International

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Atlantic

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Atlantic

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Northeast

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Public Hearings on Acroporid Coral Species

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species and Billfish Advisory Panel Meeting

International – FAO Consultation on Sea Turtles Yields Promising Results

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) convened a Technical Consultation on Sea Turtle Conservation and Fisheries in Bangkok, Thailand from November 29 – December 2, 2004. The Consultation was attended by 28 Members of FAO, including the United States, and by observers from three intergovernmental and four international organizations. NOAA Fisheries Deputy AA for Regulatory Programs Rebecca Lent led the U.S. delegation, which included the agency’s sea turtle experts as well as representatives from industry, academia, and the conservation community.

At this Technical Consultation, participants reviewed the current status of sea turtle conservation and new developments in fishing gears and techniques. They also considered assistance to members of developing countries for the conservation of sea turtles. The United States played a critical role in achieving the major outcome of the meeting--a set of guidelines on reducing sea turtle interactions with fishing operations and resulting sea turtle mortality; these guidelines will be recommended to the FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI) for formal adoption in March 2005. A draft report from the meeting is expected to be available in January.

For more information on the Technical Consultation, including documents considered at the meeting, go to: http://www.fao.org/fi/NEMS/events/detail_event.asp?event_id=15235.

National - NOAA Fisheries Publishes Bycatch Technical Memo

NOAA Fisheries has published Evaluating Bycatch: A National Approach to Standardized Bycatch Monitoring Programs (NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-66). The report is the product of NOAA Fisheries' National Bycatch Strategy ( http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/bycatch_images/FINALstrategy.pdf).

This 108-page report reviews regional issues related to fisheries and bycatch and discusses advantages and disadvantages of various methods for estimating bycatch. In addition, 84 fisheries were evaluated for bycatch monitoring, classified into one of five categories, and rated as to their vulnerability to bycatch of three types of resources. The report recommends precision goals for estimates of bycatch, which are defined in terms of the coefficient of variation of each estimate. Finally, the report describes NOAA Fisheries' objectives and protocol for standardized bycatch reporting methodologies.

Evaluating Bycatch is available on the Web at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/by_catch/SPO_final_rev_12204.pdf.

Atlantic – Decision Postponed on Striped Bass Fishing in Federal Waters

NOAA Fisheries will wait for the results of a new striped bass stock assessment in 2005 before deciding whether to re-open federal waters to striped bass fishing.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has recommended that NOAA Fisheries remove the current moratorium on the harvest of Atlantic striped bass in federal waters. To determine what action should be taken in response to this recommendation, NOAA Fisheries began preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) – an analysis of impacts of striped bass fishing in federal waters. Completion of the document has been delayed because of uncertainties in the 2004 Atlantic striped bass stock assessment.

In 2005, the Commission’s Striped Bass Technical Committee will conduct another stock assessment of striped bass, which will either confirm the 2004 results or identify problems with that assessment. The new stock assessment will be completed by fall 2005 and the DEIS will be updated to incorporate those results.

For more information and updates on the development of the striped bass DEIS, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/state_federal/state_federal.htm.

Atlantic – Winter Bluefin Tuna Fishery Opens

Effective December 8, 2004 NOAA Fisheries reopened the coastwide General category bluefin (BFT) fishery and the Angling category BFT fishery. A limited quota remains available for the General and Charter/Headboat categories (approximately the same level of landings attributed to southern area fishermen during last winter’s commercial fishery.) The General category daily retention limit during this reopening is one large medium or giant BFT, measuring 73 inches or greater per vessel/day/trip.

Fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant BFT by persons fishing under the General category quota must cease at 11:30 p.m. December 20, 2004. However, NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor both the General and Angling category BFT fisheries closely. If the available quota is projected to be reached before that date, a closure notice will be announced.

As a reminder, all BFT landed under the Angling category quota must be reported within 24 hours of landing to NOAA Fisheries via toll-free phone at (888) 872-8862; or the Internet (http://www.nmfspermits.com ) ; or, if landed in the state of North Carolina, to a reporting station prior to offloading. Information about North Carolina’s harvest tagging program, including reporting station locations, can be obtained by calling (800) 338-7804. Information about Maryland’s harvest tagging program can be obtained from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at (410) 213-1531.

All BFT fishery participants are encouraged to call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9305 for updates on quota monitoring and closures.

Atlantic – Proposed Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Effort Controls Available for Public Comment

NOAA Fisheries has proposed initial 2004 specifications for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery to set BFT quotas for each of the established domestic fishing categories and to set General category effort controls. Once finalized, these quotas will be effective through May 31, 2005. The proposed rule would also establish a catch-and-release provision for recreational and commercial BFT handgear vessels during respective quota category closures. A copy of the proposed rule is posted at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.

All comments on this action must be received by January 6, 2005. Comments may be submitted via email to: 04BFTSPECS@noaa.gov.

Public hearings will be held on December 27 and 28, 2004.

For more information on the hearings, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Tuna/04BFTSpecs_FaxNotice.12-7-2004.pdf.

Atlantic – Review of Recreational HMS Landings Available on Web

NOAA Fisheries has completed a report analyzing estimated recreational landings
of Atlantic marlins and bluefin tuna. This information was used to prepare the proposed initial 2004 BFT specifications, which show that quota is available for a limited fishery for the remainder of the current fishing year (ending May 31, 2005). The final report of the "Ad Hoc Committee Review of 2002-2003 U.S. Recreational Fishery Landings Estimates for White Marlin, Blue Marlin and Bluefin Tuna" is available on the HMS website at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.

Pacific – Public Comments Invited on Proposed Specifications for Sardine

NOAA Fisheries has published a proposed rule to implement the annual harvest guideline for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2005. This harvest guideline has been calculated according to the regulations implementing the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and establishes allowable harvest levels for sardine off the Pacific coast. Comments must be received by December 23, 2004.

For more information, please contact Tonya.Wick@noaa.gov.

Northeast – Public Comments Invited on Proposed Quotas for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass

NOAA Fisheries has proposed specifications for the 2005 and 2006 summer flounder fisheries, and for the 2005 scup and black sea bass fisheries. This proposed rule also would make changes to the regulations regarding the commercial scup fishery. The intent of this action is to establish harvest levels and other measures to attain the target fishing mortality rates (F) or exploitation rates specified in the FMP, and to reduce bycatch and improve the efficiency of the commercial scup fishery. In addition, NOAA Fisheries has conditionally approved three research projects.

Comments must be received on or before December 21, 2004. Copies of the proposed specifications are accessible via the Internet at http://www.nero.nmfs.gov. Comments may be sent via e-mail to the following address: FSB2005@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: "Comments on Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Specifications."

For further information, contact Sarah.Mclaughlin@noaa.gov.

Northeast – Days-At-Sea Allocation Procedure Implemented in New England Groundfish Fishery

NOAA Fisheries is implementing the days-at-sea (DAS) allocation procedure contained in the final rule for Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This DAS allocation procedure establishes a DAS baseline allocation based on historic participation in the NE multispecies DAS fishery and caps a vessel's annual DAS usage. This interim final rule was published in the Federal Register on December 8, 2004 and will become effective on January 7, 2005.

To provide the public with the opportunity to comment on the DAS usage cap, the DAS allocation procedure was published as a proposed interim rule on October 28, 2004. After fully considering public comments, NOAA Fisheries is implementing this final rule to avoid the possibility of overfishing if the cap is removed and to continue the allocation of DAS in this fishery in a manner consistent with the New England Fishery Management Council’s intent in approving Amendment 13.

For more information, contact Thomas.Warren@noaa.gov.

Southeast – NOAA Fisheries Seeks Public Input on Caribbean Coral Status

The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned NOAA Fisheries on March 4, 2004, to list elkhorn, staghorn and fused-staghorn coral as threatened or endangered throughout their known range, and to designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. In June 2004, NOAA Fisheries found that the petition presented substantial information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted, and solicited information about these three acroporid species (elkhorn coral, staghorn coral, and fused staghorn coral).

For more on this finding, go to: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/docs/69fr34995acropora.pdf

To maximize public involvement and to ensure that the best available scientific and commercial data are considered in this listing determination, NOAA Fisheries will hold two public meetings to seek input on the following specific issues:

(1) historical and current distribution and abundance of these three acroporid species;
(2) historic and current condition;
(3) population status and trends;
(4) information on any current or planned activities that may adversely impact the three species;
(5) ongoing efforts to protect these species and their habitat;
(6) areas that may qualify as critical habitat; and
(7) approaches and criteria that could be used to assess listing potential of these species as either threatened or endangered (e.g., viability assessments, extinction risk).

NOAA Fisheries is holding two meetings to gather the best available information for the listing determination (see Events and Announcements below). You may also submit comments by E-mail: Acropora.Info@noaa.gov. NOAA Fisheries will accept input from the public until January 4, 2004.

For information, contact Jennifer.Moore@noaa.gov.

