Our region includes the eastern Pacific Ocean off the West Coast, as well as the freshwater rivers of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Harbor seal, Prince William Sound. 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. FLC further states that NMFS attributes the single M/SI to both stocks equally. Atlantic highly migratory species longline fishery from 53 to 45 HSFCA permits; Western Pacific pelagic longline (HI deep-set component) fishery from 145 to 143 HSFCA permits; South Pacific tuna purse seine fishery from 33 to 26 HSFCA permits; South Pacific tuna longline fishery from 2 to 3 HSFCA permits; Western Pacific pelagic longline (HI shallow-set component) fishery from 18 to 11 HSFCA permits; Atlantic highly migratory species handline/pole and line fishery from 2 to 1 HSFCA permits; Pacific highly migratory species handline/pole and line fishery from 41 to 43 HSFCA permits; South Pacific albacore troll handline/pole and line fishery from 11 to 10 HSFCA permits; South Pacific albacore troll fishery from 17 to 18 HSFCA permits; Western Pacific pelagic troll fishery from 5 to 4 HSFCA permits; Northwest Atlantic bottom longline fishery from 3 to 2 HSFCA permits; Pacific highly migratory species longline fishery from 108 to 105 HSFCA permits; and. Send comments regarding these reporting burden estimates or any other aspect of the COI, including suggestions for reducing burden, to NMFS (see ADDRESSES). MLA recommends NMFS reclassify the Maine state waters lobster fishery as Category III fishery since there are no documented serious injuries or mortalities with this fishery, and NMFS determined that regulating the waters exempt from the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) would have no significant benefit to large whales. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format. The commenter notes that NMFS splits undetermined North Atlantic right whale M/SI evenly between the two countries. In the 2020 LOF final rule, NMFS cites all U.S. undetermined M/SI, potential M/SI prevented by intervention, and North Atlantic right whale entanglement scarring rates as data used for the Category I classification of the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery. Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Southern migratory coastal or Southern NC estuarine system). We also note that two additional entanglements have been identified as Massachusetts lobster trap/pot entanglements (E36-16/RW 3623 and E25-09). Some species are long-lived, with life spans exceeding 30 years. NOAA Fisheries and the Council work with state and tribal governments, as well as industry, environmental organizations, and academic institutions. NMFS and the U.S. Response: NMFS thanks FLC for bringing to our attention that the observer coverage information in the AK BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery fact sheet on NMFS' website needs updating. Changes made to Mid-Atlantic and New England fishery participants will not affect observer coverage or bycatch estimates, as observer coverage and bycatch estimates are based on vessel trip reports and landings data. You can also see a list of all species managed on the West Coast. NMFS reclassifies the AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod pot fishery from a Category III to a Category II fishery. (Federal Register 11 January 2023 [Proposed Rule] Pages 1548-1555) . It was viewed 41 times while on Public Inspection. Age structure of spawning salmon represents an example of portfolio effects such that the risks of experiencing unfavorable conditions are spread across time. The Branch works with staff throughout the region to share strategic communications and knowledge, build understanding, and recognize achievements from NOAA Fisheries stewardship activities on the West Coast. Eulachon bycatch in the groundfish fishery appears to be driven by both eulachon distribution and cyclic abundance. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico large pelagics longline*. : WCRO-2022-00168 October 24. NMFS removes the Alaska stock of harbor seal from the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK Gulf of Alaska flatfish trawl fishery. Currently, the state of Maine does not require gear marking in ALWTRP exempted areas. Limited Entry Trawl South of 4010' N Lat. 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. informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal We work with numerous partners and our NOAA Fisheries counterpartsthe Northwest, Pacific Islands and Alaska Fisheries Science Centers and the West Coast Regional Officeto provide sound science for domestic and international management decisions. They note that the state of Massachusetts has a number of actions currently in place, as well as a number of additional actions that will be in place for the 2021 fishing season, that distinguish the Massachusetts state lobster trap/pot fishery as unique from the rest of the Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery. Re: Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion and Magnuson-Stevens documents in the last year, 35 Therefore, the 9/16 inch float rope that was recovered from E01-09/RW 3311, again, does not explicitly rule out Maine lobster fisheries. 