Recent Regulatory Actions--Protected Resources 2007 2006 2005 & Earlier
Final Rule to Protect Sea Turtles in Western and Central Pacific Purse Seine Fisheries
Proposed Rule for Amendment 15B to the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan
This rule would, among other things, implement a plan to monitor and assess bycatch and implement measures to minimize impacts of incidental takes of sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish. Comments must be received by August 4, 2009.
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Bluefin Tuna, Swordfish, and Shark Fisheries
This rulemaking would include provisions to revitalize the swordfish fishery while minimizing bycatch to the extent practicable. Comments must be received by August 31, 2009.
Denial of Petitions for Emergency Rulemaking Regarding Sea Turtle Bycatch
NOAA Extends Comment Period on New Sea Turtle Regulations for Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Trawl Fisheries
Comments must be received by August 10, 2009.
Proposed Rule to Protect Harbor Porpoises from Gillnet Gear
Comments must be received by August 20, 2009.
Proposed Rule for Amendment 18 to the Pelagics Fishery Management Plan
This rule would, among other things, increase the loggerhead sea turtle interaction hard cap to 46 from the current 17. Comments must be received by August 3, 2009.
Notice of Availability for Amendment 15B to the FMP for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the S. Atlantic Region
This amendment would, among other things, require commercial vessels and charter vessel/headboats with hook-and-line gear onboard to comply with sea turtle and smalltooth sawfish release protocols. Comments must be received by August 3, 2009.
Final Rule to Implement the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan
Emergency Rule: Bottom Longline Gear Restriction in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery
Proposed Rule for Fishing Restrictions, Observer Requirements, and Turtle Mitigation Requirements in Western and Central Pacific Purse Seine Fisheries
Comments must be submitted by June 22, 2009.
Public Hearings on Reef Fish Amendment 31
This amendment is intended to address sea turtle bycatch in the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline reef fish fishery.
Proposed Rule to Modify Chain Mat Regulations for the Sea Scallop Fishery
Comments on this rule, designed to reduce sea turtle interactions, must be submitted by June 4, 2009.
Final Rule to Revise Seabird Avoidance Requirements for Alaska Groundfish and Halibut Fisheries
Notice of Availability of Amendment 18 to the FMP for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region
This rule would remove the annual limit on the number of longline shallow sets, and increase the number of allowable incidental interactions between longline fishing gear and loggerhead sea turtles to 46 (from the current limit of 17). Comments must be submitted by May 18, 2009.
Petitions for Emergency Rulemaking to Reduce Loggerhead Sea Turtle Bycatch
Comments must be submitted by March 27, 2009.
Revised Loggerhead Sea Turtle Recovery Plan Available
Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Plan Available
Temporary Rule to Protect Right Whales off New Hampshire
This rule is effective through March 8, 2009.
Proposed Rule to Implement Amendment 16 to the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper FMP
This rule would, among other things, require possession of a venting tool and dehooking device onboard a vessel fishing for South Atlantic snapper-grouper so that fish can be released with minimum injury. Comments must be submitted by March 9, 2009.
Final Rule to Amend the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan
This rule extends existing regulations that prohibit nighttime fishing with medium mesh gillnets in North Carolina state waters from November 1 through April 30 for an additional three years.
Petition for Rulemaking to Implement the Provisions of the MMPA for Swordfish Imports
NOAA Fisheries has received a petition for rulemaking from two non-governmental organizations to initiate rulemaking to ban the importation of commercial fish or products from fish that have been caught with commercial fishing technology that results in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals in excess of U.S. standards. This petition was filed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, and public comments on this petition will be accepted through January 29, 2009.
Final MMPA List of Fisheries for 2009
NOAA Fisheries has published its final List of Fisheries for 2009, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NOAA Fisheries must categorize each commercial fishery on the list into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of serious injury and mortality of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The categorization of a fishery determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan requirements.
Final Rule to Implement a Modified Pound Net Leader Inspection Program in Virginia Chesapeake Bay Waters (November 2008)
This rule will help ensure that required modified pound new leaders do in fact meet the definition of a modified pound net leader. Modified pound net leaders are designed to help protected threatened and endangered sea turtles that encounter pound nets.
Temporary Restrictions to Protect Atlantic Large Whales (November 2008)
These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen east of Gloucester, MA, and Portsmouth, NH, as well as fishermen using the same types of gear east of Portland, ME. The regulations expired on December 3, 2008.
NOAA Fisheries Extends Authorization of Restricted Tow Times for Shrimp Trawlers in Certain State and Federal Waters off Texas (November 2008)
This temporary allows shrimp trawlers in affected areas to continue to use restricted tow times instead of TEDs. This authorization expires on December 7, 2008.
NOAA Fisheries Extends Authorization of Restricted Tow Times for Shrimp Trawlers in Certain State and Federal Waters off Louisiana (November 2008)
This temporary rule extends a previous authorization that affected trawlers who are required to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) and will allow shrimp trawlers in affected areas continue to use restricted tow times instead of TEDs. This is necessary due to conditions caused by excessive amounts of debris left by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. This authorization expires on November 28, 2008.
Final Rule to Authorize Green-Stick Gear and Require Sea Turtle Control Device in Atlantic HMS Fisheries (October 2008)
This rule authorizes green-stick gear for the harvest of Atlantic tunas, including bluefin tuna, and requires a sea turtle control device in Atlantic Highly Migratory Species pelagic longline and bottom longline fisheries.
Final Rule to Delay the Effective Date for Gear Modifications to Reduce Atlantic Large Whale Takes (9/08/08)
This rule delays the broad-based sinking groundline requirement for trap/pot fishermen along the Atlantic coast for an additional six months, from October 5, 2008, to April 5, 2009.
Proposed Rule to Amend the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan (9/08/08)
This rule would continue, current nighttime fishing restrictions of medium mesh gillnets operating in the North Carolina portion of the Winter-Mixed Management Unit during the winter.
NOAA Fisheries Northeast Stranding and Disentanglement Program Website (7/17/08)
Proposed Rule for Regulations to Implement the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (6/25/08)
This proposed rule includes regulatory and non-regulatory measures, including a special research area, gear modifications, outreach material, and observer coverage.
Marine Mammal Protection Act Proposed List of Fisheries for 2009 (6/25/08)
The proposed 2009 List includes several changes to the 2008 List, including reorganization and elevation of various West Coast trap/pot fisheries, addition of high seas fisheries to the List, and splitting the Hawaii longline fishery into two fisheries.
Proposed Rule to Delay Effective Date of Broad-Based Gear Modifications in Recent Large Whale Amendment (6/12/08)
This rule would amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP), to delay the effective date of one of the broad-based gear modifications.
Final Rule to Clarify Requirements for Use of Chain Mats to Protect Sea Turtles (5/21/08)
Proposed Rule to Require Sea Turtle Control Devices in Longline Fisheries (5/21/08)
Temporary Rule to Protect Aggregation of Northern Right Whales off Maine (2/04/07)
Pelagic Longline Exempted Fishing Permit Issued in Southeast Atlantic Closed Areas (2/04/07)
Temporary Rule to Protect Aggregation of Northern Right Whales off New Hampshire (1/24/08)
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