Southeast – Commercial and Recreational Fishermen Fined for Oculina Bank Violations

NOAA has issued a $30,000 civil penalty to Brent Zirlott Jr., operator of the fishing vessel Miss Rosa Marie and the vessel’s owner, Rosa Marie Inc., for using a bottom trawl to fish for rock shrimp within the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC), a violation of federal fishery regulations. The Oculina Bank, located offshore between Cape Canaveral and Ft. Pierce, Florida, has been designated a HAPC to protect fragile Oculina Coral (Oculina varicosa). Within the HAPC is an Experimental Closed Area with further restrictions on fishing for snapper and grouper species. The alleged violations took place on Sept. 29-30, 2004, when NOAA’s satellite-based Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) alerted enforcement to the Miss Rosa Marie’s presence in the Oculina Bank HAPC. A NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) special agent, with the assistance of a law enforcement team from U.S. Coast Guard Station - Port Canaveral, subsequently boarded the Miss Rosa Marie and conducted an investigation.

The vessel and the Irvington, Ala., owner were assessed a Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) and a 45-day permit sanction that will forbid the vessel and any other vessel/dealership for which the owner holds a permit, from fishing for or dealing in federally regulated species of fish for which a federal permit is required. Zirlott, Jr., and Rosa Marie, Inc., have until January 17, 2005, to either pay the penalty and accept the permit sanction, seek to have the assessment modified, or request a hearing before a federal administrative law judge to deny or contest all or any part of the charges and the penalties assessed.

NOAA has also issued a $5,000 NOVA against the owner/operators of a recreational fishing boat from Montverde, Fla. David and Kendra Moreau were cited for violating South Atlantic snapper-grouper regulations by fishing for and/or retaining snapper and grouper species within the Experimental Closed Area, a part of the Oculina Bank HAPC. This alleged violation took place on June 13, 2004, when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission patrol vessel C.T. Randall located a sport fishing boat with three people onboard within the closed area. Enforcement officers boarded the boat and discovered undersized snapper and grouper onboard. As federally deputized officers, they forwarded the case to NOAA enforcement agents for a follow-up investigation. The Moreaus have requested a hearing before a federal administrative law judge.

For more information, contact Mark.Oswell@noaa.gov.

Gulf – Wetland Restoration through Sediment Trapping at “The Jaws”

On December 5, 2004, Wilco Marsh Buggies completed construction work on a restoration project in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The project, called the Sediment Trapping at the Jaws, involved creation of 38,700 linear feet of earthen terraces and adjacent channels, through which water and sediments will be trapped. As a final step in the project, grass seed will be planted on the terraces forming the basis of a vegetated marsh. The project is funded under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA or Breaux Act).

The 2,782 acre project, in an area locally known as "the Jaws", experiences high winds and waves that prevent sediments from settling and cause the shoreline to erode at a rate of 15 feet/year. The sediment trapping project uses earthen terraces to reduce wave fetch, which induces sedimentation and promotes emergent vegetated wetlands. The project's net benefits are expected to be 1,900 wetland acres over the next 20 years. The original project cost was estimated at $3.4 million, but competitive contractor bidding resulted in $1.8 million project.

For more information on the Jaws project see: http://www.lacoast.gov/projects/overview.asp?statenumber=TV%2D15

For more information on CWPPRA see: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/projects_programs/CWPPRA/index.html
or contact Erik.Zobrist@noaa.gov.

Alaska – Public Comments Invited on Proposed Specifications for Alaska Groundfish Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries has proposed harvest specifications, reserves and apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands. These two proposed rules would establish harvest limits and associated management measures for Alaska groundfish during the 2005 and 2006 fishing years.

Comments must be received by January 6, 2005. Specific directions for submitting comments can be found in the proposed rules. For a copy, look under Groundfish at: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/prules/default.htm.

For more information, contact Tom.Pearson@noaa.gov.

December 6, 2004

December 7, 2004

Proposed Rule - I.D. 112204C Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off
Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Proposed 2005 and 2006 Harvest Specifications
for Groundfish

Proposed Rule - I.D. 110904D. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone
Off Alaska; Aleutian Islands Subarea Directed Pollock Fishery

December 8, 2004

Interim Final Rule - I.D. 102204C. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States;
Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery

Rule - I.D. 120204A. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska;
Pacific Cod by Catcher Processor Vessels Using Hook and Line Gear in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

Rule - I.D. 120304C. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States;
Atlantic Herring Fishery; Total Allowable Catch Harvested for Management
Area 1B.

Proposed Rule - I.D. 112204A. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2005 and 2006 Proposed Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

December 10, 2004

Proposed Rule - I.D. 072304B. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic
Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications, General Category Effort Controls, and
Catch-and-Release Provision.

Rule - I.D. 120704C. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Bluefin Tuna Fisheries.

Rule - I.D. 072704A. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Commercial Shark Management Measures; Correction.

Rule - I.D. 120704A. International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; Restrictions for 2004 Purse Seine and Longline Fisheries in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean.

Notice- I.D. 102204B. End. Species; File No. 1418

Notice - I.D. 110104A. Taking Marine Mammals in the Beaufort Sea