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Browse 363 rules and proposed rules from the Federal Register.
363
Total Regulations
Showing 1–30 of 363
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NMFS announces final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of 2026 and the start of the 2027 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
NMFS announces the final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of the 2026 and the start of the 2027 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities using Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar systems in the western and central North Pacific and eastern Indian oceans over the course of 7 years from August 2026 through August 2033. NMFS requests comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
NMFS approves regulations to implement specifications and management measures in Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, as proposed, with one adjustment to Georges Bank haddock; approves Northeast multispecies (groundfish) sectors and allocations; sets recreational measures and common pool possession limