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). AOLA requests NMFS incorporate more timely data and recent information into the 2021 LOF. Western Pacific Pelagic (HI Shallow-set component)*^. . Southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark gillnet. California sea lion, U.S. Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. Bottlenose dolphin, Puerto Rico and United States Virgin Islands. This wire mesh, along with the 7/16 inch poly and associated gangions, is consistent with gear used in trap/pot fisheries conducted along the east coast of the U.S. and Canada (NMFS 2010 Large Whale Entanglement Report), which is consistent with some gear fished in exempted waters. Below we provide further detail as to why the information presented by the MLA is insufficient for the requested changes. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern migratory coastal. Comment 12: AOLA expresses concern that data used in the LOF do not represent the current conditions of the Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery nor marine mammal stocks. NMFS adds the Cook Inlet stock of harbor seal to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III AK Gulf of Alaska halibut longline fishery. Fish and Wildlife Service share jurisdiction of some listed entities; this service only contains spatial data for NMFS critical habitat in the West Coast Region. Observed entanglements in the groundfish gear are rare but have been seen in the Limited Entry sablefish pot fishery and the Open Access Fixed Gear pot fishery. Fishing the Pacific lifts spirits, feeds families and supports the economies of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. 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). Humpback whales can become entrapped and entangled in fishing gear, which can result in serious injury and mortality. The best available scientific information included in these reports is based on data through 2017. This variability is due to multiple permitting agencies, differences in fishery management, and artifacts with available data sets. Prior to that she was the Division Manager and Operations & Policy Branch Chief in the California Coastal Office. 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. Species with shorter life expectancies tend to have more variable reproductive success. Alaska Marine Mammal Stock Assessments, 2016. 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). In February 2014, there was an observed interaction with a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) in the Category I HI deep-set longline fishery. documents in the last year, by the Executive Office of the President NMFS reclassifies the AK BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery from at Category II to Category III fishery. Box 22668, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Suzie Teerlink; orStart Printed Page 3032. The effective date of this final rule is February 16, 2021. NMFS also makes changes to the estimated number of vessels/persons and list of species and/or stocks killed or injured in certain fisheries. The report evaluates catch and bycatch of all species. Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Central FL, Northern FL, SC/GA coastal, or Southern migratory coastal). NMFS is proposing a schedule of RFDs for every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from July 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. documents in the last year, 83 After publication of the final rule, NMFS noted the need for corrections to False Killer Whales and Fisheries Interaction in Hawaiian Waters: Evidence for Sex Bias and Variation Among Populations and Social Groups. by the Foreign Assets Control Office That Is the Question, Endangered Salmon Regain Access to Healthy West Coast Habitat through 20 Projects Funded by NOAA Fisheries, An Entangled Web: Research Collaboration Unravels Causes and Consequences of Sea Lion Entanglements, We help other federal agencies conserve habitat for protected species and for, to support commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries. documents in the last year, by the Energy Department Re: Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion and Magnuson-Stevens McSweeney, E.M. Oelson, A.L. 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). Results of the study indicated that there is a high frequency of associations between troll and rod and reel fishing, and pantropical spotted dolphins, and in particular with the Hawaii Island stock. Of those, 0.2 were attributed to U.S. fisheries, 1.2 to Canadian fisheries, and the remaining 4.15 were undetermined. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX continental shelf. Where can I find more information about the LOF and the MMAP? NMFS acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimates may be inflations of actual effort. Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comment 16: Whale Safe USA requests NMFS maintain the Category I classifications for Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery and Northeast sink gillnet fishery. 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. That quota was further divided into two equal quotas of 432,500 lb (196,179 kg) for vessels in each of two groups by gear typesvessels fishing with run-around In Tables 1 and 2, the estimated number of vessels or persons participating in fisheries operating within U.S. waters is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. No comments were received on that certification, and no new information has been discovered to change that conclusion. Our Science Centers conduct cutting-edge biological, economic, and oceanographic research, as well as observations and monitoring of living marine resources and their environments. The commenter cites four cases of unknown entanglements they believe explicitly rule out Maine lobster fisheries from the origin of entanglement. A full list of projects is available on RCO's Web site. electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. NMFS, Pacific Islands Regional Office, Protected Resources Division, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, Attn: Diana Kramer. As discussed in the proposed rule, NMFS clarifies its response to Comment #14 in the 2020 Final LOF (85 FR 21079; April 16, 2020). 