NOAA Fisheries

American Fisheries Act (AFA)

• 74 FR 17137, April 14, 2009. Proposed regulations to increase the number of times per year that a stationary floating processor that is qualified under the American Fisheries Act may move within State of Alaska waters in the Bering Sea subarea to process pollock. Comment period through May 29, 2009. EA/RIR, March 25, 2009.
• 74 FR 14950, April 2, 2009. Notice of availability of Amendment 62/62 to revise the BSAI FMP description of the Catcher Vessel Operational Area and remove the obsolete sunset date for inshore/offshore sector allocations of pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. Comment period through June 1, 2009.

Arctic

• 74 FR 27498, June 10, 2009. Proposed rule to implement the Fishery Management Plan for Fish Resources of the Arctic Management Area and Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/ Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs. Comment period through July 27, 2009.
• 74 FR 24757, May 26, 2009. Notice of availability of the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Fish Resources of the Arctic Management Area and Amendment 29 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs. Public comment period through July 27, 2009.

Beluga Whales

• 74 FR 18492, April 23, 2009. Notice of receipt of an application from the Port of Anchorage and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration for issuance of regulations governing the take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the Port’s Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, Anchorage, Alaska. Construction activities which have the potential to harass marine mammals include in-water pile driving and demolition of the existing dock. Comments and information must be postmarked no later than May 26, 2009.
• 74 FR 17131, April 14, 2009. Advance notice of proposed rulemaking to identify issues for consideration and evaluation when NMFS designates critical habitat for the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale. Comments and information regarding the suggested designation process and areas being considered for designation may be sent to NMFS by May 14, 2009.

Community Development Quota (CDQ)

• 74 FR 24762, May 26, 2009. Proposed regulations to provide harvesting cooperatives, crab processing quota share holders, and Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups with the option to make intercooperative transfers, crab individual processing quota transfers, and inter-group transfers through an automated, web based process. Comments must be received no later than June 10, 2009.

Crab

• 74 FR 26183, June 1, 2009. Notice of availability of Amendment 33 to the FMP for the BSAI King and Tanner Crabs to reduce the amount of fees collected under the Crab Rationalization Program. Comment period through July 31, 2009.
• 74 FR 24762, May 26, 2009. Proposed regulations to provide harvesting cooperatives, crab processing quota share holders, and Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups with the option to make intercooperative transfers, crab individual processing quota transfers, and inter-group transfers through an automated, web based process. Comments must be received no later than June 10, 2009.
• 74 FR 24757, May 26, 2009. Notice of availability of the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Fish Resources of the Arctic Management Area and Amendment 29 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs. Public comment period through July 27, 2009.

Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management

• 74 FR 22507, May 13, 2009. Proposed rule to correct an error in the regulatory text of a proposed rule published on April 6, 2009 (74 FR 15420) and extends the proposed rule’s comment period by 30 days (from May 21, 2009 to June 22, 2009). The proposed rule would implement Amendment 85 to the FMP Groundfish of the GOA. Comment period through June 22, 2009.
• 74 FR 17137, April 14, 2009. Proposed regulations to increase the number of times per year that a stationary floating processor that is qualified under the American Fisheries Act may move within State of Alaska waters in the Bering Sea subarea to process pollock. Comment period through May 29, 2009. EA/RIR, March 25, 2009.
• 74 FR 15420, April 6, 2009. Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 85 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA to amend the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program to remove a restriction that prohibits certain catcher/processors from participation in directed groundfish fisheries in the BSAI in July. Comment period through May 21, 2009.
• 74 FR 14950, April 2, 2009. Notice of availability of Amendment 62/62 to revise the BSAI FMP description of the Catcher Vessel Operational Area and remove the obsolete sunset date for inshore/offshore sector allocations of pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. Comment period through June 1, 2009.
• 74 FR 12300, March 24, 2009. Notice of availability of Amendment 85 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. If approved, Amendment 85 would modify the GOA FMP and the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program to remove a restriction that prohibits certain catcher/processors from participating in directed groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area in July. Comment period through May 26, 2009.
• 74 FR 7209, February 13, 2009. Proposed rule to amend regulations to change the time at which the amount of retained groundfish must be calculated to comply with the maximum retainable amounts of selected groundfish species caught by trawl catcher/processors that are not eligible under the American Fisheries Act to participate in directed fishing for pollock. Comment period through March 16, 2009.
• 74 FR 2984, January 16, 2009. Proposed rule to revise the seabird avoidance requirements for the hook–and–line groundfish and halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4E to eliminate seabird avoidance requirements for hook–and–line vessels less than or equal to 55 ft (16.8 m) length overall in portions of Area 4E in the eastern Bering Sea. Comment period through February 17, 2009.
• 74 FR 254, January 5, 2009. Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 90 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI and Amendment 78 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA to allow unlimited post–delivery transfers of cooperative quota. Comment period through February 17, 2009.

Halibut

• 74 FR 18178, April 21, 2009. Proposed regulations to implement a limited access system for charter vessels in the guided sport fishery for Pacific halibut in waters of International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Regulatory Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). Comment period through June 5, 2009.
• 74 FR 2984, January 16, 2009. Proposed rule to revise the seabird avoidance requirements for the hook–and–line groundfish and halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4E to eliminate seabird avoidance requirements for hook–and–line vessels less than or equal to 55 ft (16.8 m) length overall in portions of Area 4E in the eastern Bering Sea. Comment period through February 17, 2009.

Halibut Subsistence

• 74 FR 39269, August 6, 2009. Proposed regulations to revise the criteria for rural residents to participate in the subsistence fishery for Pacific halibut in waters in and off Alaska. Comments must be received no later than September 8, 2009.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

• 74 FR 13386, March 27, 2009. Proposed changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils. Comment period through July 6, 2009.
• 74 FR 6257, February 6, 2009. Proposed Rule to extend the public comment period on the on the proposed rule to govern the requests for determinations of fishery resource disasters as a basis for acquiring potential disaster assistance. Comment period through April 20, 2009.
• 74 FR 2467, January 16, 2009. Proposed regulations to govern the requests for determinations of fishery resource disasters as a basis for acquiring potential disaster assistance. Comment period through February 17, 2008.

Marine Mammal Take and Research Permits

• 74 FR 18492, April 23, 2009. Notice of receipt of an application from the Port of Anchorage and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration for issuance of regulations governing the take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the Port’s Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, Anchorage, Alaska. Construction activities which have the potential to harass marine mammals include in-water pile driving and demolition of the existing dock. Comments and information must be postmarked no later than May 26, 2009.

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

• 74 FR 13386, March 27, 2009. Proposed changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils. Comment period through July 6, 2009.

Salmon

• 73 FR 74170, December 5, 2008. Notice of Availability of the Bering Sea Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comment period through February 2, 2009.

Seabird Bycatch Reduction and Avoidance Measures

• 74 FR 2984, January 16, 2009. Proposed rule to revise the seabird avoidance requirements for the hook–and–line groundfish and halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4E to eliminate seabird avoidance requirements for hook–and–line vessels less than or equal to 55 ft (16.8 m) length overall in portions of Area 4E in the eastern Bering Sea. Comment period through February 17, 2009.