This page has links to Federal Register notices published in 2002 by the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (and occasionally other agencies), most of them ESA-related. I post every FR notice from FWS (including subsistence notices), but in 2005 I stopped including every fishery-related item from NMFS (aka NOAA Fisheries). On this page, most notably, you will find NMFS ESA and MMPA items, as well as DOJ notices of proposed consent decrees in CWA Section 404 enforcement cases. Go here for current FWS and NMFS notices and here for current NEPA notices.

• 2005, 2004, and 2003

• About five months of 2001 are here.

2002 FWS, NMFS notices

• NMFS issues final quotas for the Atlantic surfclam, ocean quahog, and Maine mahogany ocean quahog fisheries for 2003 (12/31, p. 79887-9)
• NMFS issues a regulation to implement the annual harvest guideline for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast for the fishing season Jan. 1, 2003, through Dec. 31, 2003 (12/31, p. 79889-90)
• NMFS increases number of fisheries for which the Marine Mammal Authorization Program (MMAP) registration is integrated with existing Federal fishery licensing and permitting programs. (12/31, p. 79905-6)
• NMFS to update status reviews for Snake River sockeye and Southern California steelhead ESUs (p. 79898-90)

• NMFS issues final regulations to implement American Fisheries Act (AFA)-related amendments: Amendment 61 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area, Amendment 61 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, Amendment 13 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab, and Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska.

  "These four amendments incorporate the provisions of the AFA into the fishery management plans (FMPs) and their implementing regulations. The management measures include: measures that allocate the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) pollock among the sectors of the pollock processing industry and restrict who may fish for and process pollock within each industry sector; measures that govern the formation and operation of fishery cooperatives in the BSAI pollock fishery; harvesting and processing limits known as sideboards to protect the participants in other fisheries from spillover effects resulting from the rationalization of the BSAI pollock fishery; measures that establish catch weighing and monitoring requirements for vessels and processors that participate in the BSAI pollock fishery; and extension of the inshore/offshore regime for pollock and Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) through December 31, 2004. These amendments and management measures are necessary to implement the AFA and are intended to do so in a manner consistent with the environmental and socioeconomic objectives of AFA, the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), and other applicable laws."

  (12/30, p. 79691-739)
• NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries announces voluntary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations (12/30, p. 79536-7)
• NMFS corrects the formula for calculating the bid score in the preamble to the proposed rule for establishing a fishing capacity reduction program for the crab species managed under the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab Fishery Management Plan (12/12/02; see below) (12/30, p. 79550-1)
• NMFS asks for comments on request from ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. for an authorization to take small numbers of ringed and bearded seals by harassment incidental to conducting on-ice seismic operations in the Beaufort Sea during oil and gas exploration activities. (12/30, p. 79565-70)
• NMFS grants amendment to scientific research permit (12/30, p. 79570-1)

• FWS receives ES permit applications (12/27, p. 79130-1)
• FWS proposes guidance for the $4 million tribal component of the Landowner Incentive Program. (12/27, p. 79131-6)
• FWS issues draft implementation guidance for $5 million Tribal Wildlife Grant program provided for in FY 2002 appropriations bill (12/27, p. 79136-40)
• NMFS issues emergency rule establishing the commercial annual quotas for ridgeback and non-ridgeback large coastal sharks at 783 metric tons (mt) dressed weight (dw) and 931 mt dw, respectively; establish the commercial annual quota for small coastal sharks (SCS) at 326 mt dw; and suspend the regulation regarding the commercial ridgeback LCS minimum size (12/27, p. 78990-3)
• NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina has transferred 43,000 lb (19,504.5 kg) of its 2002 commercial quota to the State of Maryland; and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has transferred 150,000 lb (68,038.9 kg) of its 2002 commercial quota to the State of New York (12/27, p. 78994-5)
• NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will be closed effective Dec. 24, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2002 (12/27, p. 78994)

• FWS extends comment period, releases draft economic analysis for proposed CH designation for Oahu plants. "Over a 10-year time period, the total section 7-related direct costs associated with the species' listings and critical habitat are estimated at $1.1 million to $2.3 million." (12/26, p. 78763-5)
  • Analysis is here
  • Analysis also is here (FWS site)
• FWS issues negative 90-day petition finding on Mono Basin area sage grouse (12/26, p. 78811-5)
• FHwA proposes to sign an agreement with FWS designating 25 acres of property owned by the Colorado DOT as a habitat conservation bank for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (12/26, p. 78853-4)
• NMFS issues interim 2003 total allowable catch amounts for each category of groundfish, Community Development Quota reserve amounts, American Fisheries Act pollock allocations and sideboard amounts, and prohibited species catch allowances and prohibited species quota reserves for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (12/26, p. 78739-50)
• NMFS issues interim 2003 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for each category of groundfish, American Fisheries Act sideboard amounts, and specifications for prohibited species catch amounts for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (12/26, p. 78733-8)

• FWS designates critical habitat for five Carbonate plants from the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California (12/24, p. 78569-610)
• FWS receives endangered species/marine mammal permit applications (12/24, p. 78504-5)
• FWS grants permit to import one polar bear (Ursus maritimus) sport-hunted from the Norwegian Bay population, Canada, for personal use. (12/24, p. 78506)
• FWS grants permit to Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute for a permit to conduct scientific research to measure the sonar acoustic reflectivity of captive held Florida manatees (12/24, p. 78506)
• NMFS interim final rule prohibits fishing with drift gillnets in the California/Oregon (CA/OR) thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet fishery in U.S. waters off southern California, south of Point Conception (34[deg]27' N.) and west to the 120[deg]W., from Aug. 15-31, and Jan. 1-31, when the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries publishes a notice that El Nino conditions are present. NMFS has determined that the incidental take of loggerhead sea turtles by this fishery correlates to the area and season being fished during these oceanographic conditions. (12/24, p. 78388-92)
• NMFS proposes to amend regulations governing the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery as they affect landing of BFT in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery (12/24, p. 78404-9)

• FWS approves establishment of Cahaba River Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Alabama. (12/23, p. 78238)
• FWS approves establishment of Red River National Wildlife Refuge, located along the Red River Waterway in Caddo, Bossier, Red River, Natchitoches, and De Soto Parishes, Louisiana (12/23, p. 78238)

• FWS releases draft EIS, CCP for the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for review and comment; public meetings scheduled (12/20, p. 78009-11)
  • More information here
• NMFS makes preliminary determination re: EFP applications. EFPs would exempt vessels from minimum mesh size requirements of the Gulf of Maine Regulated Mesh Area (RMA), days-at-sea (DAS) requirements, and the restrictions of GOM Rolling Closure Areas IV and V. (12/20, p. 77957-8)

• NMFS issues Letter of Authorization to BP Exploration (Alaska) to take a small number of marine mammals incidental to the production of offshore oil and gas at the Northstar development in the Beaufort Sea (12/19, p. 77750-2)
• NMFS announces intent to issue Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) and Scientific Research Permits (SRPs) for the collection of Atlantic highly migratory species (12/19, p. 77752-3)

• FWS releases draft economic analysis for the proposed designations of critical habitat for 47 plant species from the island of Hawaii. (12/18, p. 77464-5)
  • More from FWS on critical habitat for Hawaiian and Pacific Islands species
• FWS reopens comment period until Feb. 15 on new status review for the westslope cutthroat trout (12/18, p. 77466)
• FWS reopens comment period on incidental take permits for condominium projects in Alabama beach mouse habitat (12/18, p. 77505-6)
• FWS releases draft EA, receives application for ITP (Preble's meadow jumping mouse) for The Meadows, Douglas County, Colo. (12/18, p. 77506-7)
• FWS accepting proposals for funding under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program. (12/18, p. 77507-8)
• Klamath Fishery Management Council to meet March 9 in Sacramento (12/18, p. 77508)
• Klamath Fishery Management Council to meet Feb. 27 and 28 in Brookings, Ore. (12/18, p. 77508-9)
• FWS announces meetings of the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force, Feb. 19 and 20; June 18 and 19, and Oct. 22, (12/18, p. )
• NMFS announces Pacific halibut and red king crab bycatch rate standards for the first half of 2003. (12/18, p. 77439-41)
• NMFS has determined that the 2002 fishing year Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category quota will be attained by Dec. 15. Therefore, the General category fishery will be closed effective 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 (12/18, p. 77433-4)
• Under the framework provisions of the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks, NMFS amends the consolidated regulations governing the Atlantic HMS fisheries to define operations and regulations for HMS Charter/Headboats, require an Atlantic HMS recreational permit, adjust the time frame for permit category changes for Atlantic HMS and Atlantic tunas permits, clarify the regulations regarding the retention of Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico by recreational and HMS CHB vessels, and allow NMFS to set differential BFT retention limits by vessel type (e.g., charter boats, headboats). (12/18, p. 77434-9)

• FWS releases revised NRDA Assessment Plan for the St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar Superfund Site (12/17, p. 77287-8)
• FWS receives endangered species recovery permit applications (Quino checkerspot, salt marsh harvest mouse, California clapper rail, Nightingale reed-warbler, cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, Sonoma and Santa Barbara distinct population segments of the California tiger salamander, San Diego ambrosia, Cook's lomatium, and large-flowered wooly meadowfoam) (12/17, p. 77286-7)
• NMFS issues this emergency rule to extend certain permit- related deadlines contained in the final rule implementing the charter vessel/headboat permit moratorium for reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fish in the Gulf of Mexico and to make minor logistical adjustments consistent with those deadline extensions, e.g., extend effectiveness of some existing permits (12/17, p. 77193-5)
• (12/17, p. )

