They are in place for a two-year period, except as changed through in-season adjustments to management measures. Over the last year, NMFS has made substantial progress in analyzing genetic data to resolve stock structure of harbor porpoise in Southeast Alaska. Our work covers a vast geography, including the inland and coastal waters of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. However, 86 percent of known entanglements were in Canadian gear. There are no documented interactions with pantropical spotted dolphins in commercial troll fisheries on the high seas (2020 LOF). Comment 2: FLC recommends NMFS reclassify the AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Pacific cod longline fishery from a Category II to Category III. The Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) provides an inseason salmon bycatch report to monitor bycatch in the groundfish fishery. The management of West Coast groundfish fisheries relies on ongoing scientific efforts in federal, state, and academic programs. We also provide technical assistance and funding to support restoration activities that improve habitat. HLA notes that (a) the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan (FKWTRP) closed the deep-set longline fishery for almost the entire range of the MHI insular stock, (b) since this change was made in 2013 there have been no false killer whale interactions in the fishery, and (c) there has never been a deep-set longline fishery interaction in the very small area of the stocks' range where the fishery operates. A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/14/2021. Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. For additional information on fishing effort in fisheries found on Table 1 or 2, contact the relevant regional office (contact information included above in Where can I find more information about the LOF and the MMAP? Boveng, J.M. Fisheries Research. West Coast Region Species in the Spotlight: Sacramento River Winter-Run Chinook 5:00 The Sacramento River system is home to the only winter-run Chinook salmon in the world. However, there have been a number of entanglements for which interventions occurred because these entanglements were determined to be resulting in serious injuries (Henry et al., 2019).. Injury determinations for humpback whales and other cetaceans reported to NOAA response networks in the Hawaiian Islands during 2017. Comment 15: MA DMF recommends NMFS reclassify the Massachusetts state waters lobster trap/pot fishery as its own non-Category I fishery, separate from the Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery based on the gear restrictions and large whale conservation programs that are unique to Massachusetts. Hemphill Dam after rehabilitation. Multiple states participate in the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery, using a wide variety of gear and gear configurations throughout a large portion of coastal waters. Below are links to learn about a few of our West Coast species. Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official documents in the last year, 11 Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine. Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. Affected Species and NMFS' Determinations: ESA-Listed Species Status . For this reason, the number of HSFCA permits displayed in Table 3 is likely higher than the actual U.S. fishing effort on the high seas. With a few exceptions, groundfish live on or near the bottom of the ocean. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. edition of the Federal Register. These tribes, all located in Washington State, include the Quinault Indian Nation, the Hoh Tribe, the Quileute Nation, and the Makah Tribe. 2022. (Photo courtesy of Woody Venard), Expanding Electronic Reporting Across the Pacific Ocean, Gray Whale Numbers Continue Decline; NOAA Fisheries Will Continue Monitoring, A gray whale mother calf pair migrating along the central California coast from the wintering grounds in Mexico to the summer feeding grounds in Alaska. When these estimations become available, NMFS will solicit public comment through the SAR publication process. NMFS adds to the Western North Pacific stock of humpback whale to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK/WA/OR/CA commercial passenger fishing vessel fishery. Vessel or gear owners participating in previous Category III fisheries reclassified as a Category II fishery in this final 2021 LOF can obtain their MMAP certificate on our website https://go.usa.gov/xArUW. The commenter notes that in the absence of sufficient data to properly classify all fisheries, the MMPA provides that NMFS may evaluate other factors such as fishing techniques, gear used, methods used to deter marine mammals, target species, seasons and areas fished, qualitative data from logbooks or fishermen reports, stranding data, and the species and distribution of marine mammals in the area, or at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries. Given the additional regulatory requirements for Category I and II fisheries, NMFS uses known M/SI that can be attributed to a specific fishery for LOF analysis. Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine (FL west coast portion). Some of them vary in concentration from north to south, and some are common from the U.S./Canada border to the U.S./Mexico border. In fisheries with sufficient observer coverage, NMFS extrapolates annual M/SI estimates for bycaught species. Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP). NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Eulachon Listing and Resources AboutEulachon Eulachon (pronouncedyoula . NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 . However, the probability of encountering either stock is not 100 percent, but proportional to the relative population of the stocks throughout the range. The species and/or stocks are found, and the fishery remains the same, on both sides of the EEZ boundary. For the 2021 LOF, NMFS retains the Category II classification for the Yakutat salmon set gillnet and SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet fisheries until more data are available. Video and sensor data is reviewed after the trip to determine fishing locations and quantify discards. The West Coast is home to a variety of seabird species. They typically become effective on January 1 of any given year (the beginning of the management cycle). The Commission notes that is more difficult to address the harbor porpoise M/SI in Category II Yakutat salmon set gillnet because there is a geographical disconnect between where observer data was collected and the population surveys were conducted. Either there is limited interaction with eulachon in these fisheries or most eulachon encounters result in fish escaping trawl nets or avoiding trawl gear altogether. on There are two primary species of salmon that are caught as bycatch in the Pacific Groundfish fishery, Chinook and coho salmon. This rule makes minor corrections and clarifications to the final rule for the 2023-2024 harvest specifications and management measures for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery which published on December 16. Open for Comment, Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions, Economic Sanctions & Foreign Assets Control, Fisheries of the Northeastern United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. At this time, we consider it appropriate to retain North Atlantic right whales as a species listed as driving the classification of the Northeast/mid-Atlantic lobster trap/pot fishery given that PBR is 0.8 and the further detail provided below, which reiterates responses provided in the 2020 Final LOF (85 FR 21079, April 16, 2020). 2018. We also manage and conserve marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and coordinate and support the marine mammal stranding networks. This catch data is used along with captain-reported logbooks in place of observer data to debit vessel accounts. Harbor seal, WNA. Because there were no data to indicate specific stock or reliable data that could be used to partition the 2012 killer whale M/SI, the M/SI was assigned to both stocks as prescribed by NMFS' Guidelines for Preparing Stock Assessment Reports Pursuant to the 1994 Amendments to the MMPA. 1999. In addition, MMPA section 118(d)(7) provides NMFS, with the consent by the vessel owner, the ability to place an observer on board a vessel participating in Category III fisheries (50 CFR 229.7(d)). Authority: Response: The SARs are drafted according to NMFS' Guidelines for Preparing Stock Assessment Reports Pursuant to the 1994 Amendments to the MMPA (NMFS 2016, 02-204-01). Habitat Restoration to Benefit Threatened Chinook Salmon in the Willamette River Basin. These fishery fact sheets provide the full history of each Category I and II fishery, including: When the fishery was added to the LOF; the basis for the fishery's initial classification; classification changes to the fishery; changes to the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the fishery; fishery gear and methods used; observer coverage levels; fishery management and regulation; and applicable TRPs or TRTs, if any. For example, the State of Hawaii does not issue fishery-specific licenses, and the number of participants reported in the LOF represents the number of commercial marine license holders who reported using a particular fishing gear type/method at least once in a given year, without considering how many times the gear was used. on The list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured includes serious and non-serious documented injuries as described later in the List of Species and/or Stocks Incidentally Killed or Injured in the Pacific Ocean and List of Species and/or Stocks Incidentally Killed or Injured in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean sections. This provides directives for consistently assigning M/SI to stocks, including times when the M/SI is documented in an area of overlapping stocks. documents in the last year, 513 If the total annual mortality and serious injury of a marine mammal stock, across all fisheries, is less than or equal to 10 percent of the PBR level of the stock, all fisheries interacting with the stock will be placed in Category III (unless those fisheries interact with other stock(s) for which total annual mortality and serious injury is greater than 10 percent of PBR). AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon drift gillnet, AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon set gillnet, AK Prince William Sound salmon drift gillnet. How do I find out if a specific fishery is in Category I, II, or III? Section 118 of the MMPA requires NMFS to place all U.S. commercial fisheries into one of three categories based on the level of incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals occurring in each fishery (16 U.S.C. Atlantic spotted dolphin, Northern GMX. However, large whale fishery interaction assessments are dependent on direct counts of entangled whales, not the fishery per se. to the courts under 44 U.S.C. That final rule was effective January 1, 2023. TRP regulations are found at 50 CFR 229.30 through 229.37. Waite, and A.N. However, the