are sought by June 28th. For more information contact Rosemary Furfey at 503;231-2149. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 37393.

Alaskan Groundfish Impact Statement In the Works

NMFS is planning to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement on management measures to improve the economic efficiency of the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries. Individual fishing quotas, processing quotas, community allocations, fishing cooperatives, etc. are all areas to be covered. Comments will be accepted through November 15th. Public scoping meetings (to discuss the scope of the paper) will be held in September and October. For more information call Glenn Merrill at 907.586.7228. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 37393-5.

Gulf of Mexico Council’s Socioeconomic Panel to Meet

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a public meeting of its socioeconomic panel Wednesday, June 12 at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, New Orleans, LA. The topic will be the economic information on Gulf king and Spanish mackerel and red grouper. Total allowable catch recommendations for the species are expected to result. For more information contact Antonio Lamberte at 813.228.2815. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 37395-6.

New England Council Skate Committee Meeting Set

The New England Fishery Council’s Skate Oversight Committee and Advisory Panel will meet June 13th at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers, Massachusetts. The topics will be the draft skate fishery management plan and incorporating skates into the multispecies management plans. For more information contact Paul J. Howard at 978.465.0492. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 37396.

Tuesday, 28 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 102

Rules & Regulations

2nd Half Bycatch Rate for Pacific Halibut & Red King Crab Set

NMFS set the 2nd half of the 2002 season bycatch rate for Pacific halibut and red King crab in the Alaskan groundfish trawl fishery. Comments are requested. For more information contact Mary Furuness at 907.586.7228. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 36845-7.

Notices

PRC Crawfish Tail Meat Review Granted Extension

The Department of Commerce granted an extension until September 30, 2002 for its review on the anti-dumping order against the People’s Republic of China regarding freshwater crawfish tail meat. For more information contact Doug Campau at 202.482.1395. Dept. of Commerce, International Trade Administration page 36856.

Friday, 24 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 101

Notices

Summer Workshop Planned for ICCAT Advisory Committee

A summer workshop to evaluate historical landings of Atlantic bigeye, albacore, and yellowfin tunas and to help improve statistical reporting of the species will be held June 10-11 at the Hilton Hotel, Silver Spring, MD. It is open to the public. For information call Erika Carlsen at 301.713.2276. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 36575.

Thursday, 23 May 2002/Vol. 67, No. 100

Proposed Rules

Public Comments Sought on 2002 NE Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass

Public comments on proposed NMFS recreational measures for the 2002 summer flounder, scup and black sea bass fisheries are due on or before June 7, 2002. Copies of the measures are available at http://www.nero.nmfs.gov/ro/doc/nero.html>. Comments should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, regional administrator, NE Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. For more information contact Richard Pearson at 978.281.9279. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 361339.

Wednesday, 06 February 2002/Vol. 67, No. 25

Proposed Rules

Yellowtail Flounder Trawl Mesh Selectivity Tests to Be Approved

NMFS is proposing to issue experimental fishing permits for four vessels to engage in tests to help determine mesh selectivity curves to allow fisheries managers to match minimum legal size yellowtail flounder with appropriate net mesh sizes. Comments must be received no later than February 21 by Patricia Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. For more information contact Regina Spallone at 978.281.9221. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 5558-59.

Notices

"Catfish" Implementation Guide Available from USFDA

An industry "guide" to the implementation and enforcement of Congressional legislation limiting importation and sales of any fish species labeled "catfish" to members of the Ictaluridae family is now available. For copies of "Guidance for Industry: Implementation of Section 755 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 1076-76, § 755 (2001) Regarding Common or Usual Names for Catfish" contact Office of Seafood (HFS-400) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy, College Park, MD 20740. Please include a self-addressed adhesive mailing label to assist processing. For more information contact Mary Snyder at 301.436.2303. Dept. of Health and Human Services, FDA, pages 5604-5.

Tuesday, 05 February 2002/Vol. 67, No. 24

Rules & Regulations

Year Delay Imposed in Year-4 Small-Mesh Multispecies Management Measures

The need to accumulate two full years worth of data has prompted a year delay in the implementation of measures to Amendment 12 of the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The Year-4 management measures for small-mesh multispecies including silver hake or whiting, red hake and offshore hake). The new implementation date is May 1, 2003. For more information contact Martin Jaffe at 978.281.9272. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, pages 5241-4.

Friday, 01 February 2002/Vol. 67, No. 22

Notices

Mid-Atlantic Council and Atlantic States Commission to Hold Joint Meeting on Demersal Species

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Demersal Species Committee and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions' Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board will hold a public meeting on demersal species priorities for 2002. The meeting will be held at the Swiss Hotel Washington, the Watergate, in Washington DC on February 21st. For more information contact Daniel T. Furlong at 302.674.2331. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 4947.

Pacific Whiting Topic of Stock Assessment Review Panel Meeting

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's Groundfish Stock Review Panel will hold a public meeting to discuss draft stock assessment documents on Pacific whiting. The meeting is scheduled for the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington on February 21-22. For more information contact Chuck Tracy at 503.326.6352. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, page 4947.