• DOI: Changes proposed to clarify who has standing in BLM land appeals and to allow BLM "wildfire management decisions" to remain effective even while being appealed. (12/16, p. 77011-5)
• FWS releases EA/HCP, receives incidental take permit application for "development and operation of a High Adventure Boy Scout Camp on the 4,848-Acre Griffith League Ranch, Bastrop County, TX" (Houston toad) (12/16, p. 77074-5)
• FWS receives ITP application to take pygmy-owls in connection with a proposed 103-acre residential development project (Skyranch) in Pima County, Arizona. (12/16, p. 77075-6)
• NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices and notification of adjustment of the IFQ fee percentage for the IFQ Cost Recovery Program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. (12/16, p. 76998-77001)

• NMFS announces that commercial quota is available to allow the directed fishery for Loligo squid to remain open in the Northeast (12/13, p. 76701)
• NMFS issues marine mammal permit amendment to Thomas F. Norris, SAIC (whales) (12/13, p. 76727-8)
• Tracey Mueller, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, Sarasota, Fla., has been issued a permit to take threatened and endangered green turtles, endangered hawksbill turtles, endangered Kemp's ridley turtles, and threatened loggerhead turtles for purposes of scientific research (12/13, p. 76727)
• National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., BIN C15700, Seattle, WA, 98115 has been issued a permit to take Alaskan harbor seals and spotted seals for purposes of scientific research. (12/13, p. 76728)
• (12/13, p. )

• NMFS says State of North Carolina is transferring 20,000 pounds of commercial summer flounder quota to Connecticut from its 2002 quota (12/12, p. 76318-9)
• NMFS proposes 2003 initial harvest specifications, prohibited species bycatch allowances, and associated management measures for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (12/12, p. )
• NMFS proposes 2003 initial harvest specifications for groundfish, reserves and apportionment thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (12/12, p. 76344-62)
• NMFS proposes regulations for a fishing capacity reduction program in the fishery for the crab species managed under the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs Fishery Management Plan (12/12, p. 76329-44)

• FWS releases final Recovery Plan for Gabbro Soil Plants of the Central Sierra Nevada Foothills (12/11, p. 76156-7)
• FWS receives endangered species permit applications (12/11, p. 76183-4)
• FWS receives endangered species and marine mammal permit applications (12/11, p. 76183)
• FWS approves application from Ikande L.V. Larkin, University of Florida, to amend a permit (PRT-038448) to conduct scientific research on captive-held and wild Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus) to study manatee reproductive physiology and indicators of stress. (12/11, p. 76184)

• FWS designates critical habitat for Otay tarplant (12/10, p. 76029-53)
• FWS says listing of Yosemite toad is warranted, but precluded by higher priority listing actions (12/10, p. 75834-43)
• FWS releases final addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Multi-Island Plants (Hawaii) (12/10, p. 75861-2)
• NMFS withdraws restrictions and requests fishermen to voluntarily remove lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet gear in an area totaling approximately 1,600 square nautical miles (nm\2\) (2,965 km\2\), east of Portsmouth, NH, called Jeffreys Ledge, from Dec. 5 through Dec. 20 (12/10, p. 75817-8)
• NMFS has received an application for scientific research from California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) in Sacramento, CA (1408). This permit would affect three Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of salmonids (12/10, p. 75848)
• NMFS issues modification to permit 1044 to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center that authorizes take of Central California Coast steelhead (12/10, p. 75848-9)

• FWS releases final recovery plan for Bruneau hot springsnail (12/9, p. 72967)
  • Go here for plan, at some point
• NMFS suspends the minimum size limit of 4.75 inches for Atlantic surf clams for the 2003 fishing year (12/9, p. 72867-8)
• NMFS releases draft EA on the impacts of issuing a subsistence quota for bowhead whales to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission for the Years 2003 through 2007 (12/9, p. 72919-20)

• The Forest Service is proposing changes to the National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning Rule adopted Nov. 9, 2000 (12/6, p. 72769-816)
• FWS announces a meeting "designed to foster partnerships to enhance public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating in the United States. This meeting, sponsored by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, is open to the public, and interested persons may make oral statements to the Council or may file written statements for consideration." (12/6, p. 72693)
• NMFS final rule extends through 2007 the applicability of the existing regulations for the interim North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (12/6, p. 72595-72617)

• FWS releases draft economic analysis of the proposed designations of critical habitat for the Mariana fruit bat and the Micronesian kingfisher on Guam, and the Mariana crow on Guam and Rota. (12/5, p. )
  • Analysis is here
• FWS reopens the comment period for our proposal to list the mountain plover as a threatened species. FWS also proposes a special rule under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act, containing the prohibitions necessary to provide for the conservation of the mountain plover. The prohibitions FWS proposes do not include a prohibition against the take of mountain plover during certain routine farming practices until December 31, 2004, in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Laramie and Goshen Counties, Wyoming. During this period, research will be conducted to determine the impact of farming practices on cultivated fields to mountain plover nesting success within the southern portion of the breeding range (12/5, p. 72396-72407)

• FWS to hold public meeting to discuss the results of the twelfth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). (12/4, p. 72219-20)
• NMFS closes commercial fishery for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone of the Gulf of Mexico (12/4, p. 72112)
• NMFS announces that fish quotas and an effort allocation are available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the NAFO Regulatory Area (12/4, p. 72110-2)
• NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (12/4, p. 72131-4)
• NOAA reopens the period for the public to comment on the administrative appeal filed with the Department of Commerce by the Millennium Pipeline Company (12/4, p. 72149)
  • More here
• NMFS grants marine mammal permit amendment (12/4, p. 72149-50)

• NMFS is enacting a seasonally adjusted gear restriction by closing portions of the Mid-Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone waters to fishing with gillnets with a mesh size larger than 8-inch (20.3 cm) stretched mesh. The purpose of this action is to reduce the impact of large-mesh gillnet fisheries on endangered and threatened species of sea turtles, primarily the monkfish fishery which uses large-mesh gillnet gear and operates in the area when sea turtles are present. (12/3, p. 71895-900)
• NMFS closes the commercial fishery for king mackerel in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the northern Florida west coast subzone. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource. (12/3, p. 71901-2)
• NMFS reduces the trip limit in the commercial hook-and-line fishery for king mackerel in the northern Florida west coast subzone to 500 lb (227 kg) of king mackerel per day in or from the exclusive economic zone (12/3, p. 71902-3)
• NMFS restricts lobster trap and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 1,600 square nautical miles (nm\2\) (2,965 km\2\), east of Portsmouth, NH, called Jeffreys Ledge, for 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide immediate protection to an aggregation of North Atlantic right whales (right whales) (12/3, p. 71900-1)

• FWS reopens comment period on proposed listing of the population of dugong, Dugong dugon, in the Republic of Palau as endangered (12/2, p. 71529-30)
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (12/2, p. 71489)
• NMFS adjusts the October-December subquota for the coastwide General category Atlantic bluefin tuna (12/2, p. 71487-8)
• NMFS announces that the scup commercial quota available in the 2002 Winter II period (November - December) to the coastal states from Maine to North Carolina has been harvested (12/2, p. 71488-9)
• NOAA's Damage Assessment and Restoration Program announces new indirect cost rates on the recovery of indirect costs for its component organizations involved in natural resource damage assessment and restoration activities for fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (12/2, p. 71536-7)

FWS proposes CH designation for Klamath River and Columbia River Distinct Population Segments of Bull Trout, releases draft recovery plan (11/29, p. 71235-438)
• FWS says it will hold another public hearing on the proposed rule to allow incidental take of Florida manatees under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The hearing will be held from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (11/29, p. 71127-8)
• FWS releases draft Recovery Plan for three of the five Distinct Population Segments of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) (11/29, p. 71439-41)
  • Go here for plan
• FWS releases final EIS and final Roosevelt HCP for incidental take by the Salt River Project (11/29, p. 71193-4)
• FWS receives application for an ITP, opens comment period for an EA/HCP) for the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel in association with Camp Wilderness development project at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Pocahontas County, WV (11/29, p. 71192-3)
• FWS: The North American Wetlands Conservation Council will meet Dec. 3 to select NAWCA proposals for recommendation to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (11/29, p. 71194)
• FWS receives ESA scientific research/enhancement permit applications (11/29, p. 71191)
• FWS Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, requests an amendment to his permit for scientific take activities of listed species in Region 3 to add the following species for scientific purposes and the enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild, in accordance with listing, recovery outlines, recovery plans and/or other Service work for the species: Canada lynx, whooping crane, Lake Erie water snake, Tumbling Creek cavesnail, Scaleshell, Short's goldenrod, and Virginia sneezeweed (11/29, p. 71191-2)
• NMFS is correcting typographic errors in federal regulations. The intended effect of this action is regulatory accuracy, and it will have no effect on any person fishing in the EEZ for any species (11/29, p. 71112)
• NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total allowable catch allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for fishing year 2002 has been harvested (11/29, p. 71111-2)

