62748 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 229 

[Docket No. 230907–0213] 

RIN 0648–BM19 

List of Fisheries for 2024 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for 

comment. 

SUMMARY: The NMFS publishes its 

proposed List of Fisheries (LOF) for 

2024, as required by the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The 

LOF for 2024 reflects new information 

on interactions between commercial 

fisheries and marine mammals. NMFS 

must classify each commercial fishery 

on the LOF into one of three categories 

under the MMPA based upon the level 

of mortality and serious injury of marine 

mammals that occurs incidental to each 

fishery. The classification of a fishery on 

the LOF determines whether 

participants in that fishery are subject to 

certain provisions of the MMPA, such as 

those on registration, observer coverage, 

and take reduction plan (TRP) 

requirements. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

October 13, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified by NOAA– 

NMFS–2023–0042, by either of the 

following methods: 

Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and enter 

NOAA–NMFS–2023–0042 in the Search 

box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

Mail: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea 

Turtle Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on https://www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter N/ 

A in the required fields if you wish to 

remain anonymous). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jaclyn Taylor, Office of Protected 

Resources, 301–427–8402; Cheryl Cross, 

Greater Atlantic Region, 978–281–9100; 

Jessica Powell, Southeast Region, 727– 

824–5312; Dan Lawson, West Coast 

Region, 206–526–4740; Suzie Teerlink, 

Alaska Region, 907–586–7240; Elena 

Duke, Pacific Islands Region, 808–725– 

5085. Individuals who use a 

telecommunications device for the 

hearing impaired may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service at 1–800– 

877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

Eastern time, Monday through Friday, 

excluding Federal holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

What is the List of Fisheries? 

Section 118 of the MMPA requires 

NMFS to place all U.S. commercial 

fisheries into one of three categories 

based on the level of incidental 

mortality and serious injury of marine 

mammals occurring in each fishery (16 

U.S.C. 1387(c)(1)). The classification of 

a fishery on the LOF determines 

whether participants in that fishery may 

be required to comply with certain 

provisions of the MMPA, such as those 

on registration, observer coverage, and 

take reduction plan requirements. 

NMFS must reexamine the LOF 

annually, considering new information 

in the Marine Mammal Stock 

Assessment Reports (SARs) and other 

relevant sources, and publish in the 

Federal Register any necessary changes 

to the LOF after notice and opportunity 

for public comment (16 U.S.C. 1387 

(c)(1)(C)). 

How does NMFS determine in which 

category a fishery is placed? 

The definitions for the fishery 

classification criteria can be found in 

the implementing regulations for section 

118 of the MMPA (50 CFR 229.2). The 

criteria are also summarized here. 

Fishery Classification Criteria 

The fishery classification criteria 

consist of a two-tiered, stock-specific 

approach that first addresses the total 

impact of all fisheries on each marine 

mammal stock and then addresses the 

impact of individual fisheries on each 

stock. This approach is based on 

consideration of the rate, in numbers of 

animals per year, of incidental 

mortalities and serious injuries of 

marine mammals due to commercial 

fishing operations relative to the 

potential biological removal (PBR) level 

for each marine mammal stock. The 

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1362 (20)) defines the 

PBR level as the maximum number of 

animals, not including natural 

mortalities, that may be removed from a 

marine mammal stock, while allowing 

that stock to reach or maintain its 

optimum sustainable population. This 

definition can also be found in the 

implementing regulations for section 

118 of the MMPA (50 CFR 229.2). 

Tier 1: Tier 1 considers the 

cumulative fishery mortality and serious 

injury for a particular stock. If the total 

annual mortality and serious injury of a 

marine mammal stock, across all 

fisheries, is less than or equal to 10 

percent of the PBR level of the stock, all 

fisheries interacting with the stock will 

be placed in Category III (unless those 

fisheries interact with other stock(s) for 

which total annual mortality and 

serious injury is greater than 10 percent 

of PBR). Otherwise, these fisheries are 

subject to the next tier (Tier 2) of 

analysis to determine their 

classification. 

Tier 2: Tier 2 considers fisheryspecific mortality and serious injury for 

a particular stock. 

Category I: Annual mortality and 

serious injury of a stock in a given 

fishery is greater than or equal to 50 

percent of the PBR level (i.e., frequent 

incidental mortality and serious injury 

of marine mammals). 

Category II: Annual mortality and 

serious injury of a stock in a given 

fishery is greater than 1 percent and less 

than 50 percent of the PBR level (i.e., 

occasional incidental mortality and 

serious injury of marine mammals). 

Category III: Annual mortality and 

serious injury of a stock in a given 

fishery is less than or equal to 1 percent 

of the PBR level (i.e., a remote 

likelihood of or no known incidental 

mortality and serious injury of marine 

mammals). 

Additional details regarding how the 

categories were determined are 

provided in the preamble to the final 

rule implementing section 118 of the 

MMPA (60 FR 45086, August 30, 1995). 

Because fisheries are classified on a 

per-stock basis, a fishery may qualify as 

one category for one marine mammal 

stock and another category for a 

different marine mammal stock. A 

fishery is typically classified on the LOF 

at its highest level of classification (e.g., 

a fishery qualifying for Category III for 

one marine mammal stock and for 

Category II for another marine mammal 

stock will be listed under Category II). 

Stocks driving a fishery’s classification 

are denoted with a superscript ‘‘1’’ in 

tables 1 and 2. 


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Other Criteria That May Be Considered 

The tier analysis requires a minimum 

amount of data, and NMFS does not 

have sufficient data to perform a tier 

analysis on certain fisheries. Therefore, 

NMFS has classified certain fisheries by 

analogy to other fisheries that use 

similar fishing techniques or gear that 

are known to cause mortality or serious 

injury of marine mammals, or according 

to factors discussed in the final LOF for 

1996 (60 FR 67063, December 28, 1995) 

and listed in the regulatory definition of 

a Category II fishery. In the absence of 

reliable information indicating the 

frequency of incidental mortality and 

serious injury of marine mammals by a 

commercial fishery, NMFS will 

determine whether the incidental 

mortality or serious injury is 

‘‘occasional’’ by evaluating other factors 

such as fishing techniques, gear used, 

methods used to deter marine mammals, 

target species, seasons and areas fished, 

qualitative data from logbooks or 

fishermen reports, stranding data, and 

the species and distribution of marine 

mammals in the area, or at the 

discretion of the Assistant 

Administrator for Fisheries (50 CFR 

229.2). 

Further, eligible commercial fisheries 

not specifically identified on the LOF 

are deemed to be Category II fisheries 

until the next LOF is published (50 CFR 

229.2). 

How does NMFS determine which 

species or stocks are included as 

incidentally killed or injured in a 

fishery? 

The LOF includes a list of marine 

mammal species and/or stocks 

incidentally killed or injured in each 

commercial fishery. The list of species 

and/or stocks incidentally killed or 

injured includes ‘‘serious’’ and ‘‘nonserious’’ documented injuries as 

described later in the List of Species 

and/or Stocks Incidentally Killed or 

Injured in the Pacific Ocean and List of 

Species and/or Stocks Incidentally 

Killed or Injured in the Atlantic Ocean, 

Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean sections. 

To determine which species or stocks 

are included as incidentally killed or 

injured in a fishery, NMFS annually 

reviews the information presented in 

the current SARs and injury 

determination reports. SARs are brief 

reports summarizing the status of each 

stock of marine mammals occurring in 

waters under U.S. jurisdiction, 

including information on the identity 

and geographic range of the stock, 

population statistics related to 

abundance, trend, and annual 

productivity, notable habitat concerns, 

and estimates of human-caused 

mortality and serious injury (M/SI) by 

source. The SARs are based upon the 

best available scientific information and 

provide the most current and inclusive 

information on each stock’s PBR level 

and level of interaction with 

commercial fishing operations. The best 

available scientific information used in 

the SARs and reviewed for the 2024 

LOF generally summarizes data from 

2016–2020. NMFS also reviews other 

sources of new information, including 

injury determination reports, bycatch 

estimation reports, observer data, 

logbook data, stranding data, 

disentanglement network data, 

fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMPA 

mortality/injury reports), and anecdotal 

reports from that time period. In some 

cases, more recent information may be 

available and used in the LOF. 

For fisheries with observer coverage, 

species or stocks are generally removed 

from the list of marine mammal species 

and/or stocks incidentally killed or 

injured if no interactions are 

documented in the five-year timeframe 

summarized in that year’s LOF. For 

fisheries with no observer coverage and 

for observed fisheries with evidence 

indicating that undocumented 

interactions may be occurring (e.g., 

fishery has low observer coverage and 

stranding network data include 

evidence of fisheries interactions that 

cannot be attributed to a specific 

fishery), species and stocks may be 

retained for longer than five years. For 

these fisheries, NMFS will review the 

other sources of information listed 

above and use its discretion to decide 

when it is appropriate to remove a 

species or stock. 

Where does NMFS obtain information 

on the level of observer coverage in a 

fishery on the LOF? 

The best available information on the 

level of observer coverage and the 

spatial and temporal distribution of 

observed marine mammal interactions is 

presented in the SARs. Data obtained 

from the observer program and observer 

coverage levels are important tools in 

estimating the level of marine mammal 

mortality and serious injury in 

commercial fishing operations. Starting 

with the 2005 SARs, each Pacific and 

Alaska SAR includes an appendix with 

detailed descriptions of each Category I 

and II fishery on the LOF, including the 

observer coverage in those fisheries. For 

Atlantic fisheries, this information can 

be found in the LOF Fishery Fact 

Sheets. The SARs do not provide 

detailed information on observer 

coverage in Category III fisheries 

because, under the MMPA, Category III 

fisheries are not required to 

accommodate observers aboard vessels 

due to the remote likelihood of 

mortality and serious injury of marine 

mammals. Fishery information 

presented in the SARs’ appendices and 

other resources referenced during the 

tier analysis may include: level of 

observer coverage; target species; levels 

of fishing effort; spatial and temporal 

distribution of fishing effort; 

characteristics of fishing gear and 

operations; management and 

regulations; and interactions with 

marine mammals. Copies of the SARs 

are available on the NMFS Office of 

Protected Resources website at: https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-stock-assessment-reportsregion. Information on observer 

coverage levels in Category I, II, and III 

fisheries can be found in the fishery fact 

sheets on the NMFS Office of Protected 

Resources’ website: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/listfisheries-summary-tables. Additional 

information on observer programs in 

commercial fisheries can be found on 

the NMFS National Observer Program’s 

website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ 

national/fisheries-observers/nationalobserver-program. 

How do I find out if a specific fishery 

is in Category I, II, or III? 

The LOF includes three tables that list 

all U.S. commercial fisheries by 

Category. table 1 lists all of the 

commercial fisheries in the Pacific 

Ocean (including Alaska); table 2 lists 

all of the commercial fisheries in the 

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and 

Caribbean; and table 3 lists all U.S. 

authorized commercial fisheries on the 

high seas. A fourth table, table 4, lists 

all commercial fisheries managed under 

applicable TRPs or take reduction teams 

(TRT). 

Are high seas fisheries included on the 

LOF? 

Beginning with the 2009 LOF, NMFS 

includes high seas fisheries in table 3 of 

the LOF, along with the number of valid 

High Seas Fishing Compliance Act 

(HSFCA) permits in each fishery. As of 

2004, NMFS issues HSFCA permits only 

for high seas fisheries analyzed in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 

the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The 

authorized high seas fisheries are broad 

in scope and encompass multiple 

specific fisheries identified by gear type. 

For the purposes of the LOF, the high 

seas fisheries are subdivided based on 

gear type (e.g., trawl, longline, purse 


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seine, gillnet, troll, etc.) to provide more 

detail on composition of effort within 

these fisheries. Many fisheries operate 

in both U.S. waters and on the high 

seas, creating some overlap between the 

fisheries listed in tables 1 and 2 and 

those in table 3. In these cases, the high 

seas component of the fishery is not 

considered a separate fishery, but an 

extension of a fishery operating within 

U.S. waters (listed in table 1 or 2). 

NMFS designates those fisheries in 

tables 1, 2, and 3 with an asterisk (*) 

after the fishery’s name. The number of 

HSFCA permits listed in table 3 for the 

high seas components of these fisheries 

operating in U.S. waters does not 

necessarily represent additional effort 

that is not accounted for in tables 1 and 

2. Many vessels/participants holding 

HSFCA permits also fish within U.S. 

waters and are included in the number 

of vessels and participants operating 

within those fisheries in tables 1 and 2. 

HSFCA permits are valid for 5 years, 

during which time Fishery Management 

Plans (FMPs) can change. Therefore, 

some vessels/participants may possess 

valid HSFCA permits without the ability 

to fish under the permit because it was 

issued for a gear type that is no longer 

authorized under the most current FMP. 