distribution of maturation ages for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) On the West Coast and in the watersheds of Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho, we manage commercial and recreational fisheries for more than 100 species of salmon, groundfish, coastal pelagics such as anchovy and sardine, and highly migratory species such as billfish, sharks, and tunas. Since 2006, there has only been one observed leatherback sea turtle caught in groundfish fishing gear. Theseare used to record fishing activity at sea. This document has been published in the Federal Register. West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OREGON 97232-1274 . In the Pacific Islands, West Coast, and Alaska regions, NMFS will issue vessel or gear owners an authorization certificate via U.S. mail or with their state or Federal license or permit at the time of issuance or renewal. Variable Description Derivation Model(s) Biophysical variables: Area of reef within proximity: Area of coral reef habitat within 20 or 200 km: UFRTM: Impact; biomass The HI shallow-set longline fishery has 100 percent observer coverage and therefore, the Central North Pacific stock of humpback whale stock should be removed the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II HI shallow-set longline fishery. MA DMF states that they are the only state lobster trap/trap fishery implementing the following actions either currently or in the future: (1) Lobster trap/pot fishery closure from February 1st to April 30th (currently in place for the Massachusetts Bay Restricted Area, proposed closure of all state waters beginning February 1, 2021); (2) dynamic extension of the lobster trap/pot fishery closure to ensure Start Printed Page 3038safe passage of right whales from our waters prior to fixed gear being set (currently in place for the Massachusetts Bay Restricted Area, proposed for all state waters beginning February 1, 2021); (3) ban use of vertical buoy lines greater than 3/8 inch diameter (proposed to begin February 1, 2021); (4) ban fishing single traps by the majority of its active fleet (proposed to begin January 1, 2022); (5) universal requirement of 1,700 pound breaking strength line or equivalent contrivance (proposed to begin February 1, 2021); (6) permitting and regulatory scheme designed to reduce participation and effort over time (currently in place); and (7) demonstrated substantial decline in the number of participants and the number of buoy lines deployed (currently in place). Category II: Annual mortality and serious injury of a stock in a given fishery is greater than 1 percent and less than 50 percent of the PBR level (i.e., occasional incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals). Comment 13: AOLA expresses concern with how NMFS assigns M/SI when the origin of entanglement is unknown. Portland, OR 97232-1274 . These seabirds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and some are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts. Diagram of streamer lines. They state that the M/SI should be distributed between stocks based on the relative proportion of the population of the two stocks combined. documents in the last year, 940 Both the Northwest and Southwest Regional prioritizations began with a list of all 136 stocks managed by the PFMC under four Fishery Management Plans (FMPs): Coastal Pelagic Species (8 stocks) Pacific Coast Groundfish (50 stocks2) Pacific Coast Salmon (66 stocks3) U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (12 stocks4) U.S. Dept. 2020 certificates may be retained or replacements downloaded from https://go.usa.gov/xArUW. Federal Register provide legal notice to the public and judicial notice Fishery information presented in the SARs' appendices and other resources referenced during the tier analysis may include: Level of observer coverage; target species; levels of fishing effort; spatial and temporal distribution of fishing effort; characteristics of fishing gear and operations; management and regulations; and interactions with marine mammals. Additional details regarding categorization of fisheries is provided in the preamble to the final rule implementing section 118 of the MMPA (60 FR 45086; August 30, 1995).Start Printed Page 3036. The seal had injuries consistent from dog bites, and was transported to SR3 for rehabilitation. NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce. They represent the official positions of NMFS and the FWS only after they have been approved by the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries or the Regional Director. None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. NMFS has designated those fisheries in each table with an asterisk (*) after the fishery's name.Start Printed Page 3041, Table 1List of FisheriesCommercial Fisheries in the Pacific Ocean, Table 2List of FisheriesCommercial Fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean, Table 3List of FisheriesCommercial Fisheries on the High Seas, Table 4Fisheries Affected by Take Reduction Teams and Plans. Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) North of 4010' N Lat. PORTLAND, OR 97232-1274. The President of the United States manages the operations of the Executive branch of Government through Executive orders. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the hearing impaired may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. 