National

National

National

Atlantic

New England

National - Request for Proposals on Endangered Species Research; Funding Available for States and Territories

Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was established to provide assistance to states and territories that have entered into a cooperative agreement with NOAA Fisheries. Assistance, in the form of grants, supports the development and implementation of conservation programs for endangered and threatened species, candidate species or species of concern, or post-delisting monitoring of recovered species. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation operates this grant program in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources.

The purpose of the section 6 grants program is to foster the conservation and recovery of threatened, endangered, and candidate species by supporting conservation, research, and monitoring projects of high quality and promise. Proposals will be considered for projects that will result in conservation of ESA-listed or candidate species, species of concern, recently recovered species under NOAA Fisheries' jurisdiction, or species managed jointly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (e.g., sea turtles). Attachment A lists all states/territories and species that are eligible for funding under this Request for Proposals. Projects may include management, research, or outreach activities. Proposals will be evaluated based on merit.

The application is posted at https://collective.nfwf.org/pre-proposal/Preproposal.php. Select the "specific program" radio button and then "Endangered Species Act" from the picklist at the bottom of the page. For application inquiries, please contact Michelle Pico at pico@nfwf.org.

National – NOAA Fisheries Publishes the 2004 MMPA List of Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries has updated its annual list of commercial fisheries that interact with marine mammals, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The List of Fisheries categorizes each U.S. commercial fishery based on the level of interaction each fishery has with marine mammals. Each fishery is placed into one of three categories according to whether it has a frequent (Category I), occasional (Category II), or remote (Category III) likelihood of incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals.

After reviewing marine mammal stock assessment reports and other new information (e.g., observer data, marine mammal stranding data), NOAA Fisheries is proposing several classification and administrative changes. The Hawaii Swordfish, Tuna, Billfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Oceanic Sharks Longline/Set Line Fishery is reclassified from Category III to Category I. The Alaska groundfish fisheries have been delineated by target species and gear type. The 23 newly delineated fisheries are classified as Category III.

Commercial fishermen who participate in fisheries placed in Category I or II must register with the Marine Mammal Assessment Program and submit a $25 fee unless registration has been integrated with a pre-existing state or federal registration program. The MMPA requires that all commercial fishermen regardless of Category submit a report to NOAA Fisheries within 48 hours of the end of each fishing trip if a marine mammal is injured or killed incidental to fishing operations.

Copies of the final rule can be found on the Internet at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/PR2/Fisheries_Interactions/list_of_fisheries.html
or by contacting Gale.Heim@noaa.gov

National – U.S. National Plan of Action on Capacity Now Available

NOAA Fisheries has just issued a final National Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (NPOA/Capacity), consistent with an international obligation to the Food and Agriculture Organization. This plan addresses a fundamental and widely debated problem in many federally managed fisheries: overcapacity in the harvesting sector. The NPOA/Capacity announces, for the first time, a national governmental policy: “to use its authorities to help the Councils and industry manage capacity with the major objective of bringing about a reasonable balance between harvesting capacity and available resources.” Over the long term, the NPOA/Capacity proposes the elimination or significant reduction of overcapacity in 25 percent of federally managed fisheries by 2009, and in a substantial majority of fisheries in the following decade.

As the lead U.S. agency responsible for marine fisheries, NOAA Fisheries will encourage and promote sound capacity management actions, hold national workshops, prepare reports, and assist in the implementation of capacity management programs. NOAA Fisheries will work closely with the Fishery Management Councils in the implementation and administration of exclusive quota programs, such as individual fishing quotas, community quotas, and fishing cooperatives, as required by relevant law. In addition, NOAA Fisheries will assist in the design and administration of permit and vessel buyout programs to ensure their compatibility with federal law, including section 3129B)-(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Finally, to ensure that the NPOA/Capacity stays on target, NOAA Fisheries will conduct a formal review of this plan at least every four years, i.e., by no later than 2008.

