Comment 1: A commenter recommends that NMFS require Category III fisheries to accommodate observers aboard vessels in order to expand data collection on marine mammal bycatch in fisheries. West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OR 97232-1274 Refer to NMFS No: WCRO-2021-01232 December 20, 2022 Todd Tillinger Chief, Regulatory Branch U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District 4735 East Marginal Way South, Bldg. Thus, the comparison of the estimated annual M/SI does not provide a meaningful basis for classifying this fishery, given the likely population structure found in the Southeast Alaska (SEAK) harbor porpoise stock, as described in the 2019 SAR. Response: The LOF is the annual process NMFS conducts to place all U.S. commercial fisheries into one of three categories based on the level of incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals occurring in each fishery. Until the ACFR grants it official status, the XML NMFS also reviewed other sources of new information, including marine mammal stranding and entanglement data, observer program data, fishermen self-reports, reports to the SRGs, conference papers, FMPs, and ESA documents. William Abadie . 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. Green sturgeon are vulnerable to capture in the groundfish fishery by bottom trawl and mid-water trawl gear. 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. Individuals participating in a Category I or II fishery are required to accommodate an observer aboard their vessel(s) upon request from NMFS. Learn more about the work of the West Coast Area Offices. Credit: NOAA. All other documented lobster interactions were determined to result in non-serious injuries. This notice initiated a 60-day period for the public to provide comments to NMFS related to the status of the species being reviewed. Shelden, R.G. We review federal proposals for land and water development to make sure these activities do not further degrade habitat or harm protected species. TRP regulations are found at 50 CFR 229.30 through 229.37. Changes made to Mid-Atlantic and New England fishery participants will not affect observer coverage or bycatch estimates, as observer coverage and bycatch estimates are based on vessel trip reports and landings data. 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 . Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. 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. NMFS-PIFSC-75. Federal Register issue. Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, and estuarine. NMFS uses the best available scientific information to prepare the annual LOF. California Trout calls for more transparency from Union Pacific on its safety practices for . Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. This is the approach NMFS took this approach in 2012 proposed LOF. Am I required to take an observer aboard my vessel? Parents teach their kids to fish the West Coasts 7,000 miles of shore and view wildlife such as elephant seals, sea turtles, and sea lions. 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. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. ^, Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan (BDTRP). Therefore, the HI troll fishery cannot be classified by analogy to other fisheries that use similar fishing techniques that are known to cause mortality or serious injury of pantropical spotted dolphins. Western Pacific Pelagic (HI Deep-set component)*^. As noted, a fishery is classified under Category I if the annual M/SI of a stock in a given fishery is greater than or equal to 50 percent of the stock's PBR level. Red tracers are indicative of the gear marking scheme required for the ALWTRP Northern Inshore Trap/Pot fishery management area, a management area that overlaps Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts state waters. *, Southeastern, U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico stone crab trap/pot. The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal This document has been published in the Federal Register. NMFS clarifies the fishery description of the Category I Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico large pelagics longline fishery. Fishing the Pacific lifts spirits, feeds families and supports the economies of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. This occurred in 2008 by a vessel using pot gear in the Open Access fishery. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Eulachon Listing and Resources AboutEulachon Eulachon (pronouncedyoula . AOLA requests NMFS incorporate more timely data and recent information into the 2021 LOF. These waters support valuable commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries and are also home to many protected species of marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds. Harbor seal, WNA. The study did not estimate mortality or injury rates incidental to fisheries. Bottlenose dolphin, Central GA estuarine system. The tribal West Coast groundfish fisheries include tribal commercial fishermen who have a federally recognized treaty right to fish for federally managed groundfish in their "usual and accustomed" fishing areas. NMFS began posting Category III fishery fact sheets online with the LOF for 2016. Comment 11: MLA states that the NMFS Category I Northeast/mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery does not accurately capture marine mammal interactions and risk. Document Drafting Handbook West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OREGON 97232-1274 . The MHI insular stock of false killer whales have been documented via telemetry to move far enough offshore to reach longline fishing areas (Bradford et al., 2015). provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts. However, there have been a number of entanglements for which interventions occurred because these entanglements were determined to be resulting in serious injuries (Henry et al., 2019).. We also note that two additional entanglements have been identified as Massachusetts lobster trap/pot entanglements (E36-16/RW 3623 and E25-09). edition of the Federal Register. NMFS also makes changes to the estimated number of vessels/persons and list of species and/or stocks killed or injured in certain fisheries. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2021, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. This feature is not available for this document. Tables 1, 2, and 3 also list the marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured (seriously or non-seriously) in each fishery based on SARs, injury determination reports, bycatch estimation reports, observer data, logbook data, stranding data, disentanglement network data, fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMAP reports), and anecdotal reports. The West Coast is home to a variety of seabird species. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. Many vessels holding HSFCA permits also fish within U.S. waters and are included in the number of vessels and participants operating within those fisheries in Tables 1 and 2. that improve habitat. from 36 agencies. documents in the last year, 20 The LOF includes three tables that list all U.S. commercial fisheries by Category. Groundfish refers to more than 90 different types of roundfish, flatfish, rockfish, sharks, and skates off the West Coast. Many of the closed areas are gear-specific, meaning that they are closed to some particular gear types but not others. In the table below, the Region column shows if the species can be found in a NOAA Fisheries region. Harvest specifications include annual catch limits for a species or species complex. The West Coast is home to the following endangered or threatened seabird species: Seabirds are attracted to fishing vessels and fishing operationsoffal and bait can be tempting sources of "free food." Baird, C.H. Humpback whale, Central North Pacific (Southeast AK). Therefore, some vessels/participants may possess valid HSFCA permits without the ability to fish under the permit because it was issued for a gear type that is no longer authorized under the most current FMP. Fishermen from Washington, Oregon, and California catch them year-round using a variety of gear types. 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. 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). We also study the impacts of environmental variability and climate change on marine ecosystems and fishery socioeconomics. In addition, MLA alleges, there has been only one right whale entangled in Maine lobster gear in April 2002, and the entanglement was determined to be a non-serious injury. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. None documented in most recent 5 years of data. The SARs do not provide detailed information on observer coverage in Category III fisheries because, under the MMPA, Category III fisheries are not required to accommodate observers aboard vessels due to the remote likelihood of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals. Portland, Oregon 97208-2946 . NMFS clarifies that the fishery does not target bluefin tuna, shortfin mako sharks and other shark species. NMFS Office of Protected Resources (OPR) has authorized take of four species of marine mammals which are listed under the ESA, including the North Atlantic right, fin, sei, and sperm whale, and . 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4470 Long Beach, CA 90802 Telephone: 562/980-4080 Fax: 562/980-4084 Email contact list: Kathryn Kempton, Section Chief Deanna Harwood, Deputy Section Chief Sophia Bernal, Program Specialist Julia Caracoza, Paralegal Specialist Christopher Keifer, Attorney Advisor Amy Lubrano, Attorney Advisor Our charge is to manage fisheries sustainably for future generations. MLA's further analysis shows zero M/SI attributed to the Maine lobster fishery over this most recent 5 year period, while there were six documented cases in Canadian trap/pot fisheries. They also develop science-based strategies and effective partnerships to recover and conserve West Coast trust resources. Some of the populations of each species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2021, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Bottlenose dolphin, Southern migratory coastal. NOAA Fisheries and the Council work with state and tribal governments, as well as industry, environmental organizations, and academic institutions. The President of the United States manages the operations of the Executive branch of Government through Executive orders. This unique population is cut off from its historical spawning and rearing habitat, and faces many other threats, but efforts are underway to help it recover. Under the MMPA, we conserve and manage marine mammal populations along the West Coast. Under the Endangered Species Act, we develop protections, designate critical habitat, implement recovery, and authorize scientific research permits for threatened and endangered species. Is Action Likely to Adversely Affect Species? Scott joined NOAA Fisheries in 2001 and has served in several positions including as the Portland (Oregon) Branch Chief for the Protected Resources Division, and as the program manager for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. We collaborate extensively with the Pacific Fishery Management Council, Native American Indian tribes, and the four states within the region in our management of highly migratory species (e.g., tunas, sharks), coastal pelagic species (e.g., sardine and anchovy), groundfish, and salmon, as well as the habitats upon which they rely. Beginning with the 2009 LOF, NMFS includes high seas fisheries in Table 3 of the LOF, along with the number of valid High Seas Fishing Compliance Act (HSFCA) permits in each fishery. We work with partners to protect and restore habitats necessary for species recovery, using an ecosystem-based approach that considers benefits, interactions, and trade-offs for multiple species. 2022. After publication of the final rule, NMFS noted the need for corrections to 1387(e)) and 50 CFR 229.6, any vessel owner or operator, or gear owner or operator (in the case of non-vessel fisheries), participating in a fishery listed on the LOF must report to NMFS all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations, regardless of the category in which the fishery is placed (I, II, or III) within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip or, in the case of non-vessel fisheries, fishing activity. Comment 9: The Commission recommends that NMFS reclassify the Category III Hawaii troll fishery as a Category II fishery. This catch data is used along with captain-reported logbooks in place of observer data to debit vessel accounts. Irma Lagomarsino Senior Policy Advisor at NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region 4d Report this post Report Report. Stocks driving a fishery's classification are denoted with a superscript 1 in Tables 1 and 2. CA nearshore finfish live trap/hook-and-line. Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. We harvestclose to a billion pounds of seafood, worth nearly $1 billion, each year. Box 22668, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Suzie Teerlink; orStart Printed Page 3032. Electronic monitoring consists of video cameras, an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS), and associated sensors. The West Coast Region 1:04. They also implement temporary and permanent area closures to protect salmon in the ocean and on their way back to their rivers to reproduce. Sharks and skates: The six species are leopard shark, soupfin shark, spiny dogfish, big skate, California skate, and longnose skate. West Coast groundfish fisheries, and fisheries that may take groundfish incidentally, are managed with a variety of closed areas. 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. Learn more about key issues in our sub-regions. The West Coast Region works within the coasts and watersheds of Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho. 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. These tribes, all located in Washington State, include the Quinault Indian Nation, the Hoh Tribe, the Quileute Nation, and the Makah Tribe. These are intended to either minimize the bycatch of overfished groundfish species or to protect groundfish habitat. PDF | We delineated and scored Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) in the Arctic region. Additionally, species identified by logbook entries, stranding data, or fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMAP reports) may not be verified. documents in the last year, 853 to the courts under 44 U.S.C. 2020. So I'm glad we're Response: NMFS appreciates the actions the state of Massachusetts has taken, and continues to take, to help conserve and protect North Atlantic right whales. A fishery is typically classified on the LOF at its highest level of classification (e.g., a fishery qualifying for Category III for one marine mammal stock and for Category II for another marine mammal stock will be listed under Category II). documents in the last year, 940 The LOF for 2021 was based on, among other things, stranding data; fishermen self-reports; and SARs, primarily the 2019 SARs, which are based on data from 2013-2017. These habitat conservation measures restrict vessels targeting other species besides groundfish, and, when working in concert with other gear restrictions and fishery management measures, minimize the adverse effects of fishing on groundfish essential fish habitat.