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. Mid-Atlantic gillnet fishery from 3,950 to 4,020 vessels/person; Northeast sink gillnet fishery from 3,163 to 4,072 vessels/persons; Chesapeake Bay inshore gillnet fishery from 248 to 265 vessels/persons; Northeast bottom trawl fishery from 2,238 to 968 vessels/persons; Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl fishery from 4,950 to 10,824 vessels/persons; Atlantic mixed species trap/pot fishery from 3,332 to 3,493 vessels/persons; Mid-Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery from 19 to 17 vessels/persons; Virginia pound net fishery from 26 to 20 vessels/persons; Caribbean gillnet fishery from >991 to 127 vessels/persons; Caribbean mixed species trap/pot fishery from >501 to 154 vessels/persons; Caribbean spiny lobster trap/pot fishery from >197 to 40 vessels/persons; and. NMFS addressed FWS' concern by deciding that when an ESU contained both steelhead and rainbow trout, NMFS would list only the steelhead population within that ESU as threatened or endangered. These fishery fact sheets are updated after each final LOF and can be found under How Do I Find Out if a Specific Fishery is in Category I, II, or III? on the NMFS Office of Protected Resources' website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-protection-act-list-fisheries,, linked to the List of Fisheries Summary table. Additionally, species identified by logbook entries, stranding data, or fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMAP reports) may not be verified. 2022. NMFS began posting Category III fishery fact sheets online with the LOF for 2016. Table 4 provides a list of fisheries affected by TRPs and TRTs. MMAP certificates issued in 2020 remain in effect, valid through December 31, 2021, for vessel or gear owners participating in all Category I and II fisheries as of the final 2021 LOF. Starting with the 2005 SARs, each Pacific and Alaska SAR includes an appendix with detailed descriptions of each Category I and II fishery on the LOF, including the observer coverage in those fisheries. [FR Doc. The Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program freed fishermen from having to race each other to catch the most fish. Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) North of 4010' N Lat. Accordingly, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required, and none has been prepared. Reflections on the West Coast Groundfish Survey. Based on the findings from the Fisheries off West Coast States; Highly Migratory Fisheries; Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Authorization of Deep-Set Buoy Gear A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 02/06/2023 NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) oversee the management of West Coast groundfish in U.S. federal waters. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. Discarded catch is accounted for by the West Coast Groundfish Observer Program. Any vessel owner or operator participating in a fishery listed on the LOF must report to NMFS all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip. Leatherback sea turtles that occur off the West Coast are most likely to originate from nesting aggregations of the western Pacific. Baird, C.H. Bottlenose dolphin, Central GA estuarine system. We collaborate extensively with the Pacific Fishery Management Council, Native American Indian tribes, and the four states within the region in our management of highly migratory species (e.g., tunas, sharks), coastal pelagic species (e.g., sardine and anchovy), groundfish, and salmon, as well as the habitats upon which they rely. Once finalized, the analysis of these data will be helpful in addressing management concerns related to SEAK harbor porpoise and effects from commercial fishing. 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. This rule contains existing collection-of-information (COI) requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act and would not impose additional or new COI requirements. Under the MMPA, we conserve and manage marine mammal populations along the West Coast. 19-13; 54 p. Muto, M.M, V.T. Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi River Delta. Literature citations should read as . Without known M/SI attributed to the HI troll fishery, and a minimum population estimate and PBR for only one of the four stocks, we evaluated classification of the fishery by analogy. Register documents. Comment 9: The Commission recommends that NMFS reclassify the Category III Hawaii troll fishery as a Category II fishery. 2020. "NOAA Fisheries Service" and the "National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)" are synonymous names for the same agency. AOLA further states that the 2014 ALWTRP regulations as well as the American lobster fishery management plan regulations, reduced vertical lines and enhanced gear marking in the fishery. 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. Angliss, B.A. ^The list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in this fishery is identical to the list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in U.S. waters component of the fishery, minus species and/or stocks that have geographic ranges exclusively in coastal waters, because the marine mammal species and/or stocks are also found on the high seas and the fishery remains the same on both sides of the EEZ boundary. Under Section 4(f)(1)(B), to the maximum . and services, go to The seal had injuries consistent from dog bites, and was transported to SR3 for rehabilitation. NMFS re-classifies two fisheries in the LOF for 2021. Fritz, R.C. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern GA estuarine system. Catch shares allocates each fisherman a share of the allowable catch, as determined by scientific data. This catch data is used along with captain-reported logbooks in place of observer data to debit vessel accounts. Information on observer coverage levels in Category I, II, and III fisheries can be found in the fishery fact sheets on the NMFS Office of Protected Resources' website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/list-fisheries-summary-tables. In accordance with the MMPA (16 U.S.C. Refer to NMFS No. Learn more about Protected Resources on the West Coast. Groundfish generally fall into one of the following categories of fish: Groundfish are commonly associated at some part of their lives with the ocean floor. This occurred in 2008 by a vessel using pot gear in the Open Access fishery. In the West Coast groundfish fishery, the position data is primarily used to monitor fishing activity relative to closed areas. The President of the United States issues other types of documents, including but not limited to; memoranda, notices, determinations, letters, messages, and orders. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic bottom longline/hook-and-line, Gulf of Maine, U.S. Mid-Atlantic tuna, shark, swordfish hook-and-line/harpoon, Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean snapper-grouper and other reef fish bottom longline/hook-and-line, Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shark bottom longline/hook-and-line. However, Maine lobster gear was not the primary entangling gear in these cases. In the 2020 Final LOF, NMFS' response in part to this comment stated: We recognize that there has only been one confirmed mortality (in 2012) in American lobster gear in the past decade. the material on FederalRegister.gov is accurately displayed, consistent with 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. As a result, the recovery of some rockfish species has occurred more than a decade earlier than the timeline estimated by scientists. We work with partners to protect and restore habitats necessary for species recovery, using an ecosystem-based approach that considers benefits, interactions, and trade-offs for multiple species. We harvestclose to a billion pounds of seafood, worth nearly $1 billion, each year. documents in the last year, 11 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. 03/03/2023, 266 (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. In these cases, the high seas component of the fishery is not considered a separate fishery, but an extension of a fishery operating within U.S. waters (listed in Table 1 or 2). From killer whales slicing through waves to salmon jumping rapids on their journey home, marine life fills and defines the waters of the West Coast. This killer whale M/SI occurred in 2012, and no additional M/SI have been observed or reported for the 2013-2017 data analysis timeframe for this fishery. The Commission states that implementing regulations allow for NMFS, in the absence of reliable estimates of the M/SI, to determine whether M/SI occurs `not at all or with a remote likelihood' (Category III), `occasionally' (Category II), or `frequently' based on analogy to similar fisheries. NMFS reviewed the marine mammal incidental mortality and serious injury information presented in the SARs for all fisheries to determine whether changes in fishery classification are warranted. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to ensure that the regions living marine resources remain at healthy and sustainable levels, as functioning parts of their ecosystems, and continue to enhance the quality of life for the public. American Samoa bottomfish handline fishery from fewer than 30 to fewer than 20 vessels/persons. The classification of a fishery on the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan (TRP) requirements. Based on the information and analysis contained here and in the referenced documents, NMFS has determined the following: (1) the required mitigation measures will effect the least practicable impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat; (2) the authorized takes will have a negligible impact on the affected marine mammal species . Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official Some of the populations of each species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. NMFS reclassifies the AK BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery from at Category II to Category III fishery. Additionally, unless a rope diameter is explicitly prohibited in an area, rope diameter does not rule out the potential for an entanglement to have occurred in Maine waters, even if it does not represent the majority's normal fishing practices. The Regional Administrator's Office establishes policies, principles and priorities for the West Coast Region. The LOF for 2021 was based on, among other things, stranding data; fishermen self-reports; and SARs, primarily the 2019 SARs, which are based on data from 2013-2017. Because of this court ruling, NMFS conducted updated status reviews for ESA-listed West Coast steelhead ESUs that took into account those non-anadromous populations below dams and other major migration barriers that were considered to be part of the steelhead ESUs (Good et al., 2005). documents in the last year, 83 AOLA recommends NMFS split undetermined North Atlantic right whale M/SI between the two countries based on the percentage of known entanglements from each country and this prorated distribution of M/SI should be used when classifying fisheries on the LOF. 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. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2021, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Seabirds are a vital part of marine ecosystems and are valuable indicators for ecosystem health. Habitat Restoration to Benefit Threatened Chinook Salmon in the Willamette River Basin. U.S. Dept. These are intended to either minimize the bycatch of overfished groundfish species or to protect groundfish habitat. Since 2006, there has only been one observed leatherback sea turtle caught in groundfish fishing gear. NMFS clarifies that this fishery targets shrimp species with various gear types, but mainly utilizes skimmer or otter trawls.