This prototype edition of the NOAA Technical Memorandum . These habitat conservation measures restrict vessels targeting other species besides groundfish, and, when working in concert with other gear restrictions and fishery management measures, minimize the adverse effects of fishing on groundfish essential fish habitat. Comment 3: FLC recommends NMFS re-evaluate how a single marine mammal M/SI is assigned to multiple stocks when stock ranges overlap. Theseare used to record fishing activity at sea. As noted in the 2016 SAR (Muto et al., 2017), the 2012 killer whale M/SI in the BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery was assigned to both the resident and transient stocks of killer whale, given no genetic samples were collected and the overlap in the range of the two stocks in Alaska waters. In addition, MMPA section 118(d)(7) provides NMFS, with the consent by the vessel owner, the ability to place an observer on board a vessel participating in Category III fisheries (50 CFR 229.7(d)). This rule would not affect the land or water uses or natural resources of the coastal zone, as specified under section 307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act. Mapping and Analysis of West Coast Groundfish Data obtained from the observer program and observer coverage levels are important tools in estimating the level of marine mammal mortality and serious injury in commercial fishing operations. NMFS re-classifies two fisheries in the LOF for 2021. 2016. It transmits that position to a NOAA Fisheries-approved communications service provider. Category II: Annual mortality and serious injury of a stock in a given fishery is greater than 1 percent and less than 50 percent of the PBR level (i.e., occasional incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals). "NOAA Fisheries Service" and the "National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)" are synonymous names for the same agency. NMFS adds the Cook Inlet stock of harbor seal to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK Gulf of Alaska halibut longline fishery. documents in the last year, 822 We review federal proposals for land and water development to make sure these activities do not further degrade habitat or harm protected species. (Photo courtesy of Woody Venard), Expanding Electronic Reporting Across the Pacific Ocean, Gray Whale Numbers Continue Decline; NOAA Fisheries Will Continue Monitoring, A gray whale mother calf pair migrating along the central California coast from the wintering grounds in Mexico to the summer feeding grounds in Alaska. Assessing the risk of whale entanglement with fishing gear debris 333 SW First Avenue . They also implement temporary and permanent area closures to protect salmon in the ocean and on their way back to their rivers to reproduce. William Abadie . We help other federal agencies conserve habitat for protected species and for essential fish habitat to support commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries. MLA further states that there are several factors with disparity among the Northeast and mid-Atlantic lobster fisheries, as well as significant differences in potential overlap with North Atlantic right whales. The Arctic region extends from the Bering Strait to the Chukchi. rendition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov does not Therefore, the high seas components of these fisheries pose the same risk to marine mammals as the components of these fisheries operating in U.S. waters. We also study the impacts of environmental variability and climate change on marine ecosystems and fishery socioeconomics. Our scientists conduct biological, ecological and oceanographic research, observations, and monitoring of the regions living marine resources and their environments. Therefore, Maine lobster trap/pot fisheries cannot be ruled out as the potential origin for entanglements with undetermined origins. However, large whale fishery interaction assessments are dependent on direct counts of entangled whales, not the fishery per se. In order to land fish species, fishers must be using an authorized gear type. Rainbow in the dusk sky at San Diego Harbor. However, this information alone does not provide sufficient evidence with which to conclude that spotted dolphins are being seriously injured or killed on an Start Printed Page 3035occasional basis as necessary for a Category II fishery classification. Start Fiscal YearEnd Fiscal YearRegionAll RegionsAlaskaNortheastSoutheastWest CoastWest PacificStock List:All StocksFSSI Stocks Select Years to Include in the Report:hiddenStart Calendar Year: End Calendar Year: Report most recent assessment available? Seabirds are a vital part of marine ecosystems and are valuable indicators for ecosystem health. In Tables 1 and 2, there are several fisheries classified as Category II that have no recent documented mortalities or serious injuries of marine mammals, or fisheries that did not result in a mortality or serious injury rate greater than 1 percent of a stock's PBR level based on known interactions. In some instances, electronic monitoring may be used in place of human observers. Owners of vessels or gear engaged in a Category III fishery are not required to register with NMFS or obtain a marine mammal authorization.Start Printed Page 3031. to provide more detail on composition of effort within these fisheries. NMFS also reviews other sources of new information, including injury determination reports, bycatch estimation reports, observer data, logbook data, stranding data, disentanglement network data, fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMPA mortality/injury reports), and anecdotal reports from that time period. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and Southwest Fisheries Science Center work together to apply the latest science to sustainably manage the rich marine resources of the region for generations to come. An additional case from 2011, previously noted in our 2020 Final LOF response to comments (85 FR 21079, April 16, 2020) but not mentioned in MLA's comment, also included recovered gear with these red tracers, though the location of that entanglement remains unknown (E11-11/RW 4040). Is Action Is Action Likely To Jeopardize the Species? There are several fisheries in Tables 1, 2, and 3 in which a portion of the fishing vessels cross the EEZ boundary and therefore operate both within U.S. waters and on the high seas. That final rule was effective January 1, 2023. They typically become effective on January 1 of any given year (the beginning of the management cycle). U.S. Dept. Credit: NOAA. A full list of projects is available on RCO's Web site. These density data were categorized by species and life stage, habitat type, seasonal period, and