1503 & 1507. Partnership Profiles: A Queen Conch Hatchery and the Local Fish Initiative, The NOAA Aquaculture Strategic Plan (20232028) includes goals and objectives to sustainably develop the aquaculture industry in the United States. Only official editions of the Counts are subject to sampling, reprocessing and revision (up or down) throughout the day. Therefore, Maine lobster trap/pot fisheries cannot be ruled out as the potential origin for entanglements with undetermined origins. NMFS reclassifies the AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod pot fishery from a Category III to a Category II fishery. The groundfish fishery management plan contains measures to conserve and protect groundfish essential fish habitat. Comment 9: The Commission recommends that NMFS reclassify the Category III Hawaii troll fishery as a Category II fishery. Learn more about groundfish closed areas on the West Coast. documents in the last year, 83 Although this likely overestimates the number of active participants in many of these fisheries, the number of valid HSFCA permits is the most reliable data on the potential effort in high seas fisheries at this time. on National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region Science, Service, Stewardship U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service 5-Year Review: Snake River Basin Steelhead NOAA Fisheries i July 26, 2022 5-Year Review: Snake River Basin Steelhead Species Reviewed The commenter notes that the primary information used in the 2021 LOF comes from 2019 SARs, which are based on data from 2013-2017. Annual bycatch estimates are prorated using a process outlined in detail in the SARs, which account for M/SI that occur within the MHI-pelagic or NWHI-pelagic overlap zones. The fishery is also split into two groups based on whether vessels are required to hold a federal limited entry permit to participate or whether they fish without a federal permit in the open access fishery. The 2021 LOF generally summarizes data from 2013-2017, and in addition to the SARs, the LOF also reviews other sources of information, including injury determination reports and observer data. Should Maine fisheries make significant changes to their gear configurations that differentiate these fisheries from other state and Federal lobster trap/pot fisheries, such as eliminating vertical lines, NMFS will reconsider this decision.Start Printed Page 3037. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. The commenter also states that no information has been presented to the False Killer Whale TRT or the Pacific Scientific Review Group suggesting any false killer whale interactions in the deep-set fishery can reliably be attributed to the Insular or NWHI stocks of false killer whales. As stated above, we find that there is insufficient information to suggest that Maine's fisheries should be split from the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery because the gear used in Maine waters and the manner in which the gear is used are not unique from other states. Webster. 1361 et seq. NMFS clarifies part of the response to Comment #14 to state: We recognize there has been only one confirmed mortality (in 2012) in the past decade in U.S. Northern inshore/nearshore trap/pot gear which could be gear from the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery or the Atlantic mixed species trap/pot fishery. After publication of the final rule, NMFS noted the need for corrections to 25 p. (Available at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/webdam/download/64690366). on At this time, NMFS retains the Category I classification for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery, which includes the state waters of Massachusetts. Scott is also currently the U.S. Federal Commissioner to the Pacific Salmon Commission. Although efforts are made to limit the issuance of authorization certificates to only those vessel or gear owners that participate in Category I or II fisheries, not all state and Federal license or permit systems distinguish between fisheries as classified by the LOF. The LOF for 2021 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX continental shelf. Australia and one reaching the north-west coast of the North Island, New Zealand. Additionally, EPSB provides guidance to NOAA Fisheries staff and leadership to strategize actions for watersheds and resource management. Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) South of 4010' N Lat. That 2016 SAR also reported a total annual M/SI estimate of 34 animals for the two fisheries combined. This is relevant to the discussion since Maine state and Federal lobster fisheries are functionally equivalent to gear found in these entanglements; and, therefore, gear fished in Maine presents similar risks. Tables 1, 2, and 3 also list the marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured (seriously or non-seriously) in each fishery based on SARs, injury determination reports, bycatch estimation reports, observer data, logbook data, stranding data, disentanglement network data, fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMAP reports), and anecdotal reports. Are high seas fisheries included on the LOF? Additional species are currently under review or have been proposed for Endangered Species Act listing: 2 petitioned species awaiting a 90-day finding, 15 candidate species for ESA listing, 1 proposed species for ESA listing. Today, most of the 90 plus stocks managed under the West Coast groundfish fisheries are not overfished and are not experiencing overfishing. should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official The Protected Resources Division is responsible for the oversight, policy direction, guidance and coordination of management programs mandated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). False killer whale, HI Pelagic. Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico large pelagics longline. NMFS is developing similar fishery fact sheets for each Category III fishery on the LOF. 1387(c)(2)), as described in 50 CFR 229.4, to register with NMFS and obtain a marine mammal authorization to lawfully take non-endangered and non-threatened marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations. A complete explanation of the variability is available in the Environmental Impact Statement to Reduce the Incidental Bycatch and Mortality of Sea Turtles in the Southeastern U.S. Shrimp Fisheries (November 4, 2019). Should major changes to lobster gear and fishing practices be required and implemented for all Massachusetts state lobster fishing gear, making this gear unique and easily identified from other state and Federal gear, NMFS will re-evaluate the status of this fishery and consider it in a future proposed LOF. Category III: Annual mortality and serious injury of a stock in a given fishery is less than or equal to 1 percent of the PBR level (i.e., a remote likelihood of or no known incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals). The authorization certificate, or a copy, must be on board the vessel while it is operating in a Category I or II fishery, or for non-vessel fisheries, in the possession of the person in charge of the fishing operation (50 CFR 229.4(e)). In Tables 1 and 2, NMFS has designated those species/stocks driving a fishery's classification (i.e., the fishery is classified based on mortalities and serious injuries of a marine mammal stock that are greater than or equal to 50 percent (Category I), or greater than 1 percent and less than 50 percent (Category II), of a stock's PBR) by a 1 after the stock's name. Habitat protection and restoration are critical components of species recovery and conservation. We work with partners to manage salmon and steelhead, groundfish, and coastal pelagic species in ocean and inland waters. that improve habitat. In addition, the spotted dolphin stock considered in 2011, was later split into four stocks (three insular and one pelagic) in the 2013 SAR, and each of the insular stocks is likely to have a smaller PBR than the estimates used in 2012 proposed LOF. We manage protected species along the West Coast from blue whales, the largest animals to ever live, to invertebrates, such as abalone that fit in the palm of your hand. In the proposed rule, NMFS based the proposed change on reports of hooking spotted dolphins, and information on the prevalence of vessels from these fisheries targeting Pantropical spotted dolphin pods. Mortality/injury reporting forms and instructions for submitting forms to NMFS can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-authorization-program#reporting-a-death-or-injury-of-a-marine-mammal-during-commercial-fishing-operations or by contacting the appropriate regional office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION). NMFS updates the estimated number of vessels/persons in the Pacific Ocean (Table 1) as follows: NMFS adds the Aleutian Islands stock of harbor seal to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands rockfish trawl fishery. Electronic monitoring consists of video cameras, an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS), and associated sensors. Bottlenose dolphin, Charleston estuarine system. Is Action The authorized high seas fisheries are broad in scope and encompass multiple specific fisheries identified by gear type. These species are key elements of the ecosystem and are critically important for our culture, recreation, and economy. Life history information continues to be evaluated and incorporated into the stock assessments which provide the basis for fishery management decisions. Therefore, NMFS retains Kogia on the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category I HI deep-set longline fishery. NMFS removes the Alaska stock of ringed seal from the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod trawl fishery. This rule has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563. documents in the last year, 35 Zerbini. NMFS reclassifies the AK BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery from at Category II to Category III fishery. The SARs are based on the best scientific information available at the time of preparation, including the level of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals that occurs incidental to commercial fishery operations and the PBR levels of marine mammal stocks. This is the approach NMFS took this approach in 2012 proposed LOF. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal. WA Puget Sound Region salmon drift gillnet (includes all inland waters south of US-Canada border and eastward of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line-Treaty Indian fishing is excluded), Dall's porpoise, CA/OR/WA. Our charge is to manage fisheries sustainably for future generations. We support salmon fisheries in the Columbia River and Washington Coast through funding and production of hatchery fish at Mitchell Act facilities, and we work with our international partners to fund and implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Credit: NOAA/Liana Heberer. In January 2019, there was an observed mortality of a false killer whale incidental to the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery that occurred within the Start Printed Page 3034range of the NWHI stock. Fadely, M.C. ^, Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan (BDTRP).
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