For a copy of the final U.S. National Plan of Action on Capacity, please visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/sfweb/index.htm

Atlantic - Public Comment Requested on Additional Actions that may be Necessary to Reduce Sea Turtle Interactions with Fishing Gear in the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Fishery

An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) has been published to request comments on potential regulatory changes to further reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality of sea turtles in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery. NOAA Fisheries announced the availability of a Final Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement concerning the reduction of sea turtle bycatch and bycatch mortality in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery on June 25, 2004, and subsequently published a final rule on July 6, 2004 to implement management measures to reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality of Atlantic sea turtles. That rulemaking was based on the results of the 3-year Northeast Distant Closed Area research experiment involving interactions of pelagic longline fishing gear and Atlantic sea turtles, other available studies and information on circle hook and bait treatments, and public comments.

A 2004 Biological Opinion issued for the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery found that the measures that subsequently were included in the final rule were not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of loggerhead, green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, or olive ridley sea turtles, but were likely to jeopardize the continued existence of leatherback sea turtles. The 2004 BiOp advises consideration of a framework mechanism to facilitate timelier implementation of corrective actions and to provide greater certainty on potential management responses. Thus, in this ANPR, NOAA Fisheries is exploring a potential mechanism and/or individual corrective actions that might be necessary if any turtle excedance occurs.

The ANPR and related documents, including the 2004 BiOp, are available on the HMS Management Division’s web page at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms. For additional information, contact Russell.Dunn@noaa.gov. Written comments on the ANPR must be received no later than October 12, 2004. You may submit comments by Email to : ID070804B@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the following identifier: I.D. 070804B.

New England - Students, Teachers, and Communities Find Value in Exploring Local Fisheries Knowledge in Maine

The Local Fisheries Knowledge Project, a NOAA Fisheries education project, is generating positive outcomes for local schools and communities in Maine and has elicited interest from around the country. Throughout the 2003-2004 academic year, approximately 175 students from two high schools interviewed members of their community involved in marine fishing and other marine-dependent professions and activities. Students learned how coastal and ocean resources have shaped their communities. Some of the students’ interview transcripts are now online at the LFK Project website ( http://www.st.nmfs.gov/lfkproject). About 30 more transcripts from the pilot year will be added in the fall. The LFK Database will serve as a national archive for local fisheries knowledge interview transcripts, open to students and professionals.

Through the Local Fisheries Knowledge (LFK) Project, students explore their social, cultural, economic, and ecological connections to ocean and coastal resources. The LFK Project uses a place-based curriculum, developed by local educators, to ensure lessons are relevant to students’ lives and local communities. Unlike many marine education programs that focus exclusively on marine science, the LFK Project also incorporates human dimensions into marine education. Participants reported that the LFK Project provided academic benefits to students and expanded many of their career interests, including interest in marine science professions. Recording, transcribing, and archiving the interviews in the LFK Database provided opportunities for teachers and students to learn new technical skills while preserving local heritage. The LFK Project also facilitated community involvement with the students’ projects. Both schools have decided to continue the Project again next year.

There is growing interest in implementing the LFK Project in new communities throughout the United States. The pilot participants and the LFK Pilot Resource Committee
( http://www.st.nmfs.gov/lfkproject/05_Committee.bios.htm) will meet at the University of Maine, Machias on August 17-19 for a formal evaluation of the pilot year and to prepare for the 2nd year.

For more information or to add interviews to the LFK Database, please contact Jennifer Isé ( Jennifer.Ise@noaa.gov) or Susan Abbott-Jamieson ( Susan.Abbott-Jamieson@noaa.gov).

August 9, 2004

Notice - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) (re: the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association).

August 10, 2004

Notice - Petition to List Cherry Point Stock of Herring as Endangered
Notice - Draft Amendment 26 for GOM Reef Fish; Commercial Red Snapper Fishery, Scoping Meetings.
Notice - Meeting and Review of Analytical Framework Under the ESA.