They state that the M/SI should be distributed between stocks based on the relative proportion of the population of the two stocks combined. NMFS designates those fisheries in Tables 1, 2, and 3 with an asterisk (*) after the fishery's name. Over the last year, NMFS has made substantial progress in analyzing genetic data to resolve stock structure of harbor porpoise in Southeast Alaska. As stated in the 2020 Final LOF (85 FR 21079, April 16, 2020), fisheries are classified based on the gear types used, how the gear is fished, and the behavior of the fishery related to the risk to marine mammals. Portland, OR 97232-1274 . HLA states that the proposed 2021 LOF includes the Central North Pacific stock of humpback whales on the list of species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured from the Category II HI shallow-set longline fishery, but the most recent SAR does not identify M/SI in the shallow-set fishery. Refer to NMFS No: WCRO-2018-00288 . Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX oceanic. 01/13/2021 at 8:45 am. National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region Science, Service, Stewardship U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service 5-Year Review: Snake River Basin Steelhead NOAA Fisheries i July 26, 2022 5-Year Review: Snake River Basin Steelhead Species Reviewed Federal Register. 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). Today, most of the 90 plus stocks managed under the West Coast groundfish fisheries are not overfished and are not experiencing overfishing. Critical habitat has not been designated for all listed entities. "We've always been like the punching bag for, like, the whale people. For these fisheries, NMFS will review the other sources of information listed above and use its discretion to decide when it is appropriate to remove a species or stock. documents in the last year, by the Executive Office of the President There is a very low amount of eulachon bycatch in West Coast groundfish fisheries. In one of the commenter's cited cases (E43-12/RW 4193), red tracers were identified in the recovered gear. In addition, MMPA section 118(d)(7) provides NMFS, with the consent by the vessel owner, the ability to place an observer on board a vessel participating in Category III fisheries (50 CFR 229.7(d)). documents in the last year, 981 List of Terms, Abbreviations, and Symbols Used in Table 3: CACalifornia; GMXGulf of Mexico; HIHawaii; OROregon; WAWashington; WNAWestern North Atlantic; *Fishery is an extension/component of an existing fishery operating within U.S. waters listed in Table 1 or 2. NOAA has recorded a generally increasing trend in the number of whale entanglement cases reported on the West Coast with the average number of confirmed cases rising from 9 confirmed cases to 41 confirmed cases between the spans of 1982 to 2013 and 2014 to 2017, respectively (NOAA Fisheries, 2019; Saez et al., 2020). documents in the last year. 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. Based on the findings from the The fishery is also split into two groups based on whether vessels are required to hold a federal limited entry permit to participate or whether they fish without a federal permit in the open access fishery. 2022. NOAA Fisheries. Fish and Wildlife Service, NMFS adds the Antillean subspecies (Puerto Rico stock) of West Indian manatee to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in Category III Caribbean haul/beach seine fishery. Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. 1202 Seattle, Washington 98134-2388 The majority of the Southern DPS green sturgeon encountered are released alive and expected to survive. (2020):105652. | Find, read and cite all the research . Learn more about Fisheries Management on the West Coast. Additionally, no data is currently available to suggest state fisheries should be separated from the Category I Northeast sink gillnet fishery, therefore NMFS retains the Category I classification for the Northeast sink gillnet fishery. This notice initiated a 60-day period for the public to provide comments to NMFS related to the status of the species being reviewed. NMFS published the final rule to implement harvest specifications and management measures for the 2023-2024 biennium for most species managed under the PCGFMP on December 16, 2022 (87 FR 77007). These can be useful We also study the impacts of environmental variability and climate change on marine ecosystems and fishery socioeconomics. 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. 1362 (20)) defines the PBR level as the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population (OSP). NMFS adds the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands stock of bottlenose dolphin to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in Category III Caribbean mixed species trap/pot fishery. Comment 5: The Commission restates a previous comment and recommends NMFS reclassify both the Category II SE Alaska salmon drift gillnet and Yakutat salmon set gillnet fisheries as Category I fisheries. In addition, Maine's state and Federal waters lobstermen must declare a lobster zone and are required to fish the majority of gear in their home zone, limiting the spatial footprint of where individual lobstermen can set gear. The communications service provider receives the transmission and relays it to NOAA Fisheries. Where can I find more information about the LOF and the MMAP? The best available scientific information used in the SARs and reviewed for the 2021 LOF generally summarizes data from 2013-2017. 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OR 97232-1274. Our charge is to manage fisheries sustainably for future generations. are not part of the published document itself. 