National

Alaska

NOAA Fisheries to Host Regional Constituent Forums with Anglers and Boat Captains; First Meeting October 12 in Panama City, FL

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 55th Annual Meeting, October 11-14, 2004

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Ad Hoc Red Snapper Advisory Panel Meeting, October 26-27

National – Public Comment Invited on Changes in the Final Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

The White House Council on Environmental Quality Interagency Ocean Policy Group (IOPG) is inviting individuals from across the country to submit comments on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Final Report. Because the IOPG has access to the public comments submitted to the Commission on its Preliminary Report, which was released on April 20, 2004, the IOPG is seeking specific comments on the changes introduced in the Final Report. The Final Report, as well as additional background information, can be found at: http://ocean.ceq.gov/

All public comments should include the individual's name, affiliation, address, phone number, and e-mail address, and should not include any attachments. Comments may be sent via e-mail to: finalreport.comments@noaa.gov. The comment period will be open through November 1, 2004.

Alaska - Scientists Optimistic After Sightings of Critically Endangered North Pacific Right Whale

Scientists on the NOAA Research Vessel McArthur II have nearly doubled the tally of known right whales in the Bering Sea in two days of whale research. This extraordinary set of sightings has expanded the record of known right whales in the eastern North Pacific from 13 to at least 25 individuals.

The North Pacific right whale was severely depleted by over-exploitation in the 1800s. Following international protection in 1931, sighting records indicate there was a small but recovering population of right whales in the eastern North Pacific. However, illegal takes of right whales by foreign commercial whaling vessels in the 1960s reduced the population to a critically low level. Since that time, sightings of right whales have been extremely rare in the eastern North Pacific, and there have been concerns that the population was headed for extinction.

Guided by satellite tags that scientists placed on two of the right whales earlier this summer, researchers sighted the whale group in the southeastern Bering Sea. “We saw more right whales in the Bering Sea than have been documented in the last five years combined,” said Robert Pitman, a NOAA Fisheries marine scientist. “More importantly, we also saw three cow-and-calf pairs. Not only is the population bigger than we thought, but it may actually be growing.”

To read the news release, which gives a more complete story of these scientists’ exciting work, go to: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/rightwhale100104.htm

October 4, 2004

October 5, 2004

October 6, 2004

Notice - Sea Grant Program Application Requirements.

Notice - Gear-Marking Requirements for the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan.

Rule - Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments.

Notice - International Whaling Commission Working Group Meeting; Nominations.

Rule - Magnuson-Stevens Act. Closure of the Eastern US/Canada Area and Prohibition of Harvesting, Possessing, and Landing Yellowtail Flounder.

Rule - Groundfish Fisheries by Vessels Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the GOA.

Rule - Pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.

Rule - Atka Mackerel in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

October 7, 2004

Notice - GOM Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings; Correction.

Notice - Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Scoping Hearings (re: draft Amendment 15 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics FMP and draft Amendment 24 to the Reef Fish FMP.)

October 8, 2004