National

National

Northeast

Atlantic & Gulf

National – e-Rulemaking Initiative Public Forums August 2004

A series of public forums on the federal government-wide eRulemaking Initiative will be held in August in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., as sponsored by the eRulemaking Program Office and the Environmental Protection Agency. The forums are intended to give citizens an opportunity to learn about the eRulemaking Initiative and provide input on its major projects. The eRulemaking Program Office is soliciting feedback on the usability and features of the electronic system currently available to the public for finding rules open for comment at the federal rulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov as well as the planned government-wide electronic federal docket management system. The public forums will be open to citizens and other public stakeholders, including industry and trade associations, advocacy groups, businesses, labor unions, state and local governments, and the academic community.

The FR Notice announcing these meetings was published on July 16, 2004 (69 FR 42727); the notice may be found through the Office of Sustainable Fisheries’ website at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/sfweb/ For further information on the forums, contact Kristin Tensuan at the eRulemaking PMO (tensuan.kristin@epa.gov)

For information on NOAA Fisheries’ involvement, contact Davis Hays, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, Davis.Hays@noaa.gov, 301-713-2341.

The public meetings will be held on the following dates:

• August 2, 2004; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Stanford, California

• August 3, 2004; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Chicago, Illinois

• August 9, 2004; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Cambridge, Massachusetts

• August 12, 2004; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Washington, D.C.

For location information and to register and attend, please contact Kristin Tensuan. Registrants will be notified via e-mail if a meeting is rescheduled.

National - NOAA Celebrates Environmental Restoration Accomplishments

On July 20, the Restoration Center held an event on Capitol Hill to celebrate accomplishments of the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program. The event was co-sponsored by New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg and Florida Representative Bill Young. James R. Mahoney, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere provided remarks for NOAA and Dr. Rebecca Lent, Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, served as emcee. Senator Gregg (R-NH), Representative Sam Farr (D-CA), Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) spoke at the event. The event brought together more than 15 partners from 13 coastal states with their congressional representatives to recognize this highly successful community-based program. The event highlighted exemplary local efforts and the importance of coastal, estuarine and anadromous fisheries habitat restoration to both the nation’s commerce and natural environment.

Working with partners, the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program restores mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs, oyster reefs, submerged aquatic vegetation beds, salt marshes, riparian spawning grounds and many other habitats. In addition to ecological benefits, these projects:

1. Contribute to a healthy economy through job creation
2. Provide opportunities for the public to participate in hands-on restoration to enrich their coastal communities
3. Generate long-term stewardship for the nation’s living marine resources.

In 2004, more than 3,000 volunteers have helped complete restoration projects, contributing 41,000 volunteer hours. Since 1996, more than 800 projects in 26 states have been implemented with $33 million in NOAA funds. These funds were matched up to five times by national and regional habitat restoration partners. For more information on our Community-Based Restoration program, visit us online at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/ or contact Robin Bruckner at Robin.Bruckner@noaa.gov or (301) 713-0174.

Northeast - Right Whale Protection - Dynamic Area Management (DAM) In Effect July 24 – August 7, 2004

On July 11, 2004, the sighting of four North Atlantic right whales east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the proximity of 41° 33' N lat. and 68° 38' W long, triggered a DAM action. The DAM zone is approximately 1,638 square nautical miles. The DAM is effective from July 24 through August 7, 2004. The DAM zone will expand to approximately 1,688 square miles in August. The temporary regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet gear. All anchored gillnet and lobster trap/pot gear must comply with the gear restrictions required to continue fishing in a DAM zone for the restricted time period. In addition, NOAA Fisheries requires that no additional gear be set in the DAM zone during the 15-day period unless that gear has been modified accordingly.

For more details on the gear modifications and requirements, please visit us at http://www.nero.nmfs.gov/whaletrp/ or contact Diane Borggaard a (978) 281-9328.

Atlantic & Gulf - Sea Turtle Handling Workshops Scheduled for Fishermen

NOAA Fisheries will hold voluntary workshops on the proper use of sea turtle handling and release equipment and on the current regulations for the pelagic longline fishery. The techniques that will be demonstrated at the workshops are required by fishermen using pelagic longline gear and will greatly increase the chance of sea turtle survival. At the workshops participants will have a chance to use the equipment and ask questions.

A new sea turtle bycatch reduction rule was published by NOAA Fisheries on July 6, 2004. Among other things, the rule requires that all vessel operators participating in the pelagic longline fishery must use new release equipment and handling techniques that will be outlined in the workshops. Although the workshops are voluntary, all pelagic longline fishermen are strongly encouraged to attend. Proper use of release equipment and handling techniques are important aspects of sea turtle conservation efforts in this fishery.

The workshops are designed for permit holders, vessel operators, and crew members who use pelagic longline gear in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Other interested parties are also welcome to attend. There are a variety of dates and locations for these workshops. To view a full schedule of workshops visit us at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms or call Charlie Bergmann at (228) 762-4591 or (228) 623-0748.

July 20, 2004

Notice - MAFAC Public Meeting
Proposed Rule - Western Pacific Coastal Pelagic Annual Specs
Proposed Rule - West Coast Salmon Fishery; Inseason Action #5
Rule - Zero Mortality Rate Goal for Commercial Fisheries under the MMPA.

July 21, 2004

Notice - New England FMC; Meetings.
Notice - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits [re: application submitted by the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman's Association in collaboration with Research, Environmental and Management Support].
Rule - Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan.
Rule – Pacific Ocean Perch.
Rule - West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska.
Rule - Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
Rule - Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Tuna Retention Limit Adjustment.

July 22, 2004

Proposed Rule - American Samoa Longline Limited Entry
Rule - Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.

July 23, 2004