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. 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. 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. documents in the last year, 513 Both the Northwest and Southwest Regional prioritizations began with a list of all 136 stocks managed by the PFMC under four Fishery Management Plans (FMPs): Coastal Pelagic Species (8 stocks) Pacific Coast Groundfish (50 stocks2) Pacific Coast Salmon (66 stocks3) U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (12 stocks4) electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. 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 These are intended to either minimize the bycatch of overfished groundfish species or to protect groundfish habitat. 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. documents in the last year, 822 NMFS removes the Alaska stock of ringed seal from the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod longline fishery. NMFS adds both the Eastern North Pacific Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and Bering Sea Transient stock, and West Coast Transient stock, of killer whales to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II CA Dungeness crab pot fishery. California sea lion, U.S. Harbor seal, OR/WA coast. We work to recover and conserve threatened and endangered marine and anadromous species, as well as manage and conserve marine mammals. We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Oregon Coast (OC) and Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal (SONCC) Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or, alternatively, list only the spring-run Chinook salmon The commenter states that there are four additional trap/pot entanglement cases that resulted in right whale M/SI for which a fishery was not determined and, therefore, for which the Maine lobster fishery cannot be completely ruled out. (Federal Register 11 January 2023 [Proposed Rule] Pages 1548-1555) . Mortality/injury reporting forms and instructions for submitting forms to NMFS can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-authorization-program#reporting-a-death-or-injury-of-a-marine-mammal-during-commercial-fishing-operations or by contacting the appropriate regional office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION). and E. Lyman. Killer whale, Eastern North Pacific GOA, BSAI transient. offers a preview of documents scheduled to appear in the next day's Fritz, R.C. An additional case from 2011, previously noted in our 2020 Final LOF response to comments (85 FR 21079, April 16, 2020) but not mentioned in MLA's comment, also included recovered gear with these red tracers, though the location of that entanglement remains unknown (E11-11/RW 4040). Aurioles-Gamboa, D. and C. J. Hernadez-Camacho. MLA alleges that based on these factors, the lobster fishery prosecuted close to shore in Maine is significantly different than lobster fisheries which occur in offshore Lobster Management Area 3 or off of New Jersey. In addition, any animal that ingests fishing gear or any animal that is released with fishing gear entangling, trailing, or perforating any part of the body is considered injured, regardless of the presence of any wound or other evidence of injury, and must be reported. In order to land fish species, fishers must be using an authorized gear type. 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). With our partners, we are working on hundreds of projects to protect and restore vital habitat for West Coast fish and wildlife populations. section). We initiated this review in response to a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, dated August 16, 2005, to list the North Pacific right whale as a separate endangered species. documents in the last year, 122 A description of each TRT and copies of each TRP can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-take-reduction-plans-and-teams. The commenter notes that the Maine state waters lobster fishery is managed and enforced by the state of Maine. Comment 15: MA DMF recommends NMFS reclassify the Massachusetts state waters lobster trap/pot fishery as its own non-Category I fishery, separate from the Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery based on the gear restrictions and large whale conservation programs that are unique to Massachusetts. Western Pacific Pelagic (HI Shallow-set component)*^. Theseare used to record fishing activity at sea. This prototype edition of the The West Coast groundfish fisheries are tracked and managed using accounting of both landed catch and discarded catch. Flatfish: 12 species including petrale sole, Dover sole, starry flounder, arrowtooth flounder, and Pacific sanddab. Together, they advance sustainable management of more than 90 groundfish stocks. Response: As stated above in response to Comments #11 and 15, NMFS retains the Category I classification of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery. Is Action These tools are designed to help you understand the official document The U.S. west coast widow rockfish stock has declined since the mid-1980s, leading to implementation of increasingly stringent management restrictions upon the commercial fishery. Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Northern migratory coastal or Southern migratory coastal). Humpback whale, Central North Pacific (Southeast AK). This is the approach NMFS took this approach in 2012 proposed LOF. NMFS adds the Western North Atlantic offshore stock of bottlenose dolphin to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured in the Category II mid-Atlantic mid-water trawl (including pair trawl) fishery.