For this reason, the number of HSFCA 

permits displayed in table 3 is likely 

higher than the actual U.S. fishing effort 

on the high seas. For more information 

on how NMFS classifies high seas 

fisheries on the LOF, see the preamble 

text in the final 2009 LOF (73 FR 73032, 

December 1, 2008). Additional 

information about HSFCA permits can 

be found at https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/highseas-fishing-permits. 

Where can I find specific information 

on fisheries listed on the LOF? 

Starting with the 2010 LOF, NMFS 

developed summary documents, or 

fishery fact sheets, for each Category I 

and II fishery on the LOF. These fishery 

fact sheets provide the full history of 

each Category I and II fishery, including: 

(1) when the fishery was added to the 

LOF; (2) the basis for the fishery’s initial 

classification; (3) classification changes 

to the fishery; (4) changes to the list of 

species and/or stocks incidentally killed 

or injured in the fishery; (5) fishery gear 

and methods used; (6) observer coverage 

levels; (7) fishery management and 

regulation; and (8) applicable TRPs or 

TRTs, if any. These fishery fact sheets 

are updated after each final LOF and 

can be found under ‘‘How Do I Find Out 

if a Specific Fishery is in Category I, II, 

or III?’’ on the NMFS Office of Protected 

Resources’ website: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-protection-act-list-fisheries, 

linked to the ‘‘List of Fisheries 

Summary’’ table. NMFS is developing 

similar fishery fact sheets for each 

Category III fishery on the LOF. 

However, due to the large number of 

Category III fisheries on the LOF and the 

lack of accessible and detailed 

information on many of these fisheries, 

the development of these fishery fact 

sheets is taking significant time to 

complete. NMFS began posting Category 

III fishery fact sheets online with the 

LOF for 2016. 

Am I required to register under the 

MMPA? 

Owners of vessels or gear engaging in 

a Category I or II fishery are required 

under the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1387(c)(2)), 

as described in 50 CFR 229.4, to register 

with NMFS and obtain a marine 

mammal authorization to lawfully take 

marine mammals incidental to 

commercial fishing operations. The take 

of threatened or endangered marine 

mammals requires an additional 

authorization. Owners of vessels or gear 

engaged in a Category III fishery are not 

required to register with NMFS or 

obtain a marine mammal authorization. 

How do I register, renew and receive 

my Marine Mammal Authorization 

Program authorization certificate? 

NMFS has integrated the MMPA 

registration process, implemented 

through the Marine Mammal 

Authorization Program (MMAP), with 

existing state and Federal fishery 

license, registration, or permit systems 

for Category I and II fisheries on the 

LOF. Participants in these fisheries are 

automatically registered under the 

MMAP and are not required to submit 

registration or renewal materials. 

In the Pacific Islands, West Coast, and 

Alaska regions, NMFS will issue vessel 

or gear owners an authorization 

certificate via U.S. mail or with their 

state or Federal license or permit at the 

time of issuance or renewal. In the 

Southeast Region, NMFS will issue 

vessel or gear owners an authorization 

certificate via U.S. mail automatically at 

the beginning of each calendar year. In 

the Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS will 

issue vessel or gear owners an 

authorization certificate electronically. 

The certificate can be downloaded and/ 

or printed at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-authorizationprogram#obtaining-a-marine-mammalauthorization-certificate. Printed copies 

can be mailed upon request by 

contacting nmfs.gar.mmapcert@

noaa.gov or 978–281–9120. 

Vessel or gear owners who participate 

in fisheries in these regions and have 

not received authorization certificates 

by the beginning of the calendar year, or 

with renewed fishing licenses, must 

contact the appropriate NMFS Regional 

Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). Authorization certificates 

may also be obtained by visiting the 

MMAP website https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-authorizationprogram#obtaining-a-marine-mammalauthorization-certificate. 

The authorization certificate, or a 

copy, must be on board the vessel while 

it is operating in a Category I or II 

fishery, or for non-vessel fisheries, in 

the possession of the person in charge 

of the fishing operation (50 CFR 

229.4(e)). Although efforts are made to 

limit the issuance of authorization 

certificates to only those vessel or gear 

owners that participate in Category I or 

II fisheries, not all state and Federal 

license or permit systems distinguish 

between fisheries as classified by the 

LOF. Therefore, some vessel or gear 

owners in Category III fisheries may 

receive authorization certificates even 

though they are not required for 

Category III fisheries. 

Individuals fishing in Category I and 

II fisheries for which no state or Federal 

license or permit is required must 

register with NMFS by contacting their 

appropriate Regional Office (see 

ADDRESSES). 

Am I required to submit reports when 

I kill or injure a marine mammal 

during the course of commercial fishing 

operations? 

In accordance with the MMPA (16 

U.S.C. 1387(e)) and 50 CFR 229.6, any 

vessel owner or operator, or gear owner 

or operator (in the case of non-vessel 

fisheries), participating in a fishery 

listed on the LOF must report to NMFS 

all incidental mortalities and injuries of 

marine mammals that occur during 

commercial fishing operations, 

regardless of the category in which the 

fishery is placed (I, II, or III) within 48 

hours of the end of the fishing trip or, 

in the case of non-vessel fisheries, 

fishing activity. ‘‘Injury’’ is defined in 

50 CFR 229.2 as a wound or other 

physical harm. In addition, any animal 

that ingests fishing gear or any animal 

that is released with fishing gear 

entangling, trailing, or perforating any 

part of the body is considered injured, 

regardless of the presence of any wound 

or other evidence of injury, and must be 

reported. 


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Mortality/injury reporting forms and 

instructions for submitting forms to 

NMFS can be found at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-authorizationprogram#reporting-a-death-or-injury-ofa-marine-mammal-during-commercialfishing-operations or by contacting the 

appropriate regional office (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Forms 

may be submitted via any of the 

following means: (1) online using the 

electronic form; (2) emailed as an 

attachment to nmfs.mireport@noaa.gov; 

(3) faxed to the NMFS Office of 

Protected Resources at 301–713–0376; 

or (4) mailed to the NMFS Office of 

Protected Resources (mailing address is 

provided on the postage-paid form that 

can be printed from the web address 

listed above). Reporting requirements 

and procedures are found in 50 CFR 

229.6. 

Am I required to take an observer 

aboard my vessel? 

Individuals participating in a 

Category I or II fishery are required to 

accommodate an observer aboard their 

vessel(s) upon request from NMFS. 

MMPA section 118 states that the 

Secretary is not required to place an 

observer on a vessel if the facilities for 

quartering an observer or performing 

observer functions are so inadequate or 

unsafe that the health or safety of the 

observer or the safe operation of the 

vessel would be jeopardized; thereby 

authorizing the exemption of vessels too 

small to safely accommodate an 

observer from this requirement. 

Observer requirements are found in 50 

CFR 229.7. 

Am I required to comply with any 

marine mammal TRP regulations? 

Table 4 provides a list of fisheries 

affected by TRPs and TRTs. TRP 

regulations are found at 50 CFR 229.30 

through 229.37. A description of each 

TRT and copies of each TRP can be 

found at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-take-reduction-plans-andteams. It is the responsibility of fishery 

participants to comply with applicable 

take reduction regulations. 

Where can I find more information 

about the LOF and the MMAP? 

Information regarding the LOF and 

the MMAP, including registration 

procedures and forms; current and past 

LOFs; descriptions of each Category I 

and II fishery and some Category III 

fisheries; observer requirements; and 

marine mammal mortality/injury 

reporting forms and submittal 

procedures; may be obtained at: https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-protection-act-list-fisheries, or 

from any NMFS Regional Office at the 

addresses listed below: 

NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional 

Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic 

Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930–2298, 

Attn: Cheryl Cross; 

NMFS, Southeast Region, 263 13th 

Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, 

Attn: Jessica Powell; 

NMFS, West Coast Region, Long 

Beach Office, 501 W Ocean Blvd., Suite 

4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–4213, 

Attn: Dan Lawson; 

NMFS, Alaska Region, Protected 

Resources, P.O. Box 22668, 709 West 

9th Street, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: 

Suzie Teerlink; or 

NMFS, Pacific Islands Regional 

Office, Protected Resources Division, 

1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, 

Honolulu, HI 96818, Attn: Elena Duke. 

Sources of Information Reviewed for 

the 2024 LOF 

NMFS reviewed the marine mammal 

incidental mortality and serious injury 

information presented in the SARs for 

all fisheries to determine whether 

changes in fishery classification are 

warranted. The SARs are based on the 

best scientific information available at 

the time of preparation, including the 

level of mortality and serious injury of 

marine mammals that occurs incidental 

to commercial fishery operations and 

the PBR levels of marine mammal 

stocks. The information contained in the 

SARs is reviewed by regional Scientific 

Review Groups (SRGs) representing 

Alaska, the Pacific (including Hawaii), 

and the U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, 

and Caribbean. The SRGs were 

established by the MMPA to review the 

science that informs the SARs, and to 

advise NMFS on marine mammal 

population status, trends, and stock 

structure; uncertainties in the science, 

research needs, and other issues. 

NMFS also reviewed other sources of 

new information, including marine 

mammal stranding and entanglement 

data, observer program data, fishermen 

self-reports, reports to the SRGs, 

conference papers, FMPs, and ESA 

documents. 

The LOF for 2024 was based on, 

among other things, stranding data; 

fishermen self-reports; and SARs, 

primarily the 2022 SARs, which are 

based on data from 2016–2020. The 

SARs referenced in this LOF include: 

2021 (87 FR 47385, August 3, 2022) and 

2022 (88 FR 54592, August 11, 2023). 

The SARs are available at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-stock-assessment-reportsregion. 

Request for Public Input on 

Aquaculture Fishery Descriptions 

As information on risks to marine 

mammals from aquaculture remains 

limited, NMFS is soliciting public 

comment to inform how we evaluate the 

potential risk to marine mammals from 

aquaculture operations for future LOFs. 

Specifically, we are requesting 

information on the following in both 

state and Federal waters in the Atlantic, 

Caribbean and Pacific: 

1. Incidences of marine mammal 

interactions with aquaculture gear, 

including details of where and when 

these interactions occurred, the gear 

type(s) involved, and whether or not 

mortality and/or injury occurred. 

2. Gear characteristics, operational 

practices used (e.g., anchoring systems, 

deterrence technologies to avoid 

interactions), and temporal and spatial 

variation in aquaculture operations. 

3. Practical ways of grouping different 

aquaculture gears into a single fishery, 

such as grouping according to regional 

differences and/or operational and/or 

gear characteristics (e.g., if similar gears 

are used to farm shellfish and 

macroalgae, both target species should 

be listed under the same fishery). 

4. How integrated multi-trophic 

aquaculture (the cooperative cultivation 

of multiple organisms occupying 

different trophic levels) should be 

characterized. For example, whether 

multi-trophic aquaculture should be 

classified holistically as a separate 

fishery, or by the gear type that presents 

the highest risk amongst the gear types 

that are being used. 

Summary of Changes to the LOF for 

2024 

The following summarizes changes to 

the LOF for 2024, including the 

classification of fisheries, fisheries 

listed, the estimated number of vessels/ 

persons in a particular fishery, and the 

species and/or stocks that are 

incidentally killed or injured in a 

particular fishery. In the 2022 Pacific 

and Alaska SARs, stock structure for 

humpback whales and the Southeast 

Alaska harbor porpoise were revised, 

respectively. The three existing North 

Pacific humpback whale stocks (Central 

North Pacific, Western North Pacific 

and CA/OR/WA) were replaced by five 

stocks: (1) Western North Pacific, (2) 

Hawai’i, (3) Mexico-North Pacific, (4) 

Central America/Southern Mexico CA/ 

OR/WA and (5) Mainland Mexico-CA/ 

OR/WA (Young et al., 2023, Carretta et 


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al., 2023). The Southeast Alaska harbor 

porpoise stock was revised and split 

into three stocks: (1) the Northern 

Southeast Alaska inland waters, (2) 

Southern Southeast Alaska inland 

waters, and (3) Yakutat/Southeast 

Alaska offshore waters (Young et al., 

2023). Changes to the LOF for 2024 

based on these revised stock structures 

are summarized below. 

NMFS adds one fishery, removes six 

fisheries and reclassifies four fisheries 

in the LOF for 2024. NMFS also makes 

changes to the estimated number of 

vessels/persons and list of species and/ 

or stocks killed or injured in certain 

fisheries. The classifications and 

definitions of U.S. commercial fisheries 

for 2024 are identical to those provided 

in the LOF for 2023, except for the 

changes discussed below. State and 

regional abbreviations used in the 

following paragraphs include: AK 

(Alaska), CA (California), FL (Florida), 

GA (Georgia), HI (Hawaii), NC (North 

Carolina), OR (Oregon), SC (South 

Carolina), WA (Washington) and WNA 

(Western North Atlantic). 

Commercial Fisheries in the Pacific 

Ocean 

Classification of Fisheries 

NMFS proposes to reclassify the 

Category II AK Southeast salmon drift 

gillnet fishery to a Category I fishery 

based on M/SI of the Southern 

Southeast Alaska inland waters stock of 

harbor porpoise. Mean annual estimated 

M/SI of the Southern Southeast Alaska 

inland waters stock of harbor porpoise 

in the AK Southeast salmon drift gillnet 

fishery is 7.4 which is 121 percent of the 

stock’s PBR (6.1) (Young et al., 2023). 

Therefore, because the estimated M/SI is 

greater than or equal to 50 percent of 

PBR (Tier 2 analysis), NMFS proposes to 

reclassify the AK Southeast salmon drift 

gillnet fishery from a Category II to a 

Category I fishery. 

NMFS proposes to reclassify the 

Category II CA Dungeness crab pot 

fishery to a Category I fishery based on 

M/SI of the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale. Mean annual estimated M/SI of 

the Central America/Southern MexicoCA/OR/WA stock of humpback whale is 

2.01 which is 57 percent of the stock’s 

PBR (3.5 whales) (Carretta et al., 2023). 

Therefore, because the estimated M/SI is 

greater than or equal to 50 percent of 

PBR, NMFS proposes to reclassify the 

CA Dungeness crab pot fishery from a 

Category II to a Category I fishery. 

NMFS proposes to reclassify the 

Category II AK Bering Sea, Aleutian 

Islands Pacific cod pot fishery to a 

Category III fishery. The Category II 

classification of this fishery was based 

on the mean annual estimated M/SI of 

the Western North Pacific stock of 

humpback whale. Total annual fishery 

M/SI for the Western North Pacific stock 

of humpback whale is 0.012 and PBR for 

the stock is 0.2 (Young et al., 2023). A 

Tier 1 analysis indicates total annual M/ 

SI for the Western North Pacific stock of 

humpback whale is six percent of PBR. 

Therefore, since total cumulative fishery 

M/SI is less than 10 percent for the 

Western North Pacific stock of 

humpback whale and no other stocks 

are driving the Category II classification 

of this fishery, NMFS proposes to 

reclassify the AK Bering Sea, Aleutian 

Islands Pacific cod pot fishery to a 

Category III fishery. 

Fishery Name and Organizational 

Changes and Clarification 

NMFS proposes to combine the 

Category III AK Dungeness crab fishery 

with the Category III AK miscellaneous 

invertebrates handpick fishery. These 

two fisheries are prosecuted in the same 

way and generally at the same time. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

Category III AK roe herring and food/ 

bait herring beach seine fishery from the 

LOF because there are no participants in 

this fishery. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

Category III AK state-managed waters of 

Prince William Sound groundfish trawl 

fishery. This fishery is included in the 

Category III AK Gulf of Alaska trawl 

fisheries. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

Category III AK Bering Sea, Aleutian 

Islands groundfish hand troll and 

dinglebar troll fishery from the LOF 

because there are no participants in this 

fishery. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

Category III AK herring spawn on kelp 

dive hand/mechanical collection fishery 

from the LOF because there are no 

participants in this fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the southern Southeast Alaska 

inland waters stocks of harbor porpoise 

to indicate the stock is driving the 

Category I classification of the AK 

Southeast salmon drift gillnet fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stocks of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category I classification of the CA 

Dungeness crab pot fishery. NMFS also 

proposes to remove the superscript ‘‘1’’ 

from Eastern North Pacific stock of blue 

whale to indicate the stock is not 

driving the Category I classification of 

the CA Dungeness crab pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

superscript ‘‘1’’ from the CA/OR/WA 

stock of minke whale to indicate the 

stock is no longer driving the Category 

II classification of the CA thresher 

shark/swordfish drift gillnet (≥14 inch 

(in) mesh) fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the CA 

halibut/white seabass and other species 

set gillnet (>3.5 in mesh) fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘2’’ to the Category II AK Cook Inlet 

salmon set gillnet fishery to indicate 

this fishery is classified by analogy. This 

fishery was originally classified by 

analogy to other Category II Alaska 

gillnet fisheries on the 1996 LOF (60 FR 

67063, December 28, 1995). 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

superscript ‘‘2’’ from the Category II AK 

Yakutat salmon set gillnet fishery to 

indicate this fishery is not classified by 

analogy to other Category II gillnet 

fisheries. Alaska marine mammal 

observer program (AMMOP) bycatch 

data is used to estimate incidental M/SI 

in this fishery. NMFS also proposes to 

add the superscript ‘‘1’’ to the Yakutat/ 

Southeast Alaska offshore waters stock 

of harbor porpoise to indicate the stock 

is driving the Category II classification 

of the AK Yakutat salmon set gillnet 

fishery. 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

superscript ‘‘1’’ from both the Eastern 

North Pacific Alaska resident stock of 

killer whale and Western North Pacific 

stock of humpback whale to indicate the 

stocks are no longer driving the 

Category II classification of the AK 

Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands flatfish 

trawl fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the CA 

coonstripe shrimp pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the CA 

spiny lobster fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the CA 

spot prawn pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the OR 

Dungeness crab pot fishery. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
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NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to both the Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA stocks of 

humpback whale to indicate the stocks 

are driving the Category II classification 

of the WA/OR/CA sablefish pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the Central America/Southern 

Mexico-CA/OR/WA stock of humpback 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the WA 

coastal Dungeness crab pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the superscript 

‘‘1’’ to the North Pacific stock of sperm 

whale to indicate the stock is driving 

the Category II classification of the AK 

Gulf of Alaska sablefish longline fishery. 

Number of Vessels/Persons 

NMFS proposes to update the 

estimated number of vessels/persons in 

the Pacific Ocean (table 1) as follows: 

Category I 

• HI deep-set longline fishery from 

150 to 146 vessels/persons; 

• AK Southeast salmon drift gillnet 

fishery from 474 to 371 vessels/persons; 

Category II 

• AK Bristol Bay salmon drift gillnet 

fishery from 1,862 to 1,521 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK Bristol Bay salmon set gillnet 

fishery from 979 to 855 vessels/persons; 

• AK Kodiak salmon set gillnet 

fishery from 188 to 128 vessels/persons; 

• AK Cook Inlet salmon set gillnet 

fishery from 736 to 479 vessels/persons; 

• AK Cook Inlet salmon drift gillnet 

fishery from 569 to 355 vessels/persons; 

• AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands 

salmon drift gillnet fishery from 162 to 

148 vessels/persons; 

• AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands 

salmon set gillnet fishery from 113 to 75 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Prince William Sound salmon 

drift gillnet fishery from 537 to 483 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Yakutat salmon set gillnet 

fishery from 168 to 95 vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

flatfish trawl fishery from 32 to 29 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

pollock trawl fishery from 102 to 116 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska sablefish 

longline fishery from 295 to 177 vessels/ 

persons; 

• American Samoa longline fishery 

from 18 to 11 vessels/persons; 

• HI shortline fishery from 11 to 8 

vessels/persons; 

Category III 

• AK Kuskokwim, Yukon, Norton 

Sound, Kotzebue salmon gillnet fishery 

from 1,778 to 360 vessels/persons; 

• AK Prince William Sound salmon 

set gillnet fishery from 29 to 25 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK roe herring and food/bait 

herring gillnet fishery from 920 to 15 

vessels/persons; 

• HI inshore gillnet fishery form 27 to 

26 vessels/persons; 

• AK Cook Inlet salmon purse seine 

fishery from 83 to 16 vessels/persons; 

• AK Kodiak salmon purse seine 

fishery from 376 to 159 vessels/persons; 

• AK Southeast salmon purse seine 

fishery from 315 to 206 vessels/persons; 

• AK roe herring and food/bait 

herring purse seine fishery from 356 to 

31 vessels/persons; 

• AK salmon beach seine fishery from 

31 to 2 vessels/persons; 

• AK salmon purse seine (Prince 

William Sound, Chignik, Alaska 

Peninsula) fishery from 936 to 298 

vessels/persons; 

• HI throw net, cast net fishery from 

16 to 13 vessels/persons; 

• HI seine net fishery from 16 to 17 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska groundfish hand 

troll and dinglebar troll fishery from 

unknown to 4 vessels/persons; 

• AK salmon troll fishery from 1,908 

to 850 vessels/persons; 

• American Samoa tuna troll fishery 

from 3 to 6 vessels/persons; 

• HI troll fishery from 1,293 to 1,124 

vessels/persons; 

• HI rod and reel fishery from 246 to 

235 vessels/persons; 

• Guam tuna troll fishery from 465 to 

450 vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

Pacific cod longline fishery from 45 to 

26 vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

sablefish longline fishery from 22 to 8 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

halibut longline fishery from 127 to 84 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska halibut longline 

fishery from 855 to 689 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod 

longline fishery from 92 to 23 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK octopus/squid longline fishery 

from 3 to 0 vessels/persons; 

• HI kaka line fishery from 16 to 17 

vessels/persons; 

• HI vertical line fishery from 5 to 6 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

Atka mackerel trawl fishery from 13 to 

17 vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

Pacific cod trawl fishery from 72 to 64 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

rockfish trawl fishery from 17 to 22 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska flatfish trawl 

fishery from 36 to 16 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod trawl 

fishery from 55 to 12 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl 

fishery from 67 to 60 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska rockfish trawl 

fishery from 43 to 35 vessels/persons; 

• AK Kodiak food/bait herring otter 

trawl fishery from 4 to 0 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK shrimp otter trawl and beam 

trawl fishery from 38 to 12 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

Pacific cod pot fishery from 59 to 80 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

sablefish pot fishery from 16 to 15 

vessels/persons; 

• AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands 

crab pot fishery from 540 to 73 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska crab pot fishery 

from 271 to 86 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod pot 

fishery from 116 to 48 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska sablefish pot 

fishery from 248 to 129 vessels/persons; 

• AK Southeast Alaska shrimp pot 

fishery from 99 to 104 vessels/persons; 

• AK shrimp pot, except Southeast 

fishery from 141 to 77 vessels/persons; 

• AK octopus/squid pot fishery from 

15 to 0 vessels/persons; 

• HI crab trap fishery from 3 to 4 

vessels/persons; 

• HI crab net fishery from 3 to 4 

vessels/persons; 

• HI Kona crab loop net fishery from 

24 to 13 vessels/persons; 

• American Samoa bottomfish fishery 

from 46 to 44 vessels/persons; 

• Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands bottomfish fishery from 

12 to 7 vessels/persons; 

• Guam bottomfish fishery from 84 to 

63 vessels/persons; 

• HI bottomfish handline fishery from 

404 to 382 vessels/persons; 

• HI inshore handline fishery from 

182 to 158 vessels/persons; 

• HI pelagic handline fishery from 

311 to 271 vessels/persons; 

• AK Gulf of Alaska groundfish jig 

fishery from 214 to 68 vessels/persons; 

• AK halibut jig fishery from 71 to 5 

vessels/persons; 

• AK herring spawn on kelp pound 

net fishery from 291 to 143 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK Southeast herring roe/food/bait 

pound net fishery from 2 to 1 vessels/ 

persons; 

• AK clam fishery from 130 to 57 

vessels/persons; 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
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• AK miscellaneous invertebrates 

handpick fishery from 214 to 188 

vessels/persons; 

• HI black coral diving fishery from 

less than 3 to none recorded; 

• HI handpick fishery from 28 to 25 

vessels/persons; 

• HI lobster diving fishery from 10 to 

12 vessels/persons; 

• HI spearfishing fishery from 79 to 

67 vessels/persons, and 

• HI aquarium collecting fishery from 

39 to none recorded. 

List of Species and/or Stocks 

Incidentally Killed or Injured in the 

Pacific Ocean 

NMFS proposes to add the Beringia 

stock of bearded seal to the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category II AK Bering 

Sea, Aleutian Islands pollock trawl 

fishery based on an observed mortality 

in 2020 (Freed et al., 2022). 

NMFS proposes to add the U.S. stock 

of California sea lion to the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category III CA sea 

cucumber trawl fishery based on an 

observed mortality in 2019 (Carretta et 

al., In Review). 

NMFS proposes to remove the Hawaii 

stock of striped dolphin from the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category I HI deep-set 

longline fishery. This fishery is 

consistently monitored through an 

observer program. From 2016–2020, 

there have been no reported or observed 

M/SI within the EEZ in the HI deep-set 

longline fishery (Carretta et al., 2023). 

NMFS proposes to remove the Hawaii 

stock of fin whale and Central North 

Pacific stock of humpback whale from 

the list of species/stocks incidentally 

killed or injured in the Category II HI 

shallow-set longline fishery. This 

fishery has 100 percent observer 

coverage, and from 2016–2020, there 

have been no reported or observed M/ 

SI within the EEZ in the HI shallow-set 

longline fishery (Carretta et al., 2023). 

NMFS proposes to revise marine 

mammal stock names on the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured for consistency with the current 

stock names in the SARs as follows: 

Category II AK Bristol Bay Salmon Drift 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Harbor seal, Bering Sea to harbor 

seal, Bristol Bay; and 

Category II AK Gulf of Alaska Sablefish 

Longline 

• Northern elephant seal, California 

to Northern elephant seal, California 

breeding. 

NMFS proposes to update the harbor 

porpoise stocks on the list of species/ 

stocks incidentally killed or injured 

based on the revised stock structures in 

the 2022 SAR (Young et al., 2023) as 

follows: 

Category I AK Southeast Salmon Drift 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Harbor porpoise, southeast Alaska 

to harbor porpoise, southern Southeast 

Alaska inland waters and harbor 

porpoise, northern Southeast Alaska 

inland waters, and 

Category II AK Yakutat Salmon Set 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Harbor porpoise, southeast Alaska 

to harbor porpoise, Yakutat/Southeast 

Alaska offshore waters. 

NMFS proposes to update the 

humpback whale stocks on the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured based on the revised stock 

structures in the 2022 SAR (Carretta et 

al., 2023; Young et al., 2023) as follows: 

Category I AK Southeast Salmon Drift 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II CA Thresher Shark/ 

Swordfish Drift Gillnet (≥14 in Mesh) 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II CA Halibut/White Seabass 

and Other Species Set Gillnet (>3.5 in 

Mesh) Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II AK Kodiak Salmon Set 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II AK Cook Inlet Salmon Set 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II AK Prince William Sound 

Salmon Drift Gillnet Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II AK Yakutat Salmon Set 

Gillnet Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II AK Bering Sea, Aleutian 

Islands Pollock Trawl Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category II CA Coonstripe Shrimp Pot 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II CA Spiny Lobster Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II CA Spot Prawn Pot Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II CA Dungeness Crab Pot 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II OR Dungeness Crab Pot 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II WA/OR/CA Sablefish Pot 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 

Category II WA Coastal Dungeness Crab 

Pot Fishery 

• Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA to 

humpback whale, Central America/ 

Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA and 

humpback whale, Mainland MexicoCA/OR/WA stock; 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
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Category III AK Cook Inlet Salmon Purse 

Seine Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III AK Kodiak Salmon Purse 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III AK Southeast Salmon Purse 

Seine Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III AK Bering Sea, Aleutian 

Islands Pacific Cod Pot Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III Southeast Alaska Crab Pot 

Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III Southeast Alaska Shrimp 

Pot Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific; 

Category III HI Crab Trap Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i, 

and 

Category III AK/WA/OR/CA 

Commercial Passenger Vessels Fishery 

• Humpback whale, Central North 

Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and 

humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Commercial Fisheries in the Atlantic 

Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean 

Classification of Fisheries 

NMFS proposes to reclassify the 

Category III U.S. Mid-Atlantic mixed 

species stop seine/weir/pound net 

(except the NC roe mullet stop net) 

fishery to a Category II based on M/SI 

of the Northern NC estuarine system 

stock of bottlenose dolphin. Mean 

annual estimated M/SI of the Northern 

NC estuarine stock of bottlenose 

dolphin in this fishery is 2.56 percent of 

PBR (7.8 dolphins). Because the 

estimated M/SI is between 1 and 50 

percent of the stock’s PBR, NMFS 

proposes to reclassify U.S. Mid-Atlantic 

mixed species stop seine/weir/pound 

net (except the NC roe mullet stop net) 

fishery from a Category III to a Category 

II fishery. NMFS also proposes to add 

the fishery to the list of affected 

fisheries for the Bottlenose Dolphin 

Take Reduction Plan in table 4. 

Addition of Fisheries 

NMFS proposes to add the Virginia 

shrimp trawl fishery as a Category II 

fishery. This new fishery operates in the 

Commonwealth of Virginia’s coastal 

waters (within three nautical miles) 

from October 1 through January 1. The 

fishery uses beam trawl gear with a 

fixed frame no larger than 4 feet by 16 

feet, with mesh size ranging from 1.5– 

2.0 inches (stretched mesh). Tows are 

not to exceed 30 minutes in duration. 

There are 12 authorized permits for this 

fishery. 

There is no information on marine 

mammal M/SI incidental to this fishery. 

Therefore, no marine mammal species/ 

stocks are identified in table 2. Marine 

mammal species/stocks will be added to 

the list, if incidental mortalities or 

injuries are documented in this fishery. 

The regulatory definition of a 

Category II fishery (50 CFR 229.2) 

provides for NMFS to evaluate other 

factors such as: fishing techniques, gear 

used, methods used to deter marine 

mammals, target species, seasons and 

areas fished, qualitative data from 

logbooks or fisher reports, stranding 

data, and the species and distribution of 

marine mammals in the area when there 

is no reliable information on the 

frequency of incidental M/SI in a given 

fishery. In the absence of reliable 

information on incidental M/SI, the 

Virginia shrimp trawl fishery is 

proposed as a Category II fishery, 

because there is no evidence of a remote 

likelihood of or no known incidental M/ 

SI in the fishery. 

Fishery Name and Organizational 

Changes and Clarification 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

superscript ‘‘1’’ from the WNA stock of 

long-finned pilot whale to indicate the 

stock is no longer driving the Category 

II classification of the Northeast midwater trawl (including pair trawl) 

fishery. 

NMFS proposes to combine the 

Category II Northeast anchored float 

gillnet fishery into the Category I 

Northeast sink gillnet fishery. Federal 

Vessel Trip Report codes do not 

distinguish anchored float gillnet gear 

from other types of gillnet gear. 

Consequently, fishing effort for the 

Northeast anchored float gillnet fishery 

is included as part of reported fishing 

effort for the Northeast sink gillnet 

fishery. Additionally, marine mammal 

bycatch in the Northeast anchored float 

gillnet fishery is included in bycatch 

analyses for the Northeast sink gillnet 

fishery. The species that are currently 

listed under the Northeast anchored 

float gillnet fishery are already included 

in the list of species incidentally taken 

in the Northeast sink gillnet fishery. 

This proposed change does not affect 

either fisheries’ requirements under the 

Harbor Porpoise or Atlantic Large Whale 

TRPs (see table 4). 

NMFS proposes to revise the fishery 

descriptions for the Category I 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster trap/pot fishery and Category II 

Atlantic mixed species trap/pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add Jonah crab as a 

target species for the Category I 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster trap/pot fishery and remove 

Jonah crab as a target species from the 

Category II Atlantic mixed species trap/ 

pot fishery. NMFS also proposes to 

revise the name of the Category I 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fishery. 

This proposed change aligns the 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster and Atlantic mixed species trap/ 

pot fisheries descriptions with how the 

two target species are collectively 

managed. Jonah crab distribution 

overlaps with that of American lobster, 

and Jonah crab are caught using the 

exact same gear used in the Category I 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster trap/pot fishery. The gear used to 

target Jonah crab is consistent with what 

is currently described for the Category II 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American 

lobster trap/pot fishery. Currently, 

participation in the Jonah crab fishery is 

limited to American lobster permit 

holders. The Jonah crab fishery 

conforms to the specifications of the 

Interstate Fishery Management Plan for 

American Lobster and complies with 

regulatory requirements specified for 

each Lobster Management Area. 

Number of Vessels/Persons 

NMFS proposes to update the 

estimated number of vessels/persons in 

the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and 

Caribbean (table 2) as follows: 

Category I 

• Northeast sink gillnet fishery from 

4,072 to 4,924 vessels/persons; 

Category II 

• NC inshore gillnet fishery from 

2,676 to 1,157 vessels/persons; and 

• NC long haul seine fishery from 22 

to 10 vessels/persons. 

List of Species and/or Stocks 

Incidentally Killed or Injured in the 

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and 

Caribbean 

NMFS corrects an administrative error 

in table 2. NMFS proposes to update the 


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bottlenose dolphin stock name from FL 

Bay estuarine to FL Bay in the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category III FL spiny 

lobster trap/pot fishery. 

NMFS proposes to add the WNA 

stock of harp seal to the list of species/ 

stocks incidentally killed or injured in 

the Category I mid-Atlantic gillnet 

fishery. From 2015 through 2019, there 

were 14 observed harp seal mortalities 

in the mid-Atlantic gillnet fishery 

(Hayes et al., 2022). 

NMFS proposes to add the WNA 

stock of white-sided dolphin to the list 

of species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category II Northeast midwater trawl (including pair trawl) 

fishery based on a self-reported 

mortality in 2020. 

NMFS proposes to add the Biscayne 

Bay estuarine stock of bottlenose 

dolphin to the list of species/stocks 

incidentally killed or injured in the 

Category II Atlantic blue crab trap/pot 

fishery. In 2020, one dolphin was 

disentangled from commercial blue crab 

trap/pot gear and released alive (Hayes 

et al., 2023). The animal was 

determined to be seriously injured 

(Maze-Foley and Garrison, In Prep). 

NMFS proposes to add the Charleston 

estuarine system stock of bottlenose 

dolphin to the list of species/stocks 

incidentally killed or injured in the 

Category III Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of 

Mexico, Caribbean commercial 

passenger fishing vessel fishery. In 

2017, there was one mortality where 

monofilament line was found during the 

necropsy; however, it could not be 

determined whether the hook and line 

gear contributed to cause of death 

(Hayes et al., 2023). 

NMFS proposes to remove both the 

SC/GA coastal and Southern migratory 

coastal stocks of bottlenose dolphin 

from the list of species/stocks 

incidentally killed or injured in the 

Category II Southeast Atlantic gillnet 

fishery. This fishery is observed; and, 

from 2016–2020, there have been no 

reported or observed M/SI in this 

fishery (Hayes et al., 2023). 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

Charleston estuarine system stock of 

bottlenose dolphin from the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category II Southeastern 

U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shrimp 

trawl fishery. This fishery is observed; 

and, from 2016–2020, there have been 

no reported or observed M/SI in this 

fishery (Hayes et al., 2023). 

Commercial Fisheries on the High Seas 

Fishery Name and Organizational 

Changes and Clarification 

NMFS proposes to remove Category II 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species trawl 

fishery from the LOF because there are 

no participants in this fishery. 

NMFS proposes to remove Category II 

South Pacific tuna fisheries troll fishery 

from the LOF because there are no 

participants in this fishery. 

Number of Vessels/Persons 

NMFS proposes to update the 

estimated number of HSFCA permits for 

high seas fisheries (table 3) as follows: 

Category I 

• Western Pacific pelagic (HI deep-set 

component) longline fishery from 150 to 

146 HSFCA permits; 

Category II 

• Pacific highly migratory species 

drift gillnet fishery from 3 to 2 HSFCA 

permits; 

• Western and Central Pacific Ocean 

tuna purse seine fishery from 34 to 14 

HSFCA permits; 

• South Pacific albacore troll longline 

fishery from 8 to 6 HSFCA permits; 

• Pacific highly migratory species 

handline/pole and line fishery from 45 

to 36 HSFCA permits; 

• South Pacific albacore troll 

handline/pole and line fishery from 7 to 

1 HSFCA permits; 

• South Pacific albacore troll fishery 

from 24 to 23 HSFCA permits; 

• Western Pacific pelagic troll fishery 

from 7 to 6 HSFCA permits; 

Category III 

• Northwest Atlantic bottom longline 

fishery from 2 to 1 HSFCA permits; 

• Pacific highly migratory species 

longline fishery from 127 to 119 HSFCA 

permits; 

• Pacific highly migratory species 

purse seine fishery from 2 to 1 HSFCA 

permits; 

• Northwest Atlantic trawl fishery 

from 3 to 1 HSFCA permits; and 

• Pacific highly migratory species 

troll fishery from 93 to 95 HSFCA 

permits. 

List of Species and/or Stocks 

Incidentally Killed or Injured on the 

High Seas 

NMFS proposes to remove the Hawaii 

stock of striped dolphin from the list of 

species/stocks incidentally killed or 

injured in the Category I Western Pacific 

Pelagic longline fishery (HI deep-set 

component). As noted in table 3, the list 

of marine mammal species and/or 

stocks killed or injured in this fishery is 

identical to the list of marine mammal 

species and/or stocks killed or injured 

in U.S. waters component of the fishery, 

minus species and/or stocks that have 

geographic ranges exclusively in coastal 

waters. From 2016–2020, there have 

been no reported or observed M/SI in 

the HI deep-set longline fishery (Carretta 

et al., 2023); the fishery is currently 

observed at about 20-percent coverage. 

Therefore, NMFS proposed to remove 

the stock from both the HI deep-set 

longline fishery and the Western Pacific 

Pelagic longline fishery (HI deep-set 

component). 

NMFS proposes to remove the 

unknown stock of pygmy killer whale 

from the list of species/stocks 

incidentally killed or injured in the 

Category II Western and Central Pacific 

Ocean tuna purse seine fishery. From 

2016–2020, there have been no reported 

or observed M/SI in the fishery (Carretta 

et al., 2023); the fishery is currently 

observed at about 20 percent coverage. 

NMFS proposes to remove the Hawaii 

stock of fin whale and Central North 

Pacific stock of humpback whale from 

the list of species/stocks incidentally 

killed or injured in the Category II 

Western Pacific Pelagic longline fishery 

(HI shallow-set component). As noted in 

table 3, the list of marine mammal 

species and/or stocks killed or injured 

in this fishery is identical to the list of 

marine mammal species and/or stocks 

killed or injured in U.S. waters 

component of the fishery, minus species 

and/or stocks that have geographic 

ranges exclusively in coastal waters. 

From 2016–2020, there have been no 

reported or observed M/SI in the HI 

shallow-set longline fishery (Carretta et 

al., 2023), which is observed at 100 

percent. Therefore, NMFS proposed to 

remove the stocks from both the HI 

shallow-set longline fishery and the 

Western Pacific Pelagic longline fishery 

(HI shallow-set component). 

List of Fisheries 

The following tables set forth the list 

of U.S. commercial fisheries according 

to their classification under section 118 

of the MMPA. Table 1 lists commercial 

fisheries in the Pacific Ocean (including 

Alaska), table 2 lists commercial 

fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of 

Mexico, and Caribbean, table 3 lists 

commercial fisheries on the high seas, 

and table 4 lists fisheries affected by 

TRPs or TRTs. 

In tables 1 and 2, the estimated 

number of vessels or persons 

participating in fisheries operating 

within U.S. waters is expressed in terms 

of the number of active participants in 

the fishery, when possible. If this 

information is not available, the 


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estimated number of vessels or persons 

licensed for a particular fishery is 

provided. If no recent information is 

available on the number of participants, 

vessels, or persons licensed in a fishery, 

then the number from the most recent 

LOF is used for the estimated number of 

vessels or persons in the fishery. NMFS 

acknowledges that, in some cases, these 

estimates may be inflations of actual 

effort. For example, the State of Hawaii 

does not issue fishery-specific licenses, 

and the number of participants reported 

in the LOF represents the number of 

commercial marine license holders who 

reported using a particular fishing gear 

type/method at least once in a given 

year, without considering how many 

times the gear was used. For these 

fisheries, effort by a single participant is 

counted the same whether the 

fisherman used the gear only once or 

every day. In the Mid-Atlantic and New 

England fisheries, the numbers 

represent the potential effort for each 

fishery, given the multiple gear types for 

which several state permits may allow. 

Changes made to Mid-Atlantic and New 

England fishery participants will not 

affect observer coverage or bycatch 

estimates, as observer coverage and 

bycatch estimates are based on vessel 

trip reports and landings data. Tables 1 

and 2 serve to provide a description of 

the fishery’s potential effort (state and 

Federal). If NMFS is able to gather more 

accurate information on the gear types 

used by state permit holders in the 

future, the numbers will be updated to 

reflect this change. For additional 

information on fishing effort in fisheries 

found on table 1 or 2, contact the 

relevant regional office (contact 

information included above in the 

section: Where can I find more 

information about the LOF and the 

MMAP?). 

For high seas fisheries, table 3 lists 

the number of valid HSFCA permits 

currently held. Although this likely 

overestimates the number of active 

participants in many of these fisheries, 

the number of valid HSFCA permits is 

the most reliable data on the potential 

effort in high seas fisheries at this time. 

As noted previously, the number of 

HSFCA permits listed in table 3 for the 

high seas components of fisheries that 

also operate within U.S. waters does not 

necessarily represent additional effort 

that is not accounted for in tables 1 and 

2. Many vessels holding HSFCA permits 

also fish within U.S. waters and are 

included in the number of vessels and 

participants operating within those 

fisheries in tables 1 and 2. 

Tables 1, 2, and 3 also list the marine 

mammal species and/or stocks 

incidentally killed or injured (seriously 

or non-seriously) in each fishery based 

on SARs, injury determination reports, 

bycatch estimation reports, observer 

data, logbook data, stranding data, 

disentanglement network data, 

fishermen self-reports (i.e., MMAP 

reports), and anecdotal reports. The best 

available scientific information 

included in these reports is based on 

data through 2020. This list includes all 

species and/or stocks known to be killed 

or injured in a given fishery, but also 

includes species and/or stocks for 

which there are anecdotal records of a 

mortality or injury. Additionally, 

species identified by logbook entries, 

stranding data, or fishermen self-reports 

(i.e., MMAP reports) may not be 

verified. In tables 1 and 2, NMFS has 

designated those species/stocks driving 

a fishery’s classification (i.e., the fishery 

is classified based on mortalities and 

serious injuries of a marine mammal 

stock that are greater than or equal to 50 

percent (Category I), or greater than 1 

percent and less than 50 percent 

(Category II), of a stock’s PBR) by a ‘‘1’’ 

after the stock’s name. 

In tables 1 and 2, there are several 

fisheries classified as Category II that 

have no recent documented mortalities 

or serious injuries of marine mammals, 

or fisheries that did not result in a 

mortality or serious injury rate greater 

than 1 percent of a stock’s PBR level 

based on known interactions. NMFS has 

classified these fisheries by analogy to 

other Category I or II fisheries that use 

similar fishing techniques or gear that 

are known to cause mortality or serious 

injury of marine mammals, as discussed 

in the final LOF for 1996 (60 FR 67063, 

December 28, 1995), and according to 

factors listed in the definition of a 

‘‘Category II fishery’’ in 50 CFR 229.2 

(i.e., fishing techniques, gear types, 

methods used to deter marine mammals, 

target species, seasons and areas fished, 

qualitative data from logbooks or 

fishermen reports, stranding data, and 

the species and distribution of marine 

mammals in the area). NMFS has 

designated those fisheries listed by 

analogy in tables 1 and 2 by adding a 

‘‘2’’ after the fishery’s name. 

There are several fisheries in tables 1, 

2, and 3 in which a portion of the 

fishing vessels cross the EEZ boundary 

and therefore operate both within U.S. 

waters and on the high seas. These 

fisheries, though listed separately on 

table 1 or 2 and table 3, are considered 

the same fisheries on either side of the 

EEZ boundary. NMFS has designated 

those fisheries in each table with an 

asterisk (*) after the fishery’s name. 

TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Category I 

Longline/Set Line Fisheries: 

HI deep-set longline * ∧ ................................................................... 146 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, HI Pelagic. 

False killer whale, HI Pelagic.1

False killer whale, MHI Insular. 

False killer whale, NWHI. 

Kogia spp. (Pygmy or dwarf sperm whale), HI. 

Risso’s dolphin, HI. 

Rough-toothed dolphin, HI. 

Short-finned pilot whale, HI. 

Gillnet Fisheries: 

AK Southeast salmon drift gillnet .................................................. 474 .............................. Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Harbor porpoise, northern Southeast Alaska inland waters. 

Harbor porpoise, southern Southeast Alaska inland waters.1

Harbor seal, Southeast AK. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, North Pacific. 

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

Pot, Ring Net, and Trap Fisheries: 

CA Dungeness crab pot ................................................................ 471 .............................. Blue whale, Eastern North Pacific. 


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TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN—Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Killer whale, Eastern North Pacific GOA, BSAI transient. 

Killer whale, West Coast transient. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Category II 

Gillnet Fisheries: 

CA thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet (≥14 in mesh) * .............. 21 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, CA/OR/WA offshore. 

California sea lion, U.S. 

Dall’s porpoise, CA/OR/WA. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

Minke whale, CA/OR/WA. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Northern right-whale dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Risso’s dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Short-finned pilot whale, CA/OR/WA.1

Sperm Whale, CA/OR/WA.1

CA halibut/white seabass and other species set gillnet (>3.5 in 

mesh) *.

39 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor seal, CA. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Southern sea otter, CA. 

Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

CA yellowtail, barracuda, and white seabass drift gillnet (mesh 

size ≥3.5 in and <14 in) 2.

20 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

AK Bristol Bay salmon drift gillnet 2 ............................................... 1,521 ........................... Beluga whale, Bristol Bay. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor seal, Bristol Bay. 

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, North Pacific. 

Spotted seal, Bering. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Bristol Bay salmon set gillnet 2 ................................................ 855 .............................. Beluga whale, Bristol Bay. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor seal, Bristol Bay. 

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Spotted seal, Bering. 

AK Kodiak salmon set gillnet ......................................................... 128 .............................. Harbor porpoise, GOA.1

Harbor seal, GOA. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

Northern sea otter, Southwest AK. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Cook Inlet salmon set gillnet 2 ................................................. 479 .............................. Beluga whale, Cook Inlet. 

Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Harbor porpoise, GOA. 

Harbor seal, Cook Inlet/Shelikof Strait. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Northern sea otter, South central AK. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Cook Inlet salmon drift gillnet .................................................. 355 .............................. Beluga whale, Cook Inlet. 

Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Harbor porpoise, GOA.1

Harbor seal, GOA. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon drift gillnet 2 ...................... 148 .............................. Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Harbor porpoise, GOA. 

Harbor seal, GOA. 

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

AK Peninsula/Aleutian Islands salmon set gillnet 2 ....................... 75 ................................ Harbor porpoise, Bering Sea. 

Northern sea otter, Southwest AK. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Prince William Sound salmon drift gillnet ................................ 483 .............................. Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor porpoise, GOA.1


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TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN—Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Harbor seal, Prince William Sound. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, North Pacific. 

Northern sea otter, South central AK. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S.1

AK Yakutat salmon set gillnet ........................................................ 95 ................................ Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor Porpoise, Yakutat/Southeast Alaska offshore waters.1

Harbor seal, Southeast AK. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

WA Puget Sound Region salmon drift gillnet (includes all inland 

waters south of US-Canada border and eastward of the 

Bonilla-Tatoosh line-Treaty Indian fishing is excluded).

136 .............................. Dall’s porpoise, CA/OR/WA. 

Harbor porpoise, inland WA.1

Harbor seal, WA inland. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands flatfish trawl ............................... 29 ................................ Bearded seal, Beringia. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor porpoise, Bering Sea. 

Harbor seal, Bristol Bay. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

Killer whale, Eastern North Pacific Alaska resident. 

Killer whale, Eastern North Pacific GOA, AI, BS transient.1

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Ringed seal, Arctic. 

Ribbon seal. 

Spotted seal, Bering. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S.1

Walrus, AK. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands pollock trawl .............................. 116 .............................. Bearded seal, Beringia. 

Harbor seal, Bristol Bay. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, North Pacific. 

Ribbon seal. 

Ringed seal, Arctic. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S.1

Pot, Ring Net, and Trap Fisheries: 

CA coonstripe shrimp pot .............................................................. 9 .................................. Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor seal, CA. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

CA spiny lobster ............................................................................. 189 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, CA/OR/WA offshore. 

California sea lion, U.S. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Southern sea otter, CA. 

CA spot prawn pot ......................................................................... 22 ................................ Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

OR Dungeness crab pot ................................................................ 323 .............................. Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

WA/OR/CA sablefish pot ............................................................... 144 .............................. Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

WA coastal Dungeness crab pot ................................................... 204 .............................. Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Central America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA.1

Humpback whale, Mainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA. 

Longline/Set Line Fisheries: 

AK Gulf of Alaska sablefish longline ............................................. 177 .............................. Northern elephant seal, California breeding. 

Sperm whale, North Pacific.1

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

HI shallow-set longline * ∧ ............................................................... 14 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, HI Pelagic. 

False killer whale, HI Pelagic.1

Guadalupe fur seal. 

Risso’s dolphin, HI. 

Striped dolphin, HI. 

American Samoa longline 2 ............................................................ 11 ................................ False killer whale, American Samoa. 

Rough-toothed dolphin, American Samoa. 

Striped dolphin, unknown. 

HI shortline 2 ................................................................................... 8 .................................. None documented. 

Marine Aquaculture Fisheries: 

HI offshore pen culture .................................................................. 1 .................................. Hawaiian monk seal. 

Category III 

Gillnet Fisheries: 


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TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN—Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

AK Kuskokwim, Yukon, Norton Sound, Kotzebue salmon gillnet 360 .............................. Harbor porpoise, Bering Sea. 

AK Prince William Sound salmon set gillnet ................................. 25 ................................ Harbor seal, GOA. 

Northern sea otter, South central AK. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK roe herring and food/bait herring gillnet .................................. 15 ................................ None documented. 

CA herring set gillnet ..................................................................... 11 ................................ None documented. 

HI inshore gillnet ............................................................................ 26 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, HI. 

Spinner dolphin, HI. 

WA Grays Harbor salmon drift gillnet (excluding treaty Tribal 

fishing).

19 ................................ Harbor seal, OR/WA coast. 

WA/OR Mainstem Columbia River eulachon gillnet ...................... 10 ................................ None documented. 

WA/OR lower Columbia River (includes tributaries) drift net ........ 244 .............................. California sea lion, U.S. 

Harbor seal, OR/WA coast. 

WA Willapa Bay drift gillnet ........................................................... 57 ................................ Harbor seal, OR/WA coast. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Miscellaneous Net Fisheries: 

AK Cook Inlet salmon purse seine ................................................ 16 ................................ Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

AK Kodiak salmon purse seine ..................................................... 159 .............................. Dall’s porpoise, AK. 

Harbor seal, North Kodiak. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Southeast salmon purse seine ................................................ 206 .............................. Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

AK roe herring and food/bait herring purse seine ......................... 31 ................................ None documented. 

AK salmon beach seine ................................................................. 2 .................................. None documented. 

AK salmon purse seine (Prince William Sound, Chignik, Alaska 

Peninsula).

298 .............................. Harbor seal, GOA. 

Harbor seal, Prince William Sound. 

WA/OR sardine purse seine .......................................................... 6 .................................. None documented. 

CA anchovy, mackerel, sardine purse seine ................................. 53 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Harbor seal, CA. 

CA squid purse seine .................................................................... 68 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

Risso’s dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

CA tuna purse seine * .................................................................... 14 ................................ None documented. 

WA/OR Lower Columbia River salmon seine ............................... 1 .................................. None documented. 

WA/OR herring, anchovy, smelt, squid purse seine or lampara ... 41 ................................ None documented. 

WA salmon seine ........................................................................... 81 ................................ None documented. 

WA salmon reef net ....................................................................... 11 ................................ None documented. 

HI lift net ......................................................................................... 14 ................................ None documented. 

HI inshore purse seine ................................................................... None recorded ............ None documented. 

HI throw net, cast net .................................................................... 13 ................................ None documented. 

HI seine net .................................................................................... 17 ................................ None documented. 

Dip Net Fisheries: 

CA squid dip net ............................................................................ 19 ................................ None documented. 

Marine Aquaculture Fisheries: 

CA marine shellfish aquaculture .................................................... unknown ..................... None documented.

CA salmon enhancement rearing pen ........................................... >1 ............................... None documented. 

CA white seabass enhancement net pens .................................... 13 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

WA salmon net pens ..................................................................... 14 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Harbor seal, WA inland waters. 

WA/OR shellfish aquaculture ......................................................... 23 ................................ None documented. 

Troll Fisheries: 

WA/OR/CA albacore surface hook and line/troll ........................... 556 .............................. None documented. 

CA halibut, white seabass, and yellowtail hook and line/handline 388 .............................. None documented. 

CA/OR/WA non-albacore HMS hook and line ............................... 124 .............................. None documented. 

AK Gulf of Alaska groundfish hand troll and dinglebar troll .......... 4 .................................. None documented. 

AK salmon troll ............................................................................... 850 .............................. Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

American Samoa tuna troll ............................................................ 6 .................................. None documented. 

CA/OR/WA salmon troll ................................................................. 1,030 ........................... None documented. 

HI troll ............................................................................................. 1,124 ........................... Pantropical spotted dolphin, HI. 

HI rod and reel ............................................................................... 235 .............................. None documented. 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands tuna troll ........... 9 .................................. None documented. 

Guam tuna troll .............................................................................. 450 .............................. None documented. 

Longline/Set Line Fisheries: 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Greenland turbot longline ......... 4 .................................. Killer whale, GOA, AI, BS transient. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod longline ................... 26 ................................ Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands sablefish longline ...................... 8 .................................. None documented. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands halibut longline .......................... 84 ................................ Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Sperm whale, North Pacific. 

AK Gulf of Alaska halibut longline ................................................. 689 .............................. Harbor seal, Clarence Strait. 

Harbor seal, Cook Inlet. 

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod longline .......................................... 23 ................................ Harbor seal, Cook Inlet/Shelikof Strait. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 62761 

TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN—Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK octopus/squid longline ............................................................. 0 .................................. None documented. 

AK state-managed waters longline/setline (including sablefish, 

rockfish, lingcod, and miscellaneous finfish).

464 .............................. None documented. 

WA/OR/CA groundfish, bottomfish longline/set line ...................... 314 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, CA/OR/WA offshore. 

California sea lion, U.S. 

Northern elephant seal, California breeding. 

Sperm whale, CA/OR/WA. 

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

WA/OR/CA Pacific halibut longline ................................................ 130 .............................. None documented. 

West Coast pelagic longline .......................................................... 4 .................................. None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

HI kaka line .................................................................................... 17 ................................ None documented. 

HI vertical line ................................................................................ 6 .................................. None documented. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Atka mackerel trawl .................. 17 ................................ Harbor seal, Aleutian Islands. 

Northern elephant seal, California. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod trawl ........................ 64 ................................ Bearded seal, AK. 

Ribbon seal. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands rockfish trawl ............................. 22 ................................ Harbor seal, Aleutian Islands. 

Ribbon seal. 

AK Gulf of Alaska flatfish trawl ...................................................... 16 ................................ Harbor seal, Cook Inlet/Shelikof Strait. 

Harbor seal, North Kodiak. 

Harbor seal, South Kodiak. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod trawl ............................................... 12 ................................ Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl ..................................................... 60 ................................ Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Gulf of Alaska rockfish trawl .................................................... 35 ................................ Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

AK Kodiak food/bait herring otter trawl .......................................... 0 .................................. None documented. 

AK shrimp otter trawl and beam trawl ........................................... 12 ................................ None documented. 

CA halibut bottom trawl ................................................................. 23 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Harbor porpoise, unknown. 

Harbor seal, unknown. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Steller sea lion, unknown. 

CA sea cucumber trawl ................................................................. 11 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

WA/OR/CA shrimp trawl ................................................................ 130 .............................. California sea lion, U.S. 

WA/OR/CA groundfish trawl .......................................................... 118 .............................. California sea lion, U.S. 

Dall’s porpoise, CA/OR/WA. 

Harbor seal, OR/WA coast. 

Northern elephant seal, CA breeding. 

Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific. 

Northern right whale dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

Pot, Ring Net, and Trap Fisheries: 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pacific cod pot .......................... 80 ................................ Harbor seal, Bristol Bay. 

Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands sablefish pot .............................. 15 ................................ Sperm whale, North Pacific. 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands crab pot ..................................... 73 ................................ Bowhead whale, Western Arctic. 

Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

AK Gulf of Alaska crab pot ............................................................ 86 ................................ None documented. 

AK Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod pot ................................................. 48 ................................ None documented in most recent 5 years of data. 

AK Gulf of Alaska sablefish pot ..................................................... 129 .............................. None documented. 

AK Southeast Alaska crab pot ....................................................... 375 .............................. Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

AK Southeast Alaska shrimp pot ................................................... 104 .............................. Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

AK shrimp pot, except Southeast .................................................. 77 ................................ None documented. 

AK octopus/squid pot ..................................................................... 0 .................................. None documented. 

CA rock crab pot ............................................................................ 113 .............................. Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific. 

Harbor seal, CA. 

CA Tanner crab pot fishery ........................................................... 1 .................................. None documented. 

WA/OR/CA hagfish pot .................................................................. 63 ................................ None documented. 

WA/OR shrimp pot/trap .................................................................. 28 ................................ None documented. 

WA Puget Sound Dungeness crab pot/trap .................................. 145 .............................. None documented. 

HI crab trap .................................................................................... 4 .................................. Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

HI fish trap ..................................................................................... 4 .................................. None documented. 

HI lobster trap ................................................................................ Less than 3 ................. None documented in recent years. 

HI shrimp trap ................................................................................ 3 .................................. None documented. 

HI crab net ..................................................................................... 4 .................................. None documented. 

HI Kona crab loop net .................................................................... 13 ................................ None documented. 

Hook and Line, Handline, and Jig Fisheries: 

AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands groundfish jig ............................. 2 .................................. None documented. 

AK Gulf of Alaska groundfish jig .................................................... 68 ................................ None documented in most recent 5 years of data. 

AK halibut jig .................................................................................. 5 .................................. None documented. 

American Samoa bottomfish .......................................................... 44 ................................ None documented. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
62762 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 1—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN—Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands bottomfish ........ 7 .................................. None documented. 

Guam bottomfish ............................................................................ 63 ................................ None documented. 

HI aku boat, pole, and line ............................................................ None recorded ............ None documented. 

HI bottomfish handline ................................................................... 392 .............................. None documented in recent years. 

HI inshore handline ........................................................................ 158 .............................. None documented. 

HI pelagic handline ........................................................................ 271 .............................. None documented. 

WA/OR/CA groundfish/finfish hook and line .................................. 689 .............................. California sea lion, U.S. 

Western Pacific squid jig ............................................................... 0 .................................. None documented. 

Harpoon Fisheries: 

CA swordfish harpoon ................................................................... 21 ................................ None documented. 

Pound Net/Weir Fisheries: 

AK herring spawn on kelp pound net ............................................ 143 .............................. None documented.

AK Southeast herring roe/food/bait pound net .............................. 1 .................................. None documented. 

HI bullpen trap ............................................................................... <3 ............................... None documented. 

Bait Pens: 

WA/OR/CA bait pens ..................................................................... 13 ................................ California sea lion, U.S. 

Dredge Fisheries: 

AK scallop dredge .......................................................................... 108 (5 AK) .................. None documented. 

Dive, Hand/Mechanical Collection Fisheries: 

AK clam .......................................................................................... 57 ................................ None documented. 

AK miscellaneous invertebrates handpick ..................................... 188 .............................. None documented. 

CA/OR/WA dive collection ............................................................. 186 .............................. None documented. 

CA/WA kelp, seaweed and algae .................................................. 4 .................................. None documented. 

HI black coral diving ...................................................................... None recorded ............ None documented. 

HI fish pond .................................................................................... None recorded ............ None documented. 

HI handpick .................................................................................... 25 ................................ None documented. 

HI lobster diving ............................................................................. 12 ................................ None documented. 

HI spearfishing ............................................................................... 67 ................................ None documented. 

WA/OR/CA hand/mechanical collection ........................................ 320 .............................. None documented. 

Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (Charter Boat) Fisheries: 

AK/WA/OR/CA commercial passenger fishing vessel ................... >7,000 (1,006 AK) ...... Humpback whale, Hawai1i. 

Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific. 

Humpback whale, Western North Pacific. 

Killer whale, unknown. 

Steller sea lion, Eastern U.S. 

Steller sea lion, Western U.S. 

Live Finfish/Shellfish Fisheries: 

CA nearshore finfish trap ............................................................... 42 ................................ None documented. 

HI aquarium collecting ................................................................... None recorded ............ None documented. 

List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in Table 1: 

AI—Aleutian Islands; AK—Alaska; BS—Bering Sea; CA—California; ENP—Eastern North Pacific; GOA—Gulf of Alaska; HI—Hawaii; MHI—Main Hawaiian Islands; 

OR—Oregon; WA—Washington; 1Fishery classified based on mortalities and serious injuries of this stock, which are greater than or equal to 50 percent (Category I) or greater than 1 percent and 

less than 50 percent (Category II) of the stock’s PBR; 2Fishery classified by analogy; 

* Fishery has an associated high seas component listed in table 3; and 

∧The list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in this fishery is identical to the list of species and/or stocks killed or injured in high seas component of the fishery, minus species and/or stocks that have geographic ranges exclusively on the high seas. The species and/or stocks are found, and the fishery remains the same, on both sides of the EEZ boundary. Therefore, the EEZ components of these fisheries pose the same risk to marine mammals as the components 

operating on the high seas. 

TABLE 2—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND CARIBBEAN

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Category I 

Gillnet Fisheries: 

Mid-Atlantic gillnet .......................................................................... 4,020 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. 

Common dolphin, WNA. 

Gray seal, WNA. 

Harbor porpoise, GME/BF. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Harp seal, WNA. 

Hooded seal, WNA. 

Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine. 

Minke whale, Canadian east coast. 

Northeast sink gillnet ..................................................................... 4,924 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. 

Common dolphin, WNA. 

Fin whale, WNA. 

Gray seal, WNA.1

Harbor porpoise, GME/BF. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 62763 

TABLE 2—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND CARIBBEAN— 

Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Harp seal, WNA. 

Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine. 

Minke whale, Canadian east coast. 

North Atlantic right whale, WNA. 

Risso’s dolphin, WNA. 

White-sided dolphin, WNA. 

Trap/Pot Fisheries: 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot 8,485 ........................... Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine. 

Minke whale, Canadian east coast. 

North Atlantic right whale, WNA.1

Longline Fisheries: 

Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico large pelagics 

longline *.

201 .............................. Atlantic spotted dolphin, Northern GMX. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX oceanic. 

Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. 

Common dolphin, WNA. 

Cuvier’s beaked whale, WNA. 

False killer whale, WNA. 

Harbor porpoise, GME, BF. 

Kogia spp. (Pygmy or dwarf sperm whale), WNA. 

Long-finned pilot whale, WNA. 

Mesoplodon beaked whale, WNA. 

Minke whale, Canadian East coast. 

Pantropical spotted dolphin, Northern GMX. 

Pygmy sperm whale, GMX. 

Risso’s dolphin, Northern GMX. 

Risso’s dolphin, WNA. 

Rough-toothed dolphin, Northern GMX. 

Short-finned pilot whale, Northern GMX. 

Short-finned pilot whale, WNA.1

Sperm whale, Northern GMX. 

Category II 

Gillnet Fisheries: 

Chesapeake Bay inshore gillnet 2 .................................................. 265 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Northern migratory coastal or Southern migratory coastal). 

Gulf of Mexico gillnet 2 ................................................................... 248 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, and estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mobile Bay, Bonsecour Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, MS Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal. 

NC inshore gillnet .......................................................................... 1,157 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system.1

Northeast drift gillnet 2 .................................................................... 1,036 ........................... None documented. 

Southeast Atlantic gillnet 2 ............................................................. 273 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, Central FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern FL coastal. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark gillnet ........................................ 21 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Central FL, Northern FL, SC/GA 

coastal, or Southern migratory coastal). 

North Atlantic right whale, WNA. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

Mid-Atlantic mid-water trawl (including pair trawl) ......................... 320 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Mid-Atlantic bottom trawl ............................................................... 633 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore.1

Common dolphin, WNA.1

Gray seal, WNA.1

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Risso’s dolphin, WNA.1

White-sided dolphin, WNA. 

Northeast mid-water trawl (including pair trawl) ............................ 542 .............................. Common dolphin, WNA. 

Gray seal, WNA. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Long-finned pilot whale, WNA. 

White-sided dolphin, WNA. 

Northeast bottom trawl ................................................................... 968 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore.1

Common dolphin, WNA. 

Gray seal, WNA.1

Harbor porpoise, GME/BF. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Harp seal, WNA. 

Long-finned pilot whale, WNA.1

Risso’s dolphin, WNA1

White-sided dolphin, WNA.1

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl .............. 10,824 ......................... Atlantic spotted dolphin, Northern Gulf of Mexico. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Barataria Bay Estuarine System. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine.1


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
62764 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 2—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND CARIBBEAN— 

Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX continental shelf. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi River Delta. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mobile Bay, Bonsecour Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Pensacola Bay, East Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Perdido Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, SC/GA coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal.1

Virginia shrimp trawl ...................................................................... 12 ................................ None documented. 

Trap/Pot Fisheries: 

MA mixed species trap/pot ............................................................ 1,240 ........................... None documented. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico stone crab trap/pot 2 1,101 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Biscayne Bay estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Central FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, FL Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine (FL west coast portion). 

Bottlenose dolphin, Indian River Lagoon estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Sarasota Bay, Little Sarasota Bay. 

Atlantic mixed species trap/pot 2 .................................................... 3,493 ........................... Fin whale, WNA. 

Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine. 

Atlantic blue crab trap/pot .............................................................. 6,679 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Biscayne Bay estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Central FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Central GA estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Charleston estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Indian River Lagoon estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern FL coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GA/Southern SC estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern SC estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, SC/GA coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern GA estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system. 

West Indian manatee, FL. 

Purse Seine Fisheries: 

Gulf of Mexico menhaden purse seine .......................................... 40–42 .......................... Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi River Delta. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal.1

Mid-Atlantic menhaden purse seine 2 ............................................ 17 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal. 

Haul/Beach Seine Fisheries: 

Mid-Atlantic haul/beach seine ........................................................ 359 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern Migratory coastal.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal.1

NC long haul seine ........................................................................ 10 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system.1

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system. 

Stop Seine/Weir/Pound Net: 

U.S. Mid-Atlantic mixed species stop seine/weir/pound net (except the NC roe mullet stop net).unknown Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system. 

Stop Net Fisheries: 

NC roe mullet stop net ................................................................... 1 .................................. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Southern migratory coastal or Southern NC estuarine system). 

Pound Net Fisheries: 

VA pound net ................................................................................. 20 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, Northern migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern Migratory coastal.1

Category III 

Gillnet Fisheries: 

Caribbean gillnet ............................................................................ 127 None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

DE River inshore gillnet ................................................................. unknown ..................... None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

Long Island Sound inshore gillnet ................................................. unknown ..................... None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

RI, southern MA (to Monomoy Island), and NY Bight (Raritan 

and Lower NY Bays) inshore gillnet.

unknown ..................... None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

Southeast Atlantic inshore gillnet .................................................. unknown ..................... Bottlenose dolphin, Northern SC estuarine system. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

Atlantic shellfish bottom trawl ........................................................ >58 ............................. None documented. 

Gulf of Mexico butterfish trawl ....................................................... 2 .................................. Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX oceanic. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX continental shelf. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 62765 

TABLE 2—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND CARIBBEAN— 

Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Gulf of Mexico mixed species trawl ............................................... 20 ................................ None documented. 

GA cannonball jellyfish trawl .......................................................... 1 .................................. Bottlenose dolphin, SC/GA coastal. 

Marine Aquaculture Fisheries: 

Finfish aquaculture ......................................................................... 48 ................................ Harbor seal, WNA. 

Shellfish aquaculture ...................................................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Purse Seine Fisheries: 

Gulf of Maine Atlantic herring purse seine .................................... >7 ............................... Harbor seal, WNA. 

Gulf of Maine menhaden purse seine ........................................... >2 ............................... None documented. 

FL West Coast sardine purse seine .............................................. 10 ................................ None documented. 

U.S. Atlantic tuna purse seine * ..................................................... 5 .................................. None documented in most recent 5 years of data. 

Longline/Hook and Line Fisheries: 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic bottom longline/hook-and-line ................... >1,207 ........................ None documented. 

Gulf of Maine, U.S. Mid-Atlantic tuna, shark, swordfish hook-andline/harpoon.2,846 ........................... Humpback whale, Gulf of Maine. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean snapper-grouper and other reef fish bottom longline/hook-and-line.>5,000 ........................ Bottlenose dolphin, GMX continental shelf. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shark bottom longline/ 

hook-and-line.

39 ................................ Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX continental shelf. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean pelagic hook-and-line/harpoon.680 .............................. None documented. 

U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico trotline .............................................. unknown ..................... Bottlenose dolphin, Galveston Bay, East Bay, Trinity Bay. 

Trap/Pot Fisheries: 

Caribbean mixed species trap/pot ................................................. 154 .............................. Bottlenose dolphin, Puerto Rico and United States Virgin Islands. 

Caribbean spiny lobster trap/pot .................................................... 40 ................................ None documented. 

FL spiny lobster trap/pot ................................................................ 1,268 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Biscayne Bay estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Central FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, FL Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, FL Keys. 

Gulf of Mexico blue crab trap/pot .................................................. 4,113 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Barataria Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Caloosahatchee River. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mobile Bay, Bonsecour Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Waccasassa Bay, Withlacoochee Bay, Crystal 

Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal. 

West Indian manatee, FL. 

Gulf of Mexico mixed species trap/pot .......................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico golden crab trap/pot 10 ................................ None documented. 

U.S. Mid-Atlantic eel trap/pot ......................................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Stop Seine/Weir/Pound Net/Floating Trap/Fyke Net Fisheries: 

Gulf of Maine herring and Atlantic mackerel stop seine/weir ........ >1 ............................... Harbor porpoise, GME/BF. 

Harbor seal, WNA. 

Minke whale, Canadian east coast. 

Atlantic white-sided dolphin, WNA. 

U.S. Mid-Atlantic crab stop seine/weir ........................................... 2,600 ........................... None documented. 

RI floating trap ............................................................................... 9 .................................. None documented. 

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic fyke net .............................................. unknown ..................... None documented. 

Dredge Fisheries: 

Gulf of Maine sea urchin dredge ................................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Gulf of Maine mussel dredge ........................................................ unknown ..................... None documented.

Gulf of Maine, U.S. Mid-Atlantic sea scallop dredge .................... >403 ........................... None documented. 

Mid-Atlantic blue crab dredge ........................................................ unknown ..................... None documented. 

Mid-Atlantic soft-shell clam dredge ....................................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Mid-Atlantic whelk dredge .............................................................. unknown ..................... None documented. 

U.S. Mid-Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico oyster dredge ............................ 7,000 ........................... None documented. 

New England and Mid-Atlantic offshore surf clam/quahog dredge unknown ..................... None documented. 

Haul/Beach Seine Fisheries: 

Caribbean haul/beach seine .......................................................... 38 ................................ West Indian manatee, Puerto Rico. 

Gulf of Mexico haul/beach seine ................................................... unknown ..................... None documented. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic haul/beach seine ................................ 25 ................................ None documented. 

Dive, Hand/Mechanical Collection Fisheries: 

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean shellfish dive, hand/ 

mechanical collection.

20,000 ......................... None documented. 

Gulf of Maine urchin dive, hand/mechanical collection ................. unknown ..................... None documented. 

Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, and Caribbean 

cast net.

unknown ..................... None documented. 

Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (Charter Boat) Fisheries: 

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean commercial passenger fishing vessel.4,000 ........................... Bottlenose dolphin, Barataria Bay estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Biscayne Bay estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Central FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Charleston estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Choctawhatchee Bay. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
62766 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 2—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND CARIBBEAN— 

Continued 

Fishery description 

Estimated 

number of 

vessels/persons 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Bottlenose dolphin, Eastern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, FL Bay. 

Bottlenose dolphin, GMX bay, sound, estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Indian River Lagoon estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Jacksonville estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Mississippi Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay Boudreau. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern FL coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GA/Southern SC estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern migratory coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Southern NC estuarine system. 

Bottlenose dolphin, SC/GA coastal. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Western GMX coastal. 

Short-finned pilot whale, WNA. 

List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in Table 2: 

DE—Delaware; FL—Florida; GA—Georgia; GME/BF—Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy; GMX—Gulf of Mexico; MA—Massachusetts; NC—North Carolina; NY—New 

York; RI—Rhode Island; SC—South Carolina; VA—Virginia; WNA—Western North Atlantic; 1Fishery classified based on mortalities and serious injuries of this stock, which are greater than or equal to 50 percent (Category I) or greater than 1 percent and 

less than 50 percent (Category II) of the stock’s PBR; 2Fishery classified by analogy; and 

* Fishery has an associated high seas component listed in table 3. 

TABLE 3—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ON THE HIGH SEAS

Fishery description 

Number 

of HSFCA 

permits 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Category I 

Longline Fisheries: 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species * .................................................... 30 Atlantic spotted dolphin, WNA. 

Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX oceanic. 

Bottlenose dolphin, WNA offshore. 

Common dolphin, WNA. 

Cuvier’s beaked whale, WNA. 

False killer whale, WNA. 

Killer whale, GMX oceanic. 

Kogia spp. whale (Pygmy or dwarf sperm whale), WNA. 

Long-finned pilot whale, WNA. 

Mesoplodon beaked whale, WNA. 

Minke whale, Canadian East coast. 

Pantropical spotted dolphin, WNA. 

Risso’s dolphin, GMX. 

Risso’s dolphin, WNA. 

Short-finned pilot whale, WNA. 

Western Pacific Pelagic (HI Deep-set component) * ∧ ....................... 146 Bottlenose dolphin, HI Pelagic. 

False killer whale, HI Pelagic. 

Kogia spp. (Pygmy or dwarf sperm whale), HI. 

Risso’s dolphin, HI. 

Rough-toothed dolphin, HI. 

Short-finned pilot whale, HI. 

Category II 

Drift Gillnet Fisheries: 

Pacific Highly Migratory Species * ∧ ................................................... 2 Long-beaked common dolphin, CA. 

Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA. 

Northern right-whale dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Risso’s dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

CCAMLR ............................................................................................ 0 Antarctic fur seal. 

Purse Seine Fisheries: 

Western and Central Pacific Ocean Tuna Purse Seine .................... 14 Bottlenose dolphin, unknown. 

Blue whale, unknown. 

Bryde’s whale, unknown. 

False killer whale, unknown. 

Fin whale, unknown. 

Indo-Pacific dolphin. 

Long-beaked common dolphin, unknown. 

Melon-headed whale, unknown. 

Minke whale, unknown. 

Pantropical spotted dolphin, unknown. 

Risso’s dolphin, unknown. 


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TABLE 3—LIST OF FISHERIES—COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ON THE HIGH SEAS—Continued 

Fishery description 

Number 

of HSFCA 

permits 

Marine mammal species and/or stocks incidentally killed or injured 

Rough-toothed dolphin, unknown. 

Sei whale, unknown. 

Short-finned pilot whale, unknown. 

Sperm whale, unknown. 

Spinner dolphin, unknown. 

Western Pacific Pelagic ..................................................................... 0 No information. 

Longline Fisheries: 

CCAMLR ............................................................................................ 0 None documented. 

South Pacific Albacore Troll ............................................................... 6 No information. 

Western Pacific Pelagic (HI Shallow-set component) * ∧ ................... 14 Bottlenose dolphin, HI Pelagic. 

False killer whale, HI Pelagic. 

Guadalupe fur seal. 

Risso’s dolphin, HI. 

Striped dolphin, HI. 