• FWS proposes designation of critical habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl (11/27, p. 71031-64)
• FWS Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force Northeast Regional Panel to meet Dec. 16 and 17 (11/27, p. 70963)
• FWS receives endangered species permit applications (11/27, p. 70961)
• FWS receives endangered species, marine mammal permit applications (11/27, p. 70962-3)
• FWS receives endangered species permit applications (11/27, p. 70961-2)
• FWS grants marine mammal permit (11/27, p. 70963)
• NMFS issues a final rule to implement Amendment 60 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Area (11/27, p. 70859-60)
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (11/27, p. 70858)
• NMFS proposes specifications for the 2003 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries (11/27, p. 70904-15)
• NOAA notifies the public of its implementation of amendments to the existing Area to be Avoided off the Washington Coast to include all vessels of 1,600 gross tons and above solely in transit in accordance with the International Maritime Organization's adoption of MSC 75/24, para 6.7.4 on May 29, 2002. (11/27, p. 70933-4)
• Dr. Jeanette Wyneken, Florida Atlantic University, has applied for a permit to take green sea turtles for purposes of scientific research (11/27, p. 70934-5)

Tuesday, Nov. 26 (Nov. 26 Table of Contents from GPO)

• NMFS corrects Nov. 12 correction to final rule governing take of four threatened Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of West Coast Salmonids (11/26, p. 70809)

• NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using pot and trawl gear to catcher/processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI (11/25, p. 70557-8)
• NMFS announces that commercial quota is available to allow the directed fishery for Loligo squid to reopen (11/25, p. 70556)
• NMFS announces that the summer flounder commercial quota available to the State of Connecticut has been harvested (11/25, p. 70556-7)
• NMFS proposes a regulatory amendment that would revise the monkfish days-at-sea regulations (11/25, p. 70570-3)
• NMFS proposes a regulation to implement the annual harvest guideline for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast for the fishing season Jan. 1, 2003, through Dec. 31, 2003 (11/25, p. 70573-4)
• NMFS informs surf clam and ocean quahog allocation owners that they are required to purchase their year 2003 cage tags from a vendor (11/25, p. 70582)
• Dr. Elizabeth Wenner, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, applies for a permit to take loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green, leatherback, and hawksbill sea turtles for purposes of scientific research. (11/25, p. 70583-4)

• FWS releases draft recovery plan for Fritillaria Gentneri (Gentner's fritillary) for Review and Comment (11/22, p. 70452-3)
• FWS receives endangered species recovery permit applications (11/22, p. 70451-2)
• J.L. Storedahl & Sons Inc. has submitted an application to FWS and NMFS for incidental take permits to take bull trout and other listed species in connection with gravel mining and reclamation activities on approximately 300 acres of Storedahl-owned lands located in Clark County, Washington. Draft EIS is available. (11/22, p. 70408-9)
• FWS receives ITP application, releases EA on HCP for the Briargate Development, El Paso County, Colorado. Thirty-year permit would authorize the incidental take of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse. (11/22, p. 70453-4)
• Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Great Lakes Panel Meeting scheduled for Dec. 10-11 (11/22, p. 70454)

• FWS reopens comment period till Jan. 21, will hold public hearings on proposed designation of critical habitat for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) (11/21, p. 70202-3)
• FWS reopens comment period, releases draft economic analysis on proposed designation of critical habitat for Scotts Valley Polygonum (11/21, p. 70199-201)
• FWS releases economic analysis on proposed critical habitat designation for four vernal pool crustaceans and eleven vernal pool plants in California and Southern Oregon (11/21, p. 70201-2)
  • Economic analysis
  • More on vernal pool species, from FWS
• FWS releases draft economic analysis on proposed designation of critical habitat for nine Bexar County, Texas, invertebrates (11/21, p. 70203-4)
  • Analysis is here
• FWS reopens public comment period till Dec. 23 for the Technical/Agency Draft revised Recovery Plan for the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (11/21, p. 70237-40)
• FWS asks for comments on endangered species permit applications (11/21, p. 70236-7)
• NMFS amends regulations governing the unintentional take of small numbers of seals incidental to routine operations of the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, Seabrook, NH. The purpose of this amendment is to replace the power plant's official owner/operator's name with a generic owner/operator designation. The technical amendment will also remove mitigation measures that are no longer applicable to the owner/operator of the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant. (11/21, p. 70180-1)
• NMFS asks for comments on request by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to withdraw from joint preparation of a dolphin and wahoo FMP, and that the Secretary re-designate the SAFMC as lead for a dolphin and wahoo FMP encompassing only the U.S. Atlantic coast (i.e. excluding the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean regions). (11/21, p. 70214-5)

• NMFS issues this final rule to amend the regulations governing the Atlantic swordfish fishery to implement recommendations adopted at the 2000 meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (11/20, p. 70023-7)
• NMFS announces that the annual spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the fishing year, May 1, 2002 - April 30, 2003, has been harvested. (11/20, p. 70027-8)
• NMFS announces trip limit changes in the Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries for flatfish sub-limits in the exempted trawl fishery for California halibut and trip limit corrections for minor nearshore and widow rockfish in the limited entry trawl fisheries. (11/20, p. 70018-23)

• FWS submits ICR to OMB for approval. "This information collection approval request seeks approval for us to continue conducting the Sandhill Crane Harvest Survey." (11/19, p. 69756-7)
• FWS extends due date for submission of project proposals for federal assistance under the FY 2002 Private Stewardship Grants Program (11/19, p. 69757-9)
• NMFS issues negative 12-month finding on petition to list Bocaccio as threatened (11/19, p. 69704-8)
• NMFS issues positive 90-day finding on petition to revise critical habitat for the endangered western North Atlantic right whales (11/19, p. 69708-10)
• NMFS final rule modifies the regulations implementing Framework Adjustment 35 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Framework 35 established an exempted small mesh whiting fishery in the Gulf of Maine, near Provincetown, Mass.. The fishery occurs from Sept. 1-Nov. 20 each year and requires the use of raised footrope trawl gear. The rule modifies the boundaries of the current exemption area through inclusion of an area east of Cape Cod and allows the fishery to continue in the newly added eastern portion of the exemption area through Dec. 31 of each year. (11/19, p. 69694-6)
• NMFS receives application to modify a permit from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Santa Cruz, Calif. The modified permit would affect five Evolutionarily Significant Units of salmonids. (11/19, p. 69723 )
• NMFS announces which individuals or organizations have recently been issued a permit or permit amendment to take Steller sea lions (11/19, p. 69724-5)
  • NMFS permits page
• Texas A&M University, Department of Marine Biology, requests amendment to scientific research Permit No. 821-1588-01 (Weddell seals, sperm whales) (11/19, p. 69725-6)

• NMFS corrects Oct. 29 final rule to amend tier qualifications to include sablefish on EFP. It removes an amendatory instruction that was inadvertently published in the October 29, 2002 document. (11/18, p. )
• NMFS receives petition from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to initiate rulemaking to amend the current Atlantic bluefin tuna allocation criteria and to create a winter time-period subquota. (11/18, p. 69502-3)
• NMFS' South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public hearing to address findings from the SAW/SARC (Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee) process for the red porgy stock assessment (11/18, p. 69502)

• Wetlands enforcement: United States v. Janice D. Todd, Civil Action No. 2:01-2179-11 (D.S.C.), was lodged with the United States District Court for the District South Carolina on November 6, 2002. This proposed Consent Decree concerns a complaint filed by the United States of America against Janice D. Todd, pursuant to section 301 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311(a), to obtain injunctive relief from and impose civil penalties against the Defendant for constructing a logging road in wetlands adjacent to the Little Salkehatchie River in Colleton County, South Carolina (11/15, p. 69244)
• FWS issues draft economic analysis on proposed CH designation for Blackburn's sphinx moth. Over a 10-year period, the draft economic analysis shows a range of direct costs from $1.2 to $1.9 million, and the possibility of indirect costs approaching $500 million. However, many of the indirect costs shown in the analysis result from uncertain and possibly unlikely future private and governmental actions, and we expressly request comments as to the likelihood of these actions occurring and of the indicated costs from these possible actions being incurred (11/15, p. 69179-80)
• FWS issues draft economic analysis on proposed CH designation for the Kauai Cave Wolf Spider and Kauai Cave Amphipod. The draft economic analysis shows a range of likely costs from the proposed designation of between $743 million to $1.955 billion over the 18-year period from 2003 to 2020. (11/15, p. 69177-9)
• FWS reopens comment period on CH proposal for 32 plants from the island of Lanai, to consider new information (11/15, p. 69176-7)
• FWS releases draft EIS/EIR, receives application for an ITP for the Western Riverside County Multiple Species HCP (11/15, p. 69236-8)
• NMFS announces that the black sea bass commercial quota available in the Quarter 4 period to the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina has been harvested (11/15, p. 69148)
• NMFS announces its intent to prepare an EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act to assess the potential effects on the human environment of its proposed action to initiate Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks based on the results of the 2002 stock assessments of large coastal sharks (LCS) and small coastal sharks (SCS). (11/15, p. 69180-1)
• NMFS proposes specifications for the 2003 Atlantic herring fishery. The regulations for the Atlantic herring fishery require NMFS to publish specifications for the upcoming year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of the specifications is to conserve and manage the Atlantic herring resource and provide for a sustainable fishery (11/15, p. )
• NMFS amends permit No. 774-1649-00 issued to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, Calif. The Amended Permit authorizes the Holder to capture, weigh, measure, tag and release southern elephant seal pups (11/15, p. 69201)

