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documents in the last year, 981 Further, eligible commercial fisheries not specifically identified on the LOF are deemed to be Category II fisheries until the next LOF is published (50 CFR 229.2). Ferguson, L.W. The classifications and definitions of U.S. commercial fisheries for 2021 are identical to those provided in the LOF for 2020 with the changes discussed below. The management change resulted in a substantial reduction in discarded catch.It led to the full rebuilding of several groundfish species, some of them a decade or more ahead of expectations. Groundfish refers to more than 90 different types of roundfish, flatfish, rockfish, sharks, and skates off the West Coast. NOAA Fisheries and the Council carefully manage salmon bycatch through bycatch guidelines (limits on salmon bycatch by fishing sector). To determine which species or stocks are included as incidentally killed or injured in a fishery, NMFS annually reviews the information presented in the current SARs and injury determination reports. In some instances, electronic monitoring may be used in place of human observers. The commenter notes that NMFS splits undetermined North Atlantic right whale M/SI evenly between the two countries. Its expertise includes online information and design, intergovernmental relations, education, tribal relations, media relations, and social media. Comment 16: Whale Safe USA requests NMFS maintain the Category I classifications for Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery and Northeast sink gillnet fishery. Owners of vessels or gear engaging in a Category I or II fishery are required under the MMPA (16 U.S.C. We participate in the implementation of numerous international treaties and other agreements to sustainably conserve fisheries for cross-boundary species including highly migratory fish, particularly tuna; whiting; halibut, and salmon; and protect marine mammals of mutual interest to nations of the Pacific. For this reason, the number of HSFCA permits displayed in Table 3 is likely higher than the actual U.S. fishing effort on the high seas. That final rule was effective January 1, 2023. Roundfish: The six species are lingcod, cabezon, kelp greenling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting (hake), and sablefish. Scott most recently served as the Deputy Regional Administrator for the region since 2017. at 67,130. Therefore, NMFS is retaining the Category III classification of the Hawaii troll fishery. Copies of the SARs are available on the NMFS Office of Protected Resources website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-region. Harbor porpoise, inland WA, AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands flatfish trawl, AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands pollock trawl, AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands rockfish trawl, AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod pot. For complete information about, and access to, our official publications documents in the last year, 20 section). Comment 5: The Commission restates a previous comment and recommends NMFS reclassify both the Category II SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet and Yakutat salmon set gillnet fisheries as Category I fisheries. 1387(c)(2)), as described in 50 CFR 229.4, to register with NMFS and obtain a marine mammal authorization to lawfully take non-endangered and non-threatened marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations. the material on FederalRegister.gov is accurately displayed, consistent with As of 2004, NMFS issues HSFCA permits only for high seas fisheries analyzed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Refer to NMFS No: WCRO-2018-00288 . NMFS uses the best available scientific information to prepare the annual LOF. Response: For determining a fishery's classification on the LOF, NMFS must assess the M/SI with respect to a stock's PBR. The President of the United States issues other types of documents, including but not limited to; memoranda, notices, determinations, letters, messages, and orders. The authorized high seas fisheries are broad in scope and encompass multiple specific fisheries identified by gear type. If the total annual mortality and serious injury of a marine mammal stock, across all fisheries, is less than or equal to 10 percent of the PBR level of the stock, all fisheries interacting with the stock will be placed in Category III (unless those fisheries interact with other stock(s) for which total annual mortality and serious injury is greater than 10 percent of PBR). Parents teach their kids to fish the West Coasts 7,000 miles of shore and view wildlife such as elephant seals, sea turtles, and sea lions. Response: This comment has been addressed previously (see 84 FR 22051, May 16, 2019). Comment 7: HLA restates a previous comment opposing the inclusion of the Hawaii stocks of Kogia species (pygmy or dwarf sperm whales) on the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category I HI deep-set longline fishery. List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in Table 1: AIAleutian Islands; AKAlaska; BSBering Sea; CACalifornia; ENPEastern North Pacific; GOAGulf of Alaska; HIHawaii; MHIMain Hawaiian Islands; OROregon; WAWashington; *Fishery has an associated high seas component listed in Table 3; and. We collaborate extensively with the Pacific Fishery Management Council, Native American Indian tribes, and the four states within the region in our management of highly migratory species (e.g., tunas, sharks), coastal pelagic species (e.g., sardine and anchovy), groundfish, and salmon, as well as the habitats upon which they rely. As a result, the recovery of some rockfish species has occurred more than a decade earlier than the timeline estimated by scientists. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. To Krill or Not to Krill? Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. NOAA Fisheries and the Council work with state and tribal governments, as well as industry, environmental organizations, and academic institutions. See response to comment #11 above about M/SI of right whales that is attributed to the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery. NMFS will continue to annually evaluate marine mammal interactions and risk posed by a variety of gear types and fisheries through the LOF process. Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) North of 4010' N Lat. Pacific highly migratory species troll fishery from 119 to 111 HSFCA permits. In the West Coast groundfish fishery, the position data is primarily used to monitor fishing activity relative to closed areas. Portland, OR 97232-1274 . Response: NMFS uses the classification criteria described in the preamble to classify fisheries as Category I, Category II, or Category III. NMFS and the U.S. If you have questions related to these permits and licenses or the associated forms, please contact the West Coast Fisheries Permit Contact at (206) 526-4353. ^The list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in this fishery is identical to the list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in U.S. waters component of the fishery, minus species and/or stocks that have geographic ranges exclusively in coastal waters, because the marine mammal species and/or stocks are also found on the high seas and the fishery remains the same on both sides of the EEZ boundary. Measures including closed areas, reduced catch limits, and a shift to catch shares management were implemented. Maine gear was involved in a second case in 2004, but it was not the primary entangling gear in this case. 03/03/2023, 159 The PBR level for the SEAK harbor porpoise stock was estimated based on a survey that covered only a portion of the currently-recognized distribution of this stock, and it included commercial fishery M/SI that occurred far north of the surveyed areas. American Samoa bottomfish handline fishery from fewer than 30 to fewer than 20 vessels/persons. 2017. NMFS adds the U.S. stock of California sea lion to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III WA/OR/CA shrimp trawl fishery. The study did not estimate mortality or injury rates incidental to fisheries. MMAP certificates issued in 2020 remain in effect, valid through December 31, 2021, for vessel or gear owners participating in all Category I and II fisheries as of the final 2021 LOF. In the absence of reliable information indicating the frequency of incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals by a commercial fishery, NMFS will determine whether the incidental mortality or serious injury is occasional by evaluating other factors such as fishing techniques, gear used, methods used to deter marine mammals, target species, seasons and areas fished, qualitative data from logbooks or fishermen reports, stranding data, and the species and distribution of marine mammals in the area, or at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (50 CFR 229.2). Tidal wetlands in the Nisqually River Basin, where restored habitat fosters growth of juvenile salmon and steelhead on their way to the ocean. Responses to substantive comments are below; comments on actions not related to the LOF are not included. Eulachon bycatch in the groundfish fishery appears to be driven by both eulachon distribution and cyclic abundance. Dahle, M.E. 03/03/2023, 207 Any vessel owner or operator participating in a fishery listed on the LOF must report to NMFS all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip. : WCRO-2022-00168 October 24. This rule has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563. They work with project applicants and NOAA Fisheries biologists to optimize project designs, construction, operations, instream flows, and habitat for the protection and recovery of aquatic species at both the project and watershed scale. Committed to conserving and protecting our trust resources, the West Coast Region provides science-based conservation and management for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine mammals, sea turtles, and endangered species, and their habitats. This includes developing and implementing salmon, steelhead, and green sturgeon recovery plans, with a particular focus on habitat, and working with hatcheries along the coast. NMFS adds the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands stock of bottlenose dolphin to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in Category III Caribbean mixed species trap/pot fishery. Back . The impacts of numerous fisheries have been analyzed in various biological opinions, and this rule will not affect the conclusions of those opinions. Register documents. The West Coast groundfish fisheries are tracked and managed using accounting of both landed catch and discarded catch. Multiple states participate in the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery, using a wide variety of gear and gear configurations throughout a large portion of coastal waters. Fisheries off West Coast States; Highly Migratory Fisheries; Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Authorization of Deep-Set Buoy Gear A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 02/06/2023 developer tools pages. These grants build up NOAA's continuing long . The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce has certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration (SBA) that this rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Refer to NMFS No. ^The list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in this fishery is identical to the list of species and/or stocks killed or injured in high seas component of the fishery, minus species and/or stocks that have geographic ranges exclusively on the high seas. Credit: Mary Campbell, Feiro Marine Life Center, Volunteer Group Responds to Strandings on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula, West Coast Species on the Move as Climate Change Drives Ecological Shifts, Analysis Shows, NOAA Fisheries Releases Draft National Seafood Strategy, Requests Public Input. We review federal proposals for land and water development to make sure these activities do not further degrade habitat or harm protected species.

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