Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Southwest Fisheries Science Center Fisheries Research

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/15/2021.

NMFS' Office of Protected Resources (OPR), upon request from NMFS' Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in multiple specified geographical regions over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the...

List of Fisheries for 2021

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/14/2021.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2021, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The LOF for 2021 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories...

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/13/2021.

Reissuance and Modification of Nationwide Permits

by the Engineers Corps on 01/13/2021.

Nationwide Permits (NWPs) authorize certain activities under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. The NWPs help protect the aquatic environment and the public interest by providing incentives to reduce impacts on jurisdictional waters and wetlands while effectively authorizing activities that...

Marine Mammals and Endangered Species

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/12/2021.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to the following entity under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 8

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/11/2021.

This rule implements Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. This amendment specifies a long-term acceptable biological catch control rule for herring and addresses localized depletion and user group conflict. It also establishes an acceptable biological catch control rule that accounts for herring's role in the ecosystem...

Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Training Activities in the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training activities in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) Study Area for a period of seven years, from April 2022 through April 2029. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act...

Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project in Norfolk, Virginia

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

NMFS has received a request from the Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal activities at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project (HRBT) in Norfolk, Virginia over the course of five years (2021-2026). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal...

Marine Mammals; File No. 25417

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

Notice is hereby given that Ed Charles, Silverback Films, 1 St. Augustine's Yard, Gaunts Lane, Bristol, BS1 5DE, United Kingdom, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial or educational photography on marine mammals.

Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment of the Bearded Seal

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment (DPS) of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies Erignathus barbatus nauticus under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed designation comprises an area of marine habitat in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort...

Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Arctic Subspecies of the Ringed Seal

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce revisions to our December 9, 2014, proposed designation of critical habitat for the Arctic subspecies of the ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The revised proposed designation comprises an area of marine habitat in the Bering, Chukchi, and...

Regulations Governing Take of Migratory Birds

by the Fish and Wildlife Service on 01/07/2021.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS, Service, we), define the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA or Act) as it applies to conduct resulting in the injury or death of migratory birds protected by the Act. We determine that the MBTA's prohibitions on pursuing, hunting, taking, capturing, killing, or attempting to do the same,...

Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate (3:1) (PIP 3:1); Regulation of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals Under TSCA Section 6(h)

by the Environmental Protection Agency on 01/06/2021.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address its obligations under TSCA for phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) (CASRN 68937-41-7), which EPA has determined meets the requirements for expedited action under TSCA. This final rule prohibits the processing and...

2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6-TTBP); Regulation of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals Under TSCA Section 6(h)

by the Environmental Protection Agency on 01/06/2021.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address its obligations under TSCA for 2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6-TTBP) (CASRN 732-26-3), which EPA has determined meets the requirements for expedited action under TSCA. This final rule prohibits the distribution in commerce...

Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Regulations; Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; American Lobster Fishery

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/31/2020.

NMFS proposes to amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in northeast commercial lobster and crab trap/ pot fisheries...

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Service Pier Extension Project on Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, Washington

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/30/2020.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a modified incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to United States Navy (Navy) to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to the Service Pier Extension (SPE) project at Naval Base Kitsap...

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to State Route 520 Pontoon Pile Removal Project, Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/29/2020.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment, marine mammals during pile driving...

Migratory Bird Permits; Management of Conflicts Associated With Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) Throughout the United States

by the Fish and Wildlife Service on 12/29/2020.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) establishes a new permit for State and federally recognized Tribal (hereafter ``Tribe'' or ``Tribal'') fish and wildlife agencies for the management of double- crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus; hereafter ``cormorants''). The new permit authorizes specific take activities that are normally...

Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Northeast Fisheries Science Center Fisheries and Ecosystem Research, Atlantic Ocean

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/23/2020.

NMFS has received a request from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) for regulations and associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to fishery and ecosystem research in the Atlantic Ocean over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the...

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Ice Roads and Ice Trails Construction and Maintenance Activities on Alaska's North Slope

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/22/2020.

Upon application from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) and Eni US Operating Co. Inc. (Eni), NMFS is issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for the taking of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to ice road and ice trail construction, maintenance, and operation in Alaska's North Slope, over the course of 5 years...