• FWS proposes rule that would allow incidental take of manatees during specified activities (11/14, p. 69077-69104)
• FWS: Notice of solicitation of applications for refuge big game guide permits in refuges in Alaska and extension of existing refuge permits (11/14, p. 69018)

• Hanford Reach National Monument Federal Advisory Committee to meet Dec. 3 and Jan. 7 (11/13, p. 68881)

• NMFS issues minor correction to Jan. 9, 2002, 4(d) rule for four salmonids (11/12, p. 68725)
• NMFS NE Regional Administrator makes positive preliminary determination re: EFP application to catch, retain, and dissect 200 sub-legal lobsters as part of an ongoing research project to both monitor the offshore lobster fishery and to determine the size at which offshore lobster reach reproductive maturity (11/12, p. 68556-8)

• FWS establishes 13 manatee protection areas in Florida (11/8, p. 68449-89)
• FWS seeks input, solicits comments on additional measures to protect the endangered Florida manatee (11/8, p. 68490-1)
• NMFS opens the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category New York Bight set-aside fishery (11/8, p. 68045-6)

• FWS lists as endangered Cook's Lomatium and large-flowered woolly meadowfoam, both plants from Southern Oregon (11/7, p. 68003-15)
• FWS designates critical habitat for Lompoc yerba santa and Gaviota tarplant (11/7, p. 67967-68001)
• FWS withdraws proposed rule to remove the Northern Populations of the Tidewater Goby from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife (11/7, p. 67803-18)
• FWS receives applications for scientific research permits (11/7, p. 67863-4)
• NMFS issues this temporary authorization to allow the use of limited tow times by shrimp trawlers as an alternative to the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in certain waters off Louisiana and Alabama (11/7, p. 67793-5)
• NMFS issues this temporary action to allow the use of limited tow times by shrimp trawlers as an alternative to the use of Turtle Excluder Devices in the waters off Mississippi (11/7, p. 67795-8)
• NMFS opens directed fishing by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska. This action is necessary to fully use the 2002 halibut bycatch allowance for trawl gear in the GOA (11/7, p. 67798)
• NMFS receives application for scientific research from California Department of Fish and Game in Chico, Calif. (11/7, p. 67825)

• FWS to hold public hearing Dec. 5 in Arlington, Va., on proposal to list beluga sturgeon (11/6, p. 67586)
• NMFS extends to April 30, 2003, the May 22 emergency interim rule temporarily amending the fishing mortality rate (F) criteria in the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to be consistent with the best scientific information available, and which implemented the management measures proposed in Framework 1 to the FMP. (11/6, p. 67568-71)

No notices Tuesday, Nov. 5

Monday, Nov. 4 (Nov. 4 Table of Contents from GPO)

• FWS extends till Dec. 22 the comment period on Natomas EIS/EIR on proposed HCP (11/4, p. 67209-10)
• FWS corrects final rule on "Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds" see TOC above for PDF version so you can see the maps, which are not in this HTML version (11/4, p. 67255-80)
• NMFS NE Regional Administrator proposes to issue an EFP that would allow two vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. The EFP would exempt two vessels from the days-at-sea (DAS) requirements, and the Gulf of Maine (GOM) Rolling Closure Area IV restrictions. (11/4, p. 67140-1)
• NMFS issued three-year ITP Aug. 30 to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries for the incidental take of ESA-listed adult and juvenile sea turtles associated with otherwise lawful commercial fall gill net fisheries for flounder operating in Pamlico Sound, NC. (11/4, p. 67150-1)

• FWS issues draft economic analysis for proposed CH designation for Baker's and Yellow Larkspur (11/1, p. 66599-600)
• FWS considers application from Eastern North Carolina Natural Gas for a right-of-way permit for the installation of a 12-inch outer-diameter natural gas pipeline across 8.5 acres of Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge in Bertie County, North Carolina. (11/1, p. 66657-8)
• NMFS is closing directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2002 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl Pacific cod fishery (11/1, p. 66575)
• Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 881-1443-05. (11/1, p. 66616)

• FWS re-opens comment period until Dec. 2 on Sacramento splittail threatened listing, in order to examine new statistical analyses (10/31, p. 66344-6)
• FWS extends comment period until Dec. 16 on listing of Sonoma County DPS of the California Tiger Salamander as endangered (10/31, p. 66377-8)
• FWS releases economic analysis for proposed CH designation for Keck's checkermallow (10/31, p. 66378-9)
• FWS, in coordination with Kern County, will prepare a joint EIS/EIR on the Kern County Valley Floor HCP. Under the plan, which covers 1.99 million acres of the Valley Floor in Kern County, California, the county would request permit to take 11 listed species and 17 unlisted species that may become listed in the future. (10/31, p. 66413-5)
• FWS announces tentative U.S. positions on provisional agenda for the twelfth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). FWS also says it is extending comment period. It will consider comments if received by Oct. 31 (today). (10/31, p. 66463-92)

• FWS receives endangered species permit application. Randy Miller's Predators In Action wants a "permit to export and re-import captive- born tigers to/from worldwide locations to enhance the survival of the species through conservation education."
  • Predators In Action web site
• FWS receives applications to import sport-hunted bonteboks, polar bear (10/30, p. 66166)
• FWS receives applications to import a sport-hunted bontebok (10/30, p. 66166)
• FWS grants permit to import polar bear (10/30, p. 66167)
• NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. Amendment 13 is intended to revise the quota management program for the black sea bass commercial fishery in order to manage the fishery more effectively and to consider management measures to minimize the effects of fishing on essential fish habitat (10/30, p. 66103)
• NMFS has determined that the 2002 fishing year Atlantic bluefin tuna General category quota will be attained by Oct. 25. Therefore, the General category fishery will be closed (was closed) effective 11:30 p.m. on that date. This action is being taken to prevent overharvest of the total adjusted General category quota of 777.0 metric tons (mt) (10/30, p. 66072)
• NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in the exclusive economic zone will be closed effective Nov. 2 (10/30, p. 66072-3)
• NMFS proposes a regulation to implement Amendment 10 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan, which was submitted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council for review and approval by the Secretary of Commerce (10/30, p. 66103-7)
• NMFS has amended research and enhancement permit 1094 held by the State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The amended permit authorizes WDFW to manage adult hatchery steelhead returns that are surplus to recovery and broodstock needs. (10/30, p. 66127)
• NMFS issues permit modification to take sea turtles for purposes of scientific research/enhancement, to REMSA Inc., 12829 Jefferson Ave., Newport News, VA (10/30, p. 66128-9)
• Between July 31 and Sept. 27, 2002, NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Region issued 32 permits, permit modifications, and permit amendments allowing endangered and threatened species of Pacific salmon and steelhead to be taken for scientific research purposes under section 10(a)1(A) the ESA (10/30, p. 66129-30)
• Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Conn., has been issued a permit amendment to take Steller sea lions for purposes of scientific research and enhancement. (10/30, p. 66127-8)

• FWS issues positive 90-day finding on western gray squirrel listing petition (10/29, p. 65931-3)
• FWS submits ICR to OMB for approval (Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Council Membership Application Form). (10/29, p. )
• FWS receives ITP application from Terra Springs, LLC for the northern spotted owl (10/29, p. 65998-9)
• NMFS closes the commercial fishery for king mackerel in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the western zone of the Gulf of Mexico. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource. (10/29, p. 65902)
• NMFS announces approval of a regulatory amendment to revise sablefish tier qualifications for the limited entry, fixed gear, primary sablefish fishery (10/29, p. 65902-6)
• The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 72 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Amendment 64 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. (10/29, p. 65941)
• NMFS proposes initial specifications for the 2003 fishing year for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (10/29, p. 65934-8)
• NMFS Northeast Administrator makes preliminary positive determination on application for EFP, which proposes to conduct a study of an experimental bycatch reduction device in order to develop otter trawl gear for the NE Multispecies fishery that would result in reduced catch of Atlantic cod. (10/29, p. 65933-4)
• NMFS proposes quotas for the Atlantic surfclam, ocean quahog, and Maine mahogany ocean quahog fisheries for 2003 (10/29, p. 65938-41)
• NMFS reopens until Nov. 22 the public comment period on the Draft Programmatic EIS for Pacific Salmon Fisheries Management off the Coasts of Southeast Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California, and in the Columbia River Basin. (10/29, p. 65954)

• NMFS announces that the commercial fishery for all salmon except coho in the area from Humbug Mountain, OR to the Oregon-California Border was closed at midnight on Sept. 9. The Northwest Regional Administrator determined that the quota of 2,000 chinook salmon had been reached. (10/28, p. 65729-30)
• NMFS announces that the ceremonial and subsistence (C&S) harvest regulations for the Quileute Tribe were modified to extend the C&S fishery through midnight on Tuesday, October 15, 2002, with a possession and landing limit of 20 salmon per day, and all size restrictions suspended for the duration of the fishery. (10/28, p. 65728-9)
• NMFS announces that the recreational fishery in the area from Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR (Columbia River Area), was modified to close at midnight on Monday, Sept. 2, 2002, and then reopen Friday, Sept. 6, 2002, through midnight on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002 (10/28, p. )
• NMFS is issuing a correction to the interim final rule and final rule implementing the ALWTRP's Seasonal Area Management and Dynamic Area Management programs, respectively, which were published in the FR on Jan. 9, 2002 (10/28, p. 65722-7)

