NOAA Fisheries

Beluga Whales

• 73 FR 21578, April 22, 2008. NMFS is extending the date for the final determination to list the beluga whales located in Cook Inlet, Alaska as endangered. A final determination will be made no later than October 20, 2008.

Community Development Quota (CDQ)

• 73 FR 11851, March 5, 2008. Proposed rule to remove a prohibition against the use of longline pot fishing gear in the Bering Sea sablefish IFQ and sablefish CDQ fisheries in the month of June and add regulatory provisions to allow members of the National Guard and military reserves who are mobilized to active duty to temporarily transfer their annual halibut and sablefish IFQ to other eligible IFQ recipients. Comment period through April 4, 2008.

Crab

• 73 FR 52806, September 11, 2008. Notice of Availability of Amendment 27 to the FMP for the BSAI King and Tanner Crab Fishery. Comment period through November 10, 2008.
• 73 FR 16830, March 31, 2008. Proposed rule to implement Amendment 26 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs. Comment period through May 15, 2008.
• 73 FR 15118, March 21, 2008. Notice of availability of Amendment 26 to the FMP for BSAI Crab Rationalization Program. Comments period through May 20, 2008.
• 73 FR 14766, March 19, 2008. Notice of availability of Amendment 24 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs. Comment period through May 19, 2008.
• 73 FR 8838, February 15, 2008. Proposed rule to implement Amendment 25 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs. Comment period through March 17, 2008.

Endangered Species Act Amendment

• 73 FR 47868, August 15, 2008. Proposed rule to amend regulations governing interagency cooperation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Comment period through September 15, 2008.

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)

• 73 FR 12357, March 7, 2008. Proposed rule to implement Amendment 89 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI Management Area to establish Bering Sea habitat conservation measures prohibiting nonpelagic trawling in certain waters of the Bering Sea subarea and establishing the Northern Bering Sea Research Area. Comment period through April 21, 2008.
• 73 FR 10415, February 27, 2008. Notice of Availability of proposed Amendment 89 to establish Bering Sea habitat conservation measures, prohibiting nonpelagic trawling in certain waters of the Bering Sea subarea and establishing the Northern Bering Sea Research Area. Comment period through April 28, 2008.

Fur Seals

• 73 FR 31666, June 3, 2008. Summary of the annual fur seal subsistence harvests on St. George and St. Paul Islands (the Pribilof Islands) for 2005 to 2007, and proposed annual estimates of fur seal subsistence needs for 2008 through 2010 on the Pribilof Islands. Comment period through July 3, 2008.

Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management

• 73 FR 30875, May 29, 2008. Availability of proposed Amendment 79 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. Comment period through July 28, 2008.
• 73 FR 30598, May 28, 2008. Notice of availability Amendment 72 to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA. Comment period through July 28, 2008.
• 73 FR 12357, March 7, 2008. Proposed rule to implement Amendment 89 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI Management Area to establish Bering Sea habitat conservation measures prohibiting nonpelagic trawling in certain waters of the Bering Sea subarea and establishing the Northern Bering Sea Research Area. Comment period through April 21, 2008.
• 73 FR 10415, February 27, 2008. Notice of Availability of proposed Amendment 89 to establish Bering Sea habitat conservation measures, prohibiting nonpelagic trawling in certain waters of the Bering Sea subarea and establishing the Northern Bering Sea Research Area. Comment period through April 28, 2008.

Halibut

• 72 FR 74257, December 31, 2007. Proposed regulations to limit the harvest of Pacific halibut by guided sport charter vessel anglers in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 2C of Southeast Alaska to the guideline harvest level for that area under two different scenarios. Comment period through January 30, 2008.

Halibut Subsistence

• 73 FR 45201, August 4, 2008. Proposed rule to amend the subsistence fishery rules to correct the location listed in the regulations for the Village of Kanatak tribe and the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) halibut regulatory area in which members may subsistence fish. Comment period through September 3, 2008.
• 73 FR 20008, April 14, 2008. Proposed regulations to address subsistence halibut management concerns in densely populated areas. Comment period through May 14, 2008.

Ice Seals

• 73 FR 51615, September 4, 2008. Notice of a 90–day finding on a petition to list three ice seal species, [ringed (Phoca hispida), bearded (Erignathus barbatus), and spotted (Phoca largha)] as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Information and comments must be submitted by November 3, 2008.
• 73 FR 16617, March 28, 2008. Announcement of a 90–day finding on a petition to list the ribbon seal as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Comment period through May 27, 2008.

Individual Fishing Quota Program (IFQ)

• 73 FR 11851, March 5, 2008. Proposed rule to remove a prohibition against the use of longline pot fishing gear in the Bering Sea sablefish IFQ and sablefish CDQ fisheries in the month of June and add regulatory provisions to allow members of the National Guard and military reserves who are mobilized to active duty to temporarily transfer their annual halibut and sablefish IFQ to other eligible IFQ recipients. Comment period through April 4, 2008.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

• 73 FR 50585, August 27, 2008. Proposed rule withdrawl for revisions to National Standard 1 guidelines, which was published on June 22, 2005. Because of new requirements for annual catch limits and accountability measures, among other things, NMFS decided that it was better to proceed with a new proposed rule rather than try to revise a 3–year old action that preceded the MSRA. This proposed rule is withdrawn on August 27, 2008.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
• 73 FR 47125, August 13, 2008. Proposed rule to extend the public comment period on the National Standard 1 guidelines. Comment period extended from September 8, 2008, to September 22, 2008.
• 73 FR 33381, June 12, 2008. Proposed rule regulations to implement section 401(g) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Comment period through August 11, 2008.
• 73 FR 32526, June 9, 2008. Proposed rule to revise the guidelines for National Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Comment period through September 8, 2008.
• 73 FR 27998, May 14, 2008. Proposed rule to revise and update the NMFS procedures for complying with the NEPA in the context of fishery management actions developed pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Comment period through August 12, 2008.
• 73 FR 14428, March 18, 2008. Notice to extend the comment period on the proposed rule containing revised definitions for certain regulatory terms, and procedural and technical changes to the regulations addressing scientific research activities, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activities under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The comment deadline is extended from March 20, 2008, to April 4, 2008.

Marine Mammal Strandings

• 73 FR 16617, March 28, 2008. Extension of comment period for the ANPR on revisions to implement regulations governing the taking of stranded marine mammals. Comment period extended through April 30, 2008.
• 73 FR 5786, January 31, 2008. NMFS proposes to change the implementation regulations governing the taking of stranded marine mammals under section 109(h), section 112(c), and Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Comment period through March 31, 2008.

Observer Program (Marine Mammal)

• 73 FR 33760, June 13, 2008. Proposed List of Fisheries for 2009, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Comment period through August 12, 2008.

Recordkeeping and Reporting

• 73 FR 30876, May 29, 2008. Proposed rule to exempt groundfish catcher/processors and motherships equipped with an operational vessel monitoring system (VMS) transmitter from check-in/checkout requirements. Comment period through June 30, 2008.

Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan

• 73 FR 11872, March 5, 2008. Notice of Availability of the Final Revised Recovery Plan, dated March 2008, for the western and eastern distinct population segments (DPS) of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus).

Vessel Monitoring System

• 73 FR 30876, May 29, 2008. Proposed rule to exempt groundfish catcher/processors and motherships equipped with an operational vessel monitoring system (VMS) transmitter from check-in/checkout requirements. Comment period through June 30, 2008.