geographic region to develop frequency statistics (e.g., 25th and . . The main types of fishing gear include trawls (which can be in the middle of the water column or near the bottom), longlines, fish pots, and other variations of similar gear. Comment 15: MA DMF recommends NMFS reclassify the Massachusetts state waters lobster trap/pot fishery as its own non-Category I fishery, separate from the Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery based on the gear restrictions and large whale conservation programs that are unique to Massachusetts. This is the approach NMFS took this approach in 2012 proposed LOF. Pacific white-sided dolphin, North Pacific. NMFS adds the Western North Atlantic offshore stock of bottlenose dolphin to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II mid-Atlantic mid-water trawl (including pair trawl) fishery. Either there is limited interaction with eulachon in these fisheries or most eulachon encounters result in fish escaping trawl nets or avoiding trawl gear altogether. AOLA recommends NMFS take a more equitable approach when assessing entanglement risk across fisheries, countries, and non-fishery sources, and also notes this would assist in assuring fishermen are treated fairly. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern SC estuarine system. (PDF) Biologically important areas II for cetaceans in U.S. and Fritz, R.C. Our Vision To Krill or Not to Krill? Stay informed of all the latest regional news around NOAA Fisheries, Staff and volunteers from Feiro Marine Life Center and SR3 release a juvenile seal back to Port Angeles Harbor. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. NOAA Fisheries and the Council work with state and tribal governments, as well as industry, environmental organizations, and academic institutions. Therefore, the EEZ components of these fisheries pose the same risk to marine mammals as the components operating on the high seas. NMFS is proposing that the nearshore fishery be open every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning Monday May 8 until the nearshore allocation is taken, or on September 30, whichever is earlier. The Commission previously noted that the 2016 SAR for the Southeast Alaska stock of harbor porpoise reported a population-size estimate of 975 and an estimated minimum population size (Nmin) of 896, which produced a PBR of 8.9 animals. Lyman. Based on the information and analysis contained here and in the referenced documents, NMFS has determined the following: (1) the required mitigation measures will effect the least practicable impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat; (2) the authorized takes will have a negligible impact on the affected marine mammal species . The LOF fishery fact sheet for the BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery Start Printed Page 3033has an incorrect description for the observer coverage in both the catcher processor and catcher vessel longline sectors. This killer whale M/SI occurred in 2012, and no additional M/SI have been observed or reported for the 2013-2017 data analysis timeframe for this fishery. Learn more about Fisheries Management on the West Coast. Table 1 lists all of the commercial fisheries in the Pacific Ocean (including Alaska); Table 2 lists all of the commercial fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean; and Table 3 lists all U.S. authorized commercial fisheries on the high seas. This notice initiated a 60-day period for the public to provide comments to NMFS related to the status of the species being reviewed. Rockfish: Numerous species, including widow, yellowtail, canary, and vermilion rockfish; bocaccio, chilipepper, cowcod, yelloweye, thornyheads, and Pacific ocean perch. documents in the last year, 122 documents in the last year, 83 Under Section 4(f)(1)(B), to the maximum . MMPA, 16 U.S.C. PDF Federal Register /Vol. 62, No. 7/Friday, January 10, 1997/Rules and For these fisheries, NMFS will review the other sources of information listed above and use its discretion to decide when it is appropriate to remove a species or stock. Sharks and skates: The six species are leopard shark, soupfin shark, spiny dogfish, big skate, California skate, and longnose skate. We also ensure that federal ocean fisheries along the West Coast are managed to uphold Native American Tribal treaty fishing rights. The classification of a fishery on the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery may be required to comply with certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan requirements. However, there have been a number of entanglements for which interventions occurred because these entanglements were determined to be resulting in serious injuries (Henry et al., 2019). Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP). Reporting requirements and procedures are found in 50 CFR 229.6. 03/03/2023, 1465 02-204-01. Thus, the comparison of the estimated annual M/SI does not provide a meaningful basis for classifying this fishery, given the likely population structure found in the Southeast Alaska (SEAK) harbor porpoise stock, as described in the 2019 SAR. 24 pp. The Commission states that the estimated annual M/SI has not changed, and although the stock's PBR increased to 12 in the 2019 SAR, fishery-related M/SI still exceed PBR by nearly threefold. Regulatory Branch Chief U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . The groundfish fishery may affect leatherback sea turtles by entanglement in fishing gear. Both of these injuries are considered serious injuries and the responsible fishery is not known for either case. West Coast From killer whales slicing through waves to salmon jumping rapids on their journey home, marine life fills and defines the waters of the West Coast. Federal Register :: Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified NOAA Fisheries - Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI, USA . Roundfish: The six species are lingcod, cabezon, kelp greenling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting (hake), and sablefish. The Public Inspection page Photo by Jeff Bash/NOAA Fisheries. Specifically, these offices implement protections and conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act, essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and actions under the Federal Power Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act in their geographic areas. The following stock is making progress towards being rebuilt: For updated information, view our Fishery Stock Status Updates. NMFS updates the estimated number of vessels/persons in the Pacific Ocean (Table 1) as follows: NMFS adds the Aleutian Islands stock of harbor seal to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands rockfish trawl fishery. Reg.