• NMFS announces that the commercial salmon fishery in the area from the Oregon-California Border to the Humboldt South Jetty, was modified to close at midnight on Friday, Sept. 20, and then reopen Sept 26, through midnight on Sept. 27. On Sept. 19, the Northwest Regional Administrator, NMFS determined that available catch and effort data indicated that the quota of 10,000 chinook salmon would be reached by September 20. However, after reevaluating the available catch and effort data on September 24, it was found that there was enough salmon left in the chinook quota to allow an additional 2 days of fishing. These actions were necessary to conform to the 2002 management goals. (10/25, p. 65514-6)

• FWS designates critical habitat for two varieties of purple amole: purple amole and Camatta Canyon amole (10/24, p. 65413-45)

• FWS issues positive 90-day finding on petition to list the Cerulean warbler as threatened with critical habitat (10/23, p. 65083-6)
• NMFS closes directed fishing for yellowfin sole by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (10/23, p. 65046-7)
• NOAA: Barnes Nursery Inc. has filed a notice of appeal asking that the Secretary of Commerce override the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' objection to the Barnes Nursery Inc. after-the-fact permit to maintain an excavated channel and berm system intended to store water for agricultural purposes (10/23, p. 65091-2)
• NMFS announces a public scoping meeting to determine issues for an SEIS for the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (10/23, p. 65092)

• NMFS announces that the annual quota for the Maine mahogany quahog fishery has been harvested (10/22, p. 64825)
• Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Tilefish Fishery; Continuation of Specifications for the 2003 Fishing Year (10/22, p. 64825-6)
• NMFS closes 2002 catcher/processor fishery for Pacific whiting (whiting) at 0000 local time (l.t.) Oct. 16, 2002, because the allocation for the catcher/processor sector will be reached by that time (10/22, p. 64826)
• NMFS: "This document corrects the phone number for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that was listed in the proposed rule that would implement those parts of the FMP for Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Western Pacific Region that were approved by the Secretary of Commerce published Sept. 24. It also removes Secretary of Commerce and replaces it with Secretary of the Interior (10/22, p. 64861)
• NOAA: This notice provides additional scheduling information concerning a public hearing to be held by NOAA in Tarrytown, N.Y. The hearing involves an administrative appeal filed with the Department of Commerce by the Millenium Pipeline Company (Consistency Appeal of Millennium Pipeline Company, L.P.). (10/22, p. 64874)
• NOAA issues draft guidance for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (10/22, p. 64874-5)

• Thomas B. McCormick, Channel Islands Marine Resource Institute in California, has requested a modification to scientific research and enhancement Permit No. 1346 (white abalone). (10/21, p. 64603-4)

• Enforcement: DOJ proposed consent decree arising from a spill from an oil pipeline in Southern California, operated by Mobil Oil Corporation. Complaint filed with CD "seeks recovery by the [U.S.] of natural resource damages and civil penalties under Section 311 of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. 1321, and Sections 1002 and 1006 of OPA, 33 U.S.C. 2702, 2706, and recovery by the State of California of natural resource damages, civil penalties, and other damages under State of California law." Proposed CD "resolves those claims in consideration of a total payment by ExxonMobil of $4.7 million, consisting of $3.45 million in natural resource damages, damage assessment costs, and planning and oversight costs; $600,000 in federal civil penalties, and $650,000 in state civil penalties and damages." (10/18, p. 64415-6)
• DOJ proposed consent decree requires Remi Bourdeau "to pay a $15,000 civil penalty, complete restoration work in the wetland, and implement a monitoring plan to periodically assess the success of the restoration work. In addition, the consent decree prohibits the defendant from discharging any pollutant into waters of the United States." (10/18, p. 64417)
• FWS issues guidelines "to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of Government information disseminated to the public." (10/18, p. 64407)
• NMFS corrects the Steller sea lion emergency interim rule, as amended, corrected, and extended, which contains regulations relating to Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska. This action also corrects the recordkeeping and reporting final rule and its correction. This action is necessary to re-instate appropriate applicability dates and correct other errors and omissions that occurred. (10/18, p. 64315-9)
• NMFS issues technical amendment to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species regulations (10/18, p. 64311-2)

• FWS releases draft Recovery Plan for the Star Cactus, located on one site on private land in Starr County, Texas (10/17, p. 64130)
  • Plan is here
• NMFS is closing directed fishing for groundfish by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except for directed fishing for pollock by vessels using pelagic trawl gear in those portions of the GOA open to directed fishing for pollock (10/17, p. 64066)
• NMFS announces the availability of a stock assessment report on large coastal sharks (LCS) in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, prepared by the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and a final meeting report of the shark evaluation workshop held in Panama City, Fla., June 24 through June 28, 2002.
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK, has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 358-1585-01 (harbor seals). (10/17, p. 64098)

• FWS designates critical habitat for Santa Cruz Tarplant (10/16, p. 63967-64007)
• NMFS adjusts the October-December time-period subquota for the General category Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery (10/16, p. 63854-5)

• FWS proposes designation of critical habitat for the Mariana fruit bat, Guam Micronesian kingfisher, and Mariana crow. Designation of critical habitat "would not be prudent for the little Mariana fruit bat, Guam broadbill, and bridled white-eye because all three species likely are extinct." (10/15, p. 63737-72)
• FWS: Notice of application for a natural gas pipeline right-of-way on Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. (10/15, p. 63674)
• NMFS proposes amendments to the regulations governing the halibut fishery under the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program (10/15, p. 63600-3)
• NMFS corrects the address and phone number for the Pacific Fishery Management Council in the notice of availability of Amendment 10, which was published Oct. 3, 2002. (10/15, p. 63599-600)

Monday, Oct. 14 was a Federal Holiday

Friday, Oct. 11 (Oct. 11 Table of Contents from GPO)

• FWS releases Recovery Plan for Illinois Cave Amphipod (10/11, p. 63442-3)
  • Go here for plan
• FWS releases Recovery Plan for Pitcher's Thistle (10/11, p. 63443-4)
• FWS proposes to grant permit for development of a single-family home in habitat of the Morro shoulderband snail (Gosnell Habitat Conservation Plan) in San Luis Obispo County, California (10/11, p. 63444-5)
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (10/11, p. 63312)
• NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia and the States of Florida and Rhode Island have transferred 100,000 lb (45,372 kg), 200,000 lb (90,744 kg), and 125,000 lb (56,689 kg), respectively, of their 2002 adjusted commercial quotas to New York (10/11, p. 63311-2)

• FWS sets public hearing for Oct. 29 on critical habitat proposal for Blackburn's sphinx moth (10/10, p. 63064-5)
• FWS extends public comment period, sets public hearing, on proposal to designate CH for 99 plants on island of Oahu (10/10, p. 63066-7)
• FWS sets three public hearings on proposed rule to designate critical habitat for 4 crustaceans and 11 plants endemic to vernal pools in California and southern Oregon. (10/10, p. 63067-9)
• Chula Vista, Calif., applies to FWS for a 50-year ITP that would authorize incidental take of 13 threatened or endangered animal species, one animal species proposed to be listed as threatened, and 26 currently unlisted animal species of concern in the event that these species become listed during the term of the permit. The permit also would "cover" 14 listed plant species, the take of which is not prohibited under federal law. (10/10, p. 63147-9)
• FWS, as a natural resource trustee, announces the release of the NRDA for the Hudson River Superfund Site. The plan describes the activities that constitute the trustees' currently proposed approach to conducting the assessment of natural resources exposed to PCBs (10/10, p. 63149-50)
• NMFS issues final rule to implement approved measures contained in the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan (10/10, p. 63221-35)
• NMFS announces that the recreational fishery in the area from the Queets River to Leadbetter Point, WA (Westport Area), was modified to reopen Sunday, Aug. 18 through midnight on Monday, Aug. 19, 2002 (10/10, p. 63055-7)
• NMFS announces that the commercial fishery in the area from the U.S.-Canada Border to Cape Falcon, OR was modified to reopen on August 22, 2002, and close at midnight, August 28, 2002, with a vessel limit of 250 chinook salmon for the entire 7-day open period (10/10, p. 63057-8)
• NMFS: Dr. David Secor, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research. (10/10, p. 63078-9)
• NMFS returns application submitted by Robert K. Metzger, Metzger Wildlife Surveys, 1327 North Wheaton Drive, St. Charles, Missouri 63301, to take green, hawksbill, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley and leatherback sea turtles along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico for purposes of scientific research. (10/10, p. 63078)
• Jim Johnston, Chief Environmental Planner, United States Air Force, Environmental Management Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA 93437, has applied for a permit to take California sea lions, northern elephant seals, northern fur seals, and Pacific harbor seals for purposes of scientific research (10/10, p. 63079)
• NMFS' National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle has applied for: (1) a permit to take an unspecified number of specimen materials from dead animals of the Orders Cetacea and Pinnipedia (except walrus) for purposes of scientific research; and (2) an amendment to permit 782-1438. (10/10, p. 63079-80)

• FWS designates 74 acres in Humboldt County, California, as critical habitat for the Kneeland Prairie penny-cress (10/9, p. 62897-910)
• FWS proposes 420 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, California, as CH for Ventura marsh milk-vetch (10/9, p. 62926-45)
• FWS releases draft Recovery Plan for the Kneeland Prairie Penny-Cress (Thlaspi californicum) (10/9, p. 62979)
• FWS receives permit applications to conduct scientific research and enhancement of survival of endangered species (10/9, p. 62978)
• FWS releases final marine mammal stock assessment reports for Pacific walrus, polar bear, and sea otter in Alaska (10/9, p. 62979-83)
  • Reports are here
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (10/9, p. 62910)

• FWS announces intent to prepare an EIS re: the proposed Gulf Highlands Area HCP, issuance of two permits for the incidental take of the Alabama beach mouse (10/8, p. 62809-10)
• FWS receives endangered species permit applications (10/8, p. 62808-9)
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (10/8, p. 62651)
• NMFS announces adjustments to the 2002 commercial Atlantic bluefish quota for the States of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia. (10/8, p. 62650-1)
• On August 26, 2002, NMFS announced that new information is available that indicates fine-scaled stock structure of harbor seals in Alaska. NMFS invited the public to submit additional information or viewpoints related to harbor seal stock structure in Alaska. (10/8, p. 62698)
  • More here
• Michael A. Castellini, Ph.D., Institute of Marine Science, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, has been issued a permit to take Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and other Antarctic pinnipeds for purposes of scientific research. (10/8, p. 62699)

• Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to meet Nov. 14 and 15 in Honolulu (10/7, p. 62493)
• FWS receives endangered species/marine mammal permit applications (10/7, p. 62490-1)
• FWS receives endangered species/marine mammal permit applications (10/7, p. 62491-2)
• FWS receives endangered species recovery permit applications (10/7, p. 62492-3)
• NMFS extends emergency rule that establishes the 2002 fishery specifications for Pacific whiting in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and state waters off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California as authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (10/7, p. 62401-2)

• FWS adds all species of snakehead fishes in the Channidae family to the list of injurious fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. (10/4, p. 62193-204)
• FWS issues ITP for take of Preble's meadow jumping mouse at the Lincoln Meadows Commercial Development, Douglas County, CO (10/4, p. 62259)
• NMFS has identified the Pribilof Islands blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus) stock as overfished (10/4, p. 62212-3)
• NMFS announces changes in the certain trip limits for the Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries (10/4, p. 62204-62212)
• NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator proposes to issue an EFP to conduct a study of an experimental bycatch reduction device in order to develop otter trawl gear for the NE multispecies fishery that would result in reduced catch of Atlantic cod. (10/4, p. 62222-3)
• NMFS reopens comment period for a proposed evaluation and pending determination by the Secretary of Commerce as to how a Resource Management Plan addresses ESA criteria. The RMP was submitted jointly by the Makah Indian Tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as the co-managing fisheries resource manager, pursuant to the ESA protective regulations promulgated for the Ozette Lake Sockeye Salmon Evolutionary Significant Unit (10/4, p. 62229-30)
• NMFS releases the final recovery plan for Johnson's seagrass (10/4, p. 62230-3)
  • Recovery plan is here
• NMFS issues marine mammal permit amendment to Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, 191 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 (Dr. Roger S. Payne, Principal Investigator) (10/4, p. 62234)
• NMFS issues permit to Robert A. Garrott, Ph.D., Ecology Department, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, Montana 59717 (PI: Dr. Robert Garrott), to take Antarctic pinnipeds for purposes of scientific research. (10/4, p. 62233)

• FWS: Notice of Withdrawal of the Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge Proposal and Availability of the Little Darby Creek Conservation Through Local Initiatives Final Report (10/3, p. 62075)
• FWS receives applications for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species (10/3, p. 62074-5)
• NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). This final rule establishes a Federal trap limitation program for the commercial stone crab fishery in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Florida's west coast, including the area off Monroe County, FL (i.e., the management area) that complements the stone crab trap limitation program implemented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (10/3, p. 61990-3)
• NMFS issues a regulation to implement the annual harvest guideline for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast (10/3, p. 61994-5)
• NMFS says effective date of ICR re: accidental hooking or entanglement of endangered short-tailed albatrosswill be Oct. 10, not Sept. 30 (10/3, p. 61994)
• NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 10 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan for Secretarial review (10/3, p. 62001-2)
• NMFS reopens public comment period on a draft Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. NMFS also announces a schedule change for the publication of a final Code of Conduct. (10/3, p. 62019)

• FWS reopens, extends comment period on proposal to designate CH for plants from Maui and Kahoolawe, Hawaii. Draft economic analysis released. (10/2, p. 61845-6)
  • Economic analysis is here
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) (10/2, p. 61827-8)
• NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using trawl and jig gear to vessels using hook-and- line or pot gear in the BSAI (10/2, p. 61826-7)
• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (10/2, p. 61826)
• NMFS corrects DBCA latitude/longitude coordinates implemented by emergency rulemaking in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery and published Sept. 13, 2002 (10/2, p. 61824-6)
• NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA 92037, has requested an amendment to Permit No. 774-1649 to take Southern elephant seals (10/2, p. 61850-1)

• FWS amends special Preble's meadow jumping mouse regulations to exempt certain noxious weed control and ditch maintenance activities from section 9 take prohibitions. (10/1, p. 61531-7)
• FWS releases final guidelines for how it will allocate $40 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for conservation grants to states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, and tribes under a Landowner Incentive Program. Request for proposals by Dec. 1. The service will address the tribal component of LIP under a separate notice. (10/1, p. 61640-8)
• FWS releases final guidelines for distribution of $10 million in private stewardship grants money for FY 02. (10/1, p. 61649-62)
• NMFS announces the final initial specifications for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery to set BFT quotas and General category effort controls for the fishing year beginning June 1, 2002. (10/1, p. 61537-41)
• NOAA issues final regulations for the assessment of natural resource damages pursuant to section 1006(e)(1) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (10/1, p. 61483-93)
• NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program releases final revised management plan for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (10/1, p. 61598)

• NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (9/30, p. 61291)
• NMFS prohibits directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (9/30, p. 61292)
• NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management will evaluate the performance of the Chesapeake Bay-Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve. (9/30, p. 61322)
• NMFS issues Incidental Harassment Authorization to the California Department of Transportation to take small numbers of Pacific harbor seals and possibly California sea lions, by harassment, incidental to seismic retrofit construction of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Calif. (9/30, p. 61323-7)
• FWS receives endangered species/marine mammal permit applications (9/30, p. 61349)
• Wildlands, Inc. in Citrus Heights, Calif., and the California Department of Water Resources in Sacramento apply for scientific research permits affecting three Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of salmonids (9/30, p. 61327)

• FWS designates CH for Appalchian Elktoe (9/27, p. 61016-40)
• FWS asks OMB "to approve the collection of information for preserving the unwritten knowledge (oral history) of the long-term residents of the southwest Alaska region in the vicinity of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge." (9/27, p. 61151-2)
• NMFS says listing the barndoor skate is not warranted (9/27, p. 61055-61)
• NMFS announces that the scup commercial quota available in the summer period to the coastal states from Maine to North Carolina has been harvested (9/27, p. 61040-1)
• NMFS announces that the recreational fishery in the area from the U.S.-Canada Border to Cape Falcon, OR was modified to close to chinook retention effective Saturday, August 10, 2002, in the Neah Bay, La Push, and Columbia River sub-areas (9/27, p. 61041-2)
• NMFS receives application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the California Department of Fish and Game. This EFP application applies to vessels with valid California State delivery permits fishing for flatfish with small footrope trawl gear in federal waters off the state of California (9/27, p. 61061-2)
• Dr. Stephen J. Morreale, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, has been issued a permit to take loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green and leatherback sea turtles for purposes of scientific research (9/27, p. 61073-4)

• NMFS prohibits trawling in the Chum Salmon Savings Area of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) (9/26, p. 60602)
• NMFS is prohibiting retention of thornyhead rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) (9/26, p. 60602-3)
• NMFS announces reallocation of the remaining Pacific sardine harvest guideline in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast (9/26, p. 60601-2)
• NMFS announces that the commercial fishery in the area from the U.S.-Canada Border to Cape Falcon, OR was modified to reopen on Aug.9, 2002, and close at midnight, August 18, 2002, with a vessel limit of 400 chinook salmon for the entire 10-day open period (9/26, p. 60599-601)

• FWS reopens comment period until Nov. 25 on proposed rule to list Lepidium papilliferum (slickspot peppergrass) as endangered (9/25, p. 60206-7)
• National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Commission announces second meeting, Sept. 24 (yesterday) and Sept. 25--today. (9/25, p. 60251)
• FWS receives endangered species, marine mammal permits (9/25, p. 60249-50)
• FWS grants marine mammal permits (9/25, p. 60250-1)

• FWS announces two public hearings on proposed critical habitat designations for 47 plants from the island of Hawaii. Comment period extended until Nov. 30 (9/24, p. 59811-3)
• FWS proposes critical habitat designation for 4 vernal pool crustaceans and 11 vernal pool plants. Total area proposed is about 1.6 million acres (9/24, p. 59883-932)
• Vernal pool proposal, continued (9/24, p. 59933-82)
• Vernal pool proposal, continued (9/24, p. 59983-60032)
• Vernal pool proposal, continued (9/24, p. 60033-9)
• FWS reopens until October 9 proposal to list flat-tailed horned lizard as threatened (9/24, p. 59809-11)
• NMFS issues a proposed rule that would implement those parts of the Fishery Management Plan for Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Western Pacific Region (CREFMP) that have been approved by NMFS (9/24, p. 59813-22)
• NMFS grants Incidental Harassment Authorization to the Navy to take small numbers of pinnipeds by harassment incidental to the demolition and removal of buildings located at the entrance of Mugu Lagoon in Point Mugu, CA (9/24, p. 59824-7)
• NOAA releases final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for Natural Resource Injuries and Service Losses Associated With the Fort Lauderdale Mystery Oil Spill in Florida (9/24, p. 59827-8)
  • More here from NOAA's Damage Assessment and Restoration Program

• NMFS has determined that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily retention limit should be adjusted in order to allow for maximum utilization of the General category September time- period subquota (9/23, p. 59477-8)
• NMFS is amending the regulations that implement the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP), specifically with regard to the straight set of gillnets in the southeast U.S. restricted area in waters off the coasts of Georgia and Florida (9/23, p. 59471-7)

• FWS emergency rule establishes seven manatee protection areas in Florida (9/20, p. 59407-26)
• FWS final rule prescribes special late-season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on Federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands and ceded lands (9/20, p. 59385-94)
• This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for general waterfowl seasons and those early seasons for which States previously deferred selection (9/20, p. 59357-84)
• FWS reopens comment period on proposed designation of Critical Habitat for Five Carbonate Plants From the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California; releases economic analysis (9/20, p. 59239-41)
  • Presumably the analysis will be here at some point
• FWS issues positive 90-day finding on petition to list the California golden trout (9/20, p. 59241-3)
• FWS releases EA, receives application for an Incidental Take Permit for the Antelope Road L.P. Property, Murrieta, CA (gnatcatcher) (9/20, p. 59304-5)
• NMFS issues proposed rule to prohibit fishing with drift gillnets in the California/Oregon (CA/OR) thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet fishery in U.S. waters off southern California, south of Point Conception (34[deg]27'N.)and west to the 120[deg]W. long., from Aug. 15 through Aug. 31, and Jan. 1 through Jan. 31, when the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries publishes a notice that El Nino conditions are present (9/20, p. 59243-5)
• NOAA: Notice of Dates and Locations for Public Scoping Meetings on the Review of the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan (9/20, p. 59268-9)

• FWS prescribes final late-season frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2002-03 migratory bird hunting seasons. These late seasons include most waterfowl seasons, the earliest of which commences on September 21, 2002 (9/19, p. 59109-32)
• FWS submits to ICR to OMB in support of Grant Programs Authorized by the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 (NMBCA) (9/19, p. 59070-1)
• FWS submits ICR to OMB In Support of Grant Programs Authorized by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 (NAWCA). (9/19, p. 59071-2)
• FWS releases Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Grand-White Lakes Land Bridge Protection Project, Cameron Parish, LA (9/19, p. 59072-3)
• FWS releases draft Joint Restoration Plan and EA for the Lower Fox River and Green Bay Area (9/19, p. 59073-4)
• NMFS reopens comment period on Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for a Take Reduction Plan for the Western North Atlantic Coastal Stock of Bottlenose Dolphins (9/19, p. )

• CWA enforcement: DOJ announces proposed consent decree for CWA Section 301(a) violations. Requires reconstruction of wetlands (U.S. and State of Ohio v. City of Toledo, 91-7646) (9/18, p. 58824)
• FWS, FS: Federal Subsistence Board announces emergency closure to protect Muskox populations in Unit 26(C). This regulatory closure provides an exception to the Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, published in the Federal Register on June 28, 2002. (9/18, p. 58695-7)
• FWS adds seven more refuges to the list of areas open for hunting and/or sport fishing activities, increases the activities available at eight other refuges, along with pertinent refuge-specific regulations for such activities, and amends certain regulations on other refuges that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for 2002-2003. (9/18, p. 58935-53)
• FWS receives permit application for incidental take of the Houston Toad (9/18, p. 58820)
• FWS receives endangered species scientific research permit applications (9/18, p. 58819-20)
• NMFS closes fishery for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast north of Pt. Piedras Blancas, CA (9/18, p. 58733)

• FWS says it cannot finalize CH designation for the unarmored threespine stickleback, fish in California. "[T]he 1980 proposal clearly does not satisfy the [ESA's] requirement that the designation or revision of critical habitat shall be made on the basis of the best scientific data available and after taking into consideration the economic impact of specifying any particular area as critical habitat." (9/17, p. 58580-2)
• FWS receives ES permit applications (9/17, p. 58628-9)
• FWS receives ES, marine mammal permit applications (9/17, p. 58629)
• FWS denies permit application by Aquamarine Fukushima, Iwaki, Japan, to take from the wild and export to Japan one male and two female northern sea otters for public display purposes. (9/17, p. 58629-30)
• FWS grants permit application to import a polar bear taken from the Viscount Melville Sound population, Canada, for personal use (9/17, p. 58630)
• FWS issues polar bear permits (9/17, p. 58630)
• FWS issues polar bear permit (9/17, p. 58630-1)

• NMFS issues a proposed rule to extend through 2007 the existing regulations for the interim North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program, which otherwise expires Dec. 31, 2002 (9/16, p. 58451-77)

• NMFS issues final rule allowing the transfer of incidental take permits and enhancement of survival permits associated with Safe Harbor Agreements with Assurances or Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances. (9/13, p. 57970-3)
• NMFS emergency rule sets new depth-based management measures that create a darkblotched rockfish conservation area (9/13, p. 57973-81)
• NMFS releases evaluation of Tribal Resource Management Plan submitted by the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Portland, OR, for tribal research and assessment activities pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Hood Canal summer-run chum salmon under the Endangered Species Act (9/13, p. 58020-1)
  • Evaluation is here
• NMFS issues endangered species permits to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and FWS (9/13, p. 58021-2)
• NMFS issues permit to take Atlantic bottlenose dolphins for purposes of scientific research. (9/13, p. 58023)

• FWS releases draft economic analysis, extends comment period to Oct. 15 on proposed designations of critical habitat for plants from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii (9/12, p. 57784-5)
  • EA will be posted here (scroll down)
• FWS extends to Oct. 2 comment period on proposed CH designation for Rio Grande silvery minnow (9/12, p. 57783-4)
• FWS releases final Recovery Plan for the California Red-Legged Frog (9/12, p. 57830-1)
  • Plan will be here
• NMFS makes adjustment to the 2002 commercial Atlantic bluefish quota for the State of New York. (9/12, p. 57758)
• NMFS amends two documents published in the Federal Register on Aug, 19, 2002. The first notice referenced the intent of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to prepare a draft supplemental EIS in association with proposed Amendment 13 to the Gulf Shrimp FMP. The second notice referenced the Gulf Council's intent to prepare a DSEIS in association with a draft amendment to the Reef Fish FMP to establish a red snapper rebuilding plan. (9/12, p. 57785-6)

• FWS designates critical habitat for the Northern Great Plains Breeding Population of the Piping Plover (9/11, p. 57637-717)
• FWS proposes to establish Nonessential Experimental Population of Black-footed Ferrets in South-central South Dakota (9/11, p. 57558-67)
• NMFS announces that the recreational selective fishery for marked hatchery coho salmon in the area from Cape Falcon, OR to Humbug Mountain, OR was closed at midnight on August 1, 2002 (9/11, p. 57534-5)

• FWS receives endangered species, marine mammal permit applications (9/10, p. 57445-6)
• FWS receives endangered species permit applications (9/10, p. 57446)
• FWS grants marine mammal permit applications (to import polar bears from Canada) (9/10, p. 57446-7)
• NMFS announces collection-of-information requirement for participants in the Hawaii-based longline limited access fishery, whereby in the event an endangered short-tailed albatross is accidentally hooked or entangled during fishing operations, NMFS, the U.S. Coast Guard or FWS must be notified immediately. Recovery information on short-tailed albatross, which is retrieved from the ocean by a Hawaii-based longline vessel, must be recorded on a data form provided by NMFS. If the retrieved short-tailed albatross is dead or dies on board the vessel, information tags must be attached to the carcass and specimen bag. (9/10, p. 57346)
• NMFS announces that the commercial fishery for all salmon except coho in the area from Humbug Mountain, OR to the Oregon-California Border was closed at midnight on July 26, 2002 (9/10, p. 57345)
• NMFS issues permit to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, 5400 North Pearl St., Tacoma, Wash., to import one harbor seal for purposes of public display. (9/10, p. 57404-5)

• NMFS issues negative 12-month finding on a petition to add the Atlantic white marlin to the list of T&E wildlife (9/9, p. 57204-7)
  • More here, including status review
• NMFS prohibits retention of all rockfish defined in the category ``other rockfish'' in Table 3 of 2002 harvest specifications and associated management measures for the groundfish fisheries off Alaska (Jan. 8, 2002) in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (9/9, p. 57184-5)
• NMFS is reallocating projected unused amounts of Bering Sea subarea (BS) pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed fisheries (9/9, p. 57183-4)
• NOAA: Millennium Pipeline Company has filed an administrative appeal asking Commerce Secretary Donald Evans to override the State of New York's objection to Millennium's proposed natural gas pipeline (9/9, p. 57220-1)
• NMFS receives permit modification request from Thomas R. Payne & Associates in Arcata, Calif. The new permit would affect one endangered and three threatened salmonid ESUs: endangered Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central California Coast steelhead and threatened Central Valley steelhead. (9/9, p. 57221-2)
• NMFS prohibits directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (9/9, p. 57185-6)

• Wetlands enforcement: Proposed consent decree would require $15,000 fine for filling wetland (U.S. v. Lamplight Equestrian Center, 00-6486, N.D. Ill.).
• NMFS prohibits directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (9/6, p. 56934-5)
• NMFS determines that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily catch limit should be adjusted to two large medium or giant BFT per vessel in order to allow for maximum utilization of the General category September time-period subquota. (9/6, p. 56934)
• NOAA Fisheries is closing the waters of Pamlico Sound, NC, to fishing with gillnets with a mesh size larger than 4 1/4 inch (10.8 cm) stretched mesh (``large-mesh gillnet''), on a seasonal basis, from September 1 through December 15 each year, to protect migrating sea turtles (9/6, p. 56931-4)
• NOAA issues CZMA findings. "The states of Washington, South Carolina, California, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands were found to be implementing and enforcing their federally approved coastal management programs, addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of their financial assistance awards." (9/6, p. 56985)

• NMFS is opening the B season for Atka mackerel with gears other than jig in the Eastern Aleutian District (area 541) and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) for 12 hours only (9/5, p. 56766-7)
• NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual total allowable landing (TAL) available to the Part-time category has been harvested. (9/5, p. 56765-6)
• NMFS will prepare EIS re: revisions to the federal lobster regulations, in response to the recommendations of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (9/5, p. 56800-4)

• FWS releases CCP and summary for Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, Contra Costa County, CA (9/4, p. 56578-9)
  • Go here for documents
• NMFS issues final rule establishing federal permit and reporting requirements for any U.S. fishing vessel that uses troll or handline fishing gear to harvest pelagic management unit species in waters of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (U.S. EEZ) around Howland Island, Baker Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island and Midway Atoll (9/4, p. 56500-2)
• NMFS closes the nearshore rockfish south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. at 0001 local time (l.t.) September 1, 2002, for both the open access and limited entry fixed gear groundfish fisheries (9/4, p. 56497-500)
• NMFS issues proposed rule to implement Steller sea lion protection measures to avoid the likelihood that the groundfish fisheries off Alaska will jeopardize the continued existence of the western distinct population segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions or adversely modify its critical habitat. (9/4, p. 56691-738)
• NMFS: Michael Moore of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has applied for a permit to collect, import and export parts from all cetaceans and pinniped species (excluding walrus) for purposes of scientific research. (9/4, p. 56535-6)

• FWS proposes to delist or remove Truckee barberry from the list of threatened and endangered plants (9/3, p. 56254-7)
• FWS begins status review for the westslope cutthroat trout. Service has been ordered by federal judge to take another look at species' status in light of data regarding hybridization (9/3, p. 56257-9)
• FWS receives endangered species recovery permit applications (9/3, p. 56296-7)
• NMFS notifies registered vessels of their platoon assignments for the B season Atka mackerel fishery in harvest limit areas (HLA) 542 and/or 543 of the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (9/3, p. 56231)
• NMFS prohibits directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except for vessels fishing for pollock using pelagic trawl gear in those portions of the GOA open to directed fishing for pollock (9/3, p. 56230-1)
• NMFS restores 10,000 lb of unused research set-aside to the 2002 black sea bass TAL, and makes corresponding adjustments to the 2002 black sea bass recreational harvest limit and the 2002 Quarter 4 commercial quota (9/3, p. 56229-30)
• NMFS issues Incidental Harassment Authorization to the Navy (Point Mugu) to take small numbers of pinnipeds by harassment incidental to missile launch operations from the western end of San Nicolas Island (9/3, p. 56271-6)

• FWS finds that listing the Wasatch Front Columbia Spotted Frog as threatened is not warranted (8/30, p. 55758-67)
• FWS to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Associated EA for the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Aransas, Refugio, and Calhoun counties, Texas (8/30, p. 55862-3)
• FWS plans to consult under Section 8 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act on an Object of Cultural Patrimony in FWS's possession. The object is a headdress that is "allegedly associated with the Apache Chief Geronimo and the Commanche Tribe of Oklahoma. The headdress was forfeited to the United States Government in November 2001 as part of a guilty plea agreement resulting from an attempt to sell it in violation of Sections 703 and 707(a) of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act." (8/30, p. 55864)
• Fort AP Hill "requests authorization to collect entire individuals of three federally listed endangered plants; one individual of Sarracenia oreophila (green pitcher plant); two individuals of Sarracenia rubra spp. alabamensis (Alabama canebrake pitcher plant) and Sarracenia rubra spp. jonesii (Mountain sweet pitcher plant), from Caroline County, Virginia (8/30, p. 55863)
• NMFS prohibits directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (8/30, p. 55730-1)
• NMFS declines to designate critical habitat for Western Arctic stock of bowhead whales "for the following reasons: (1) the decline and reason for listing the species was overexploitation by commercial whaling, and habitat issues were not a factor in the decline; (2) there is no indication that habitat degradation is having any negative impact on the increasing population in the present; (3) the population is abundant and increasing; and (4) existing laws and practices adequately protect the pecies and its habitat." (8/30, p. 55767-71)
• NMFS issues 1-year Letter of Authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the U.S. Navy's operation of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) sonar operations (8/30, p. 55818)

• FWS prescribes hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits of mourning, white-winged, and white-tipped doves; band-tailed pigeons; rails; moorhens and gallinules; woodcock; common snipe; sandhill cranes; sea ducks; early (September) waterfowl seasons; migratory game birds in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and some extended falconry seasons. (8/29, p. 55623-58)
• FWS seeks approval from OMB for ICR: Mourning Dove Call-Count Survey. "If this survey were not used, there would be no way to determine the population status of mourning doves prior to setting regulations." (8/29, p. 55417-8)
• FWS prescribes special early season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on Federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and ceded lands (8/29, p. 55659-68)
• FWS submits ICR to OMB for approval: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey (8/29, p. 55418-9)

• FWS releases recovery goals for endangered fishes of the Colorado River Basin (humpback chub, bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker. (8/28, p. 55270-1)
  • Recovery goals here
• NMFS corrects part of the definition of ``eligible applicant'' in a final rule published Dec. 14, 2000, to implement the License Limitation Program for the Scallop Fishery (8/28, p. 55170)
• NMFS corrects trip limit adjustments published on July 5 for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery, as well as limited entry trawl trip limit table for Pacific Ocean perch, widow rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, and whiting. (8/28, p. 55166-70)
• NMFS denies petition asking for emergency measures to limit entry into the Atlantic hagfish fishery. (8/28, p. 55191-2)

• FWS removes Robbins' cinquefoil from endangered species list (8/27, p. 54968-75)
• FWS proposes designating critical habitat for nine Bexar County, Texas, invertebrates (8/27, p. 55063-99)
• FWS extends public comment period, schedules four public open houses for the Hanford Reach National Monument/Saddle Mountain NWR CCP and EIS (8/27, p. 55033)

• FWS extends comment period until Oct. 21 on proposal to list the Sonoma County DPS of the California Tiger Salamander as endangered. Public hearing scheduled in Santa Rosa Oct. 1. (8/26, p. 54761-3)
• FWS extends comment period until Dec. 30 on proposal to designate critical habitat for Blackburn's sphinx moth. Public hearing scheduled on Maui Sept. 12. (8/26, p. 54763-4)
• FWS extends comment period until Sept. 30 on proposed critical habitat designations for 61 plants from the islands of Maui and Kahoolawe. Public hearing scheduled on Maui Sept. 12. (8/26, p. 54764-5)
• FWS extends comment period until Sept. 30 on comment periods for the proposed designations and non-designations of CH for plants on Kauai, Niihau, Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii, and Oahu (8/26, p. 54766-7)
• FWS to prepare a CCP for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard and Volusia counties, Florida (8/26, p. 54816-7)
• FWS to prepare CCP and associated NEPA document for the Stone Lakes NWR, Sacramento County, California. (8/26, p. 54817-8)
• AT&T applies for 10-year permit to take the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) in connection with construction to connect an existing fiber optic conduit to the AT&T Point Arena Cable Station located near Manchester, Mendocino County, California. (8/26, p. 54818-9)
• Sacramento and the Natomas Basin Conservancy apply to FWS for 50-year incidental take permits for 22 species. Draft EIS/EIR released. (8/26, p. 54819-21)
• NMFS says summer flounder commercial quota available to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been harvested. (8/26, p. 54747)

• FWS, FS: This provides notice of the Federal Subsistence Board's in-season management actions to protect sockeye salmon escapement in three Southeastern Alaska lake systems and to remove unnecessary restrictions on salmon harvest by non-federally qualified users at Redoubt Lake (8/23, p. 54572-4)
• FWS final rule "prescribes final early-season frameworks from which the States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2002-03 migratory bird hunting seasons (8/23, p. 54701-14)
• FWS sets public hearing for Sept. 9 on the proposed critical habitat designations for 46 plants from the island of Molokai, Hawaii (8/23, p. 54607-9)
• FWS to prepare a CCP and EIS for the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Golden, CO (8/23, p. 54667-8)
• NMFS proposes additional changes related to an earlier proposed rule to implement Amendment 69 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) (8/23, p. 54610-4)
• The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils will discuss and take scoping comments on options to amend the monkfish li