Handline/Pole and Line Fisheries: 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species ...................................................... 0 No information. 

Pacific Highly Migratory Species ........................................................ 36 No information. 

South Pacific Albacore Troll ............................................................... 1 No information. 

Western Pacific Pelagic ..................................................................... 1 No information. 

Troll Fisheries: 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species ...................................................... 0 No information. 

South Pacific Albacore Troll ............................................................... 23 No information. 

Western Pacific Pelagic ..................................................................... 6 No information. 

Category III 

Longline Fisheries: 

Northwest Atlantic Bottom Longline ................................................... 1 None documented. 

Pacific Highly Migratory Species ........................................................ 119 None documented in the most recent 5 years of data. 

Purse Seine Fisheries: 

Pacific Highly Migratory Species * ∧ ................................................... 1 None documented. 

Trawl Fisheries: 

Northwest Atlantic .............................................................................. 1 None documented. 

Troll Fisheries: 

Pacific Highly Migratory Species * ...................................................... 95 None documented. 

List of Terms, Abbreviations, and Symbols Used in Table 3: 

CA—California; GMX—Gulf of Mexico; HI—Hawaii; OR—Oregon; WA—Washington; WNA—Western North Atlantic; 

* Fishery is an extension/component of an existing fishery operating within U.S. waters listed in table 1 or 2. The number of permits listed in table 3 represents only 

the number of permits for the high seas component of the fishery; and ∧The list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in this fishery is identical to the list of marine mammal species and/or stocks killed or injured in 

U.S. waters component of the fishery, minus species and/or stocks that have geographic ranges exclusively in coastal waters, because the marine mammal species 

and/or stocks are also found on the high seas and the fishery remains the same on both sides of the EEZ boundary. Therefore, the high seas components of these 

fisheries pose the same risk to marine mammals as the components of these fisheries operating in U.S. waters. 

TABLE 4—FISHERIES AFFECTED BY TAKE REDUCTION TEAMS AND PLANS

Take reduction plans Affected fisheries 

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP)—50 CFR 229.32 Category I: 

Mid-Atlantic gillnet. 

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot. 

Northeast sink gillnet. 

Category II: 

Atlantic blue crab trap/pot. 

Atlantic mixed species trap/pot. 

MA mixed species trap/pot. 

Northeast drift gillnet. 

Southeast Atlantic gillnet. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark gillnet.* 

Southeastern, U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico stone crab trap/pot.∧

Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan (BDTRP)—50 CFR 229.35 .... Category I: 

Mid-Atlantic gillnet. 


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62768 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 4—FISHERIES AFFECTED BY TAKE REDUCTION TEAMS AND PLANS—Continued 

Take reduction plans Affected fisheries 

Category II: 

Atlantic blue crab trap/pot. 

Chesapeake Bay inshore gillnet fishery. 

Mid-Atlantic haul/beach seine. 

Mid-Atlantic menhaden purse seine. 

NC inshore gillnet. 

NC long haul seine. 

NC roe mullet stop net. 

Southeast Atlantic gillnet. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark gillnet. 

Southeastern U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl.∧

Southeastern, U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico stone crab trap/pot.∧

U.S. Mid-Atlantic mixed species stop seine/weir/pound net (except 

the NC roe mullet stop net). 

VA pound net. 

False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan (FKWTRP)—50 CFR 229.37 .. Category I: 

HI deep-set longline. 

Category II: 

HI shallow-set longline. 

Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan (HPTRP)—50 CFR 229.33 (New 

England) and 229.34 (Mid-Atlantic).

Category I: 

Mid-Atlantic gillnet. 

Northeast sink gillnet. 

Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (PLTRP)—50 CFR 229.36 ......... Category I: 

Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico large pelagics longline. 

Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan (POCTRP)—50 CFR 

229.31.

Category II: 

CA thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet (≥14 in mesh). 

Atlantic Trawl Gear Take Reduction Team (ATGTRT) ............................ Category II: 

Mid-Atlantic bottom trawl. 

Mid-Atlantic mid-water trawl (including pair trawl). 

Northeast bottom trawl. 

Northeast mid-water trawl (including pair trawl). 

List of Symbols Used in Table 4: 

* Only applicable to the portion of the fishery operating in U.S. waters; and 

∧Only applicable to the portion of the fishery operating in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Classification 

The Chief Counsel for Regulation of 

the Department of Commerce certified 

to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the 

Small Business Administration (SBA) 

that this proposed rule would not have 

a significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

Any entity with combined annual 

fishery landing receipts less than $11 

million is considered a small entity for 

purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility 

Act. Under the size standard, all entities 

subject to this action were considered 

small entities; thus, they all would 

continue to be considered small under 

the new standards. 

Under existing regulations, all 

individuals participating in Category I 

or II fisheries must register under the 

MMPA and obtain an authorization 

certificate. The authorization certificate 

authorizes the taking of marine 

mammals incidental to commercial 

fishing operations under the MMPA. 

Additionally, individuals may be 

subject to a TRP and requested to carry 

an observer. NMFS has estimated that 

up to approximately 49,014 fishing 

vessels, most with annual revenues 

below the SBA’s small entity thresholds, 

may operate in Category I or II fisheries. 

As fishing vessels operating in Category 

I or II fisheries, they are required to 

register with NMFS. The MMPA 

registration process is integrated with 

existing state and Federal licensing, 

permitting, and registration programs. 

Therefore, individuals who have a state 

or Federal fishing permit or landing 

license, or who are authorized through 

another related state or Federal fishery 

registration program, are currently not 

required to register separately under the 

MMPA or pay the $25 registration fee. 

Through this integrated process, 

registration under the MMPA, including 

the $25 registration fee, is only required 

for vessels participating in a Category I 

or II non-permitted fishery. All Category 

I and II fisheries listed on the 2024 

proposed LOF are permitted through 

state or Federal processes, and 

registration under the MMPA is covered 

through the integrated process. 

Therefore, this proposed rule would not 

impose any direct costs on small 

entities. 

The MMPA requires any vessel owner 

or operator participating in a fishery 

listed on the LOF to report to NMFS, 

within 48 hours of the end of the fishing 

trip, all marine mammal incidental 

mortalities and injuries that occur 

during commercial fishing operations. 

These marine mammal mortalities and 

injuries are reported using a postagepaid, Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) approved form (OMB Control 

Number 0648–0292). This postage-paid 

form requires less than 15 minutes to 

complete and can be dropped in any 

mailbox, faxed, emailed, or completed 

online within 48 hours of the vessel’s 

return to port. Therefore, recordkeeping 

and reporting costs associated with this 

LOF are minimal and would not have a 

significant impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. 

If a vessel is requested to carry an 

observer, vessels will not incur any 

direct economic costs associated with 

carrying that observer. As a result of this 

certification, an initial regulatory 

flexibility analysis is not required and 

none has been prepared. In the event 

that reclassification of a fishery to 

Category I or II results in a TRP, 

economic analyses of the effects of that 

TRP would be summarized in 

subsequent rulemaking actions. 

This proposed rule contains existing 

collection-of-information (COI) 

requirements subject to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act and would not impose 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 13, 2023 / Proposed Rules 62769 

additional or new COI requirements. 

The COI for the registration of 

individuals under the MMPA has been 

approved by the OMB under OMB 

Control Number 0648–0293 (0.15 hours 

per report for new registrants). The 

requirement for reporting marine 

mammal mortalities or injuries has been 

approved by OMB under OMB Control 

Number 0648–0292 (0.15 hours per 

report). These estimates include the 

time for reviewing instructions, 

searching existing data sources, 

gathering and maintaining the data 

needed, and completing and reviewing 

the COI. Send comments regarding these 

reporting burden estimates or any other 

aspect of the COI, including suggestions 

for reducing burden, to NMFS (see 

ADDRESSES). You may also submit 

comments on these or any other aspects 

of the collection of information at 

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. 

Notwithstanding any other provision 

of law, no person is required to respond 

to, nor shall a person be subject to a 

penalty for failure to comply with a COI, 

subject to the requirements of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that 

COI displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

This proposed rule has been 

determined to be not significant for the 

purposes of Executive Orders 12866 and 

13563. 

In accordance with the Companion 

Manual for NOAA Administrative Order 

(NAO) 216–6A, NMFS determined that 

publishing this proposed LOF qualifies 

to be categorically excluded from 

further NEPA review, consistent with 

categories of activities identified in 

Categorical Exclusion G7 (‘‘Preparation 

of policy directives, rules, regulations, 

and guidelines of an administrative, 

financial, legal, technical, or procedural 

nature, or for which the environmental 

effects are too broad, speculative or 

conjectural to lend themselves to 

meaningful analysis and will be subject 

later to the NEPA process, either 

collectively or on a case-by-case basis’’) 

of the Companion Manual and we have 

not identified any extraordinary 

circumstances listed in Chapter 4 of the 

Companion Manual for NAO 216–6A 

that would preclude application of this 

categorical exclusion. If NMFS takes a 

management action, for example, 

through the development of a TRP, 

NMFS would first prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement or 

Environmental Assessment, as required 

under NEPA, specific to that action. 

This proposed rule would not affect 

species listed as threatened or 

endangered under the ESA or their 

associated critical habitat. The impacts 

of numerous fisheries have been 

analyzed in various biological opinions, 

and this proposed rule will not affect 

the conclusions of those opinions. The 

classification of fisheries on the LOF is 

not considered to be a management 

action that would adversely affect 

threatened or endangered species. If 

NMFS takes a management action, for 

example, through the development of a 

TRP, NMFS would consult under ESA 

section 7 on that action. 

This proposed rule would have no 

adverse impacts on marine mammals 

and may have a positive impact on 

marine mammals by improving 

knowledge of marine mammals and the 

fisheries interacting with marine 

mammals through information collected 

from observer programs, stranding and 

sighting data, or take reduction teams. 

This proposed rule would not affect 

the land or water uses or natural 

resources of the coastal zone, as 

specified under section 307 of the 

Coastal Zone Management Act. 

References 

Carretta, J.W., J. Greenman, K. Wilkinson, L. 

Saez, D. Lawson and J. Viezbicke. In 

Review. Sources of human-related injury 

and mortality for U.S. Pacific west coast 

marine mammal stock assessments, 

2017–2021. 

Carretta, J.W., E.M. Oleson, K.A. Forney, 

M.M. Muto, D.W. Weller, A.R. Lang, J. 

Baker, B. Hanson, A.J. Orr, J. Barlow, J.E. 

Moore, and R.L. Brownell. 2023. U.S. 

Pacific Marine Mammal Stock 

Assessments: 2022. U.S. Department of 

Commerce. NOAA Technical 

Memorandum NMFS–SWFSC–684. 

409 p. 

Freed, J.C., N.C. Young, B.J. Delean, V.T. 

Helker, M.M. Muto, K.M. Savage, S.S. 

Teerlink, L.A. Jemison, K.M. Wilkinson, 

and J.E. Jannot. 2022. Human-Caused 

Mortality and Injury of NMFS-Managed 

Alaska Marine Mammal Stocks, 2016– 

2020. U.S. Department of Commerce. 

NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS–AFSC–442, 

116 p. 

Hayes, S.A., E. Josephson, K. Maze-Foley, 

P.E. Rosel and J. Wallace. Editors. 2023. 

U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine 

Mammal Stock Assessments 2022. U.S. 

Department of Commerce. NOAA 

Technical Memorandum NMFS–NE–304. 

262 p. 

Hayes, S.A., E. Josephson, K. Maze-Foley, 

P.E. Rosel and J. Wallace. Editors. 2022. 

U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine 

Mammal Stock Assessments 2021. U.S. 

Department of Commerce, NOAA 

Technical Memorandum. 386 p. 

Maze-Foley, K. and L.P. Garrison. In Prep. 

Serious Injury Determinations for Small 

Cetaceans off the Southeast U.S. Coast, 

2017–2021. 

Young, N.C., M.M. Muto, V.T. Helker, B.J. 

Delean, N.C. Young, J.C. Freed R.P. 

Angliss, N.A. Friday, P.L. Boveng, J.M. 

Breiwick, B.M. Brost, M.F. Cameron, P.J. 

Clapham, J.L. Crance, S.P. Dahle, M.E. 

Dahlheim, B.S. Fadely, M.C. Ferguson, 

L.W. Fritz, K.T. Goetz, R.C. Hobbs, Y.V. 

Ivashchenko, A.S. Kennedy, J.M. 

London, S.A. Mizroch, R.R. Ream, E.L. 

Richmond, K.E.W. Shelden, K.L. 

Sweeney, R.G. Towell, P.R. Wade, J.M. 

Waite, and Alexandre N. Zerbini. 2023. 

Alaska Marine Mammal Stock 

Assessments 2022. U.S. Department of 

Commerce. NOAA Technical 

Memorandum NMFS–AFSC–474, 316 p. 

Dated: September 7, 2023. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19721 Filed 9–12–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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