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. The West Coast groundfish fisheries are tracked and managed using accounting of both landed catch and discarded catch. Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official Northeast mid-water trawl (including pair trawl), Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl. NMFS removes the Western North Atlantic offshore stock of bottlenose dolphin from the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category III Gulf of Maine, U.S. mid-Start Printed Page 3040Atlantic tuna, shark, swordfish hook-and line/harpoon fishery. at 67,130. SARs are brief reports summarizing the status of each stock of marine mammals occurring in waters under U.S. jurisdiction, including information on the identity and geographic range of the stock, population statistics related to abundance, trend, and annual productivity, notable habitat concerns, and estimates of human-caused mortality and serious injury (M/SI) by source. Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce, through its National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has awarded grants of up to $30 million, over a five-year period, to two Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Florida A&M University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Ghrist. West Coast groundfish fisheries, and fisheries that may take groundfish incidentally, are managed with a variety of closed areas. 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. to provide more detail on composition of effort within these fisheries. In one of the commenter's cited cases (E43-12/RW 4193), red tracers were identified in the recovered gear. There are two primary species of salmon that are caught as bycatch in the Pacific Groundfish fishery, Chinook and coho salmon. documents in the last year, 981 The Engineering and Physical Sciences Branch (EPSB) includes engineers and physical scientists specializing in areas such as fish passage, hydrology, streamflow forecasting, reservoir optimization, ecohydraulics, fluvial geomorphology, hydropower and stream restoration. Roundfish: The six species are lingcod, cabezon, kelp greenling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting (hake), and sablefish. Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) North of 4010' N Lat. NMFS has designated those fisheries listed by analogy in Tables 1 and 2 by adding a 2 after the fishery's name. If you are using public inspection listings for legal research, you HLA requests that NMFS remove the MHI insular and NWHI stocks of false killer whales from the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category I Hawaii deep-set longline fishery. Allen, P.L. 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. To determine which species or stocks are included as incidentally killed or injured in a fishery, NMFS annually reviews the information presented in the current SARs and injury determination reports. 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. Am I required to submit reports when I kill or injure a marine mammal during the course of commercial fishing operations? See response to comment #11 above about M/SI of right whales that is attributed to the Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery. Analysis of West Coast Groundfish Fisheries for the 2017 Biological Opinion on Endangered Species Act-listed Salmon. The commenter notes that the primary information used in the 2021 LOF comes from 2019 SARs, which are based on data from 2013-2017. Bryan Schenone, Director of the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services (OES) stated in a 2022 interview with Jefferson Public Radio that "he was not notified in February or November [2022] when freight trains derailed at the Cantara Loop.". 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. Individuals fishing in Category I and II fisheries for which no state or Federal license or permit is required must register with NMFS by contacting their appropriate Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). 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. For these fisheries, NMFS will review the other sources of relevant information to determine when it is appropriate to remove a species or stock from the LOF. The common entangling mechanism of these gear types are the lazy or easy line. Habitat Restoration to Benefit Threatened Chinook Salmon in the Willamette River Basin. Many of the closed areas are gear-specific, meaning that they are closed to some particular gear types but not others. Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system. 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? They also implement temporary and permanent area closures to protect salmon in the ocean and on their way back to their rivers to reproduce. Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine (FL west coast portion). A bill introduced in Congress this week calls for a federal study on the possibilities of coastal seaweed farming, and creating a new seaweed farming fund to "reduce cost barriers for indigenous communities, emboldening them to participate in coastal seaweed farming," according to sponsors Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and Mary Peltola, D . "no effect" on several other species. The Commission states that the clearer case can be made for reclassifying the Category II SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet fishery as a Category I fishery. See response to comment #11 above about how cases that would have been serious injuries prior to disentanglement are not counted against PBR in the SAR, but are included in the LOF classification process. It also oversees and coordinates several cross-division activities, such as communications, aquaculture, and National Environmental Policy Act review that requires coordination among multiple offices and locations. West Coast 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. documents in the last year, 853 As noted previously in this LOF, the number of HSFCA permits listed in Table 3 for the high seas components of fisheries that also operate within U.S. waters does not necessarily represent additional effort that is not accounted for in Tables 1 and 2. Committed to conserving and protecting our trust resources, the West Coast Region provides science-based conservation and management for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine mammals, sea turtles, and endangered species, and their habitats. Additional details regarding how the categories were determined are provided in the preamble to the final rule implementing section 118 of the MMPA (60 FR 45086; August 30, 1995). documents in the last year, 822 AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon drift gillnet, AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon set gillnet, AK Prince William Sound salmon drift gillnet. The best available information on the level of observer coverage and the spatial and temporal distribution of observed marine mammal interactions is presented in the SARs. Learn more about Fisheries Management on the West Coast. In Comment #14, MLA notes there has been only one right whale entangled in Maine gear in April 2002, and the entanglement was determined to be a non-serious injury. MHI insular false killer whales have been satellite tracked as far as 115 km from the MHI, while pelagic stock animals have been tracked to within 11 kilometers (km) of the MHI and throughout the NWHI. The Northwest Fisheries Science Center produces an annual report on salmon bycatch. NOAA Fisheries - Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI, USA . In other stocks of pantropical dolphins, the only documented fishery-related M/SI in the Northern Gulf of Mexico stock of pantropical are incidental to the pelagic longline fishery (2015 SAR). The SRGs were established by the MMPA to review the science that informs the SARs, and to advise NMFS on marine mammal population status, trends, and stock structure, uncertainties in the science, research needs, and other issues. We also provide technical assistance and funding to support restoration activities that improve habitat. Conserving at-risk habitats contributes to ecosystem resilience. 1387(c)(1)). 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. biennium). Therefore, the 9/16 inch float rope that was recovered from E01-09/RW 3311, again, does not explicitly rule out Maine lobster fisheries. Revised stock boundaries for false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) in Hawaiian waters. The LOF includes three tables that list all U.S. commercial fisheries by Category. Therefore, NMFS retains both the MHI insular and NWHI false killer whale stocks on the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category I Hawaii deep-set longline fishery. Credit: NOAA Fisheries / Cory Hom-Weaver. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. Importantly, the state of Maine does not use unique gear configurations from other states and gear configurations within Maine's waters are not uniform or divided across the geographic boundaries (i.e., exemption lines) that MLA has identified. These differences among the lobster fisheries include: Fishing techniques, gear used, seasons and areas fished, fishermen's observations of right whales and distribution of marine mammals. 2019. The LOF for 2021 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. Response: NMFS appreciates the actions the state of Massachusetts has taken, and continues to take, to help conserve and protect North Atlantic right whales. Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. With more bad news forecast for California salmon, several fishing advocacy groups called Friday for the state to impose an immediate closure of the 2023 salmon season and seek federal assistance for a fishery disaster. The Commission also notes that the case for reclassifying the troll fisheries as Category II fisheries has strengthened since serious injuries due to hooking or entanglement in fishing line have been documented, and reliable estimates of rates of troll vessels fishing in and through spotted dolphin groups have been published (Baird and Webster, 2020). documents in the last year, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission In the Mid-Atlantic and New England fisheries, the numbers represent the potential effort for each fishery, given the multiple gear types for which several state permits may allow. Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and Southwest Fisheries Science Center work together to apply the latest science to sustainably manage the rich marine resources of the region for generations to come. Jaclyn Taylor, Office of Protected Resources, 301-427-8402; Allison Rosner, Greater Atlantic Region, 978-281-9328; Jessica Powell, Southeast Region, 727-824-5312; Dan Lawson, West Coast Region, 206-526-4740; Suzie Teerlink, Alaska Region, 907-586-7240; Diana Kramer, Pacific Islands Region, 808-725-5167. These waters support valuable commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries and are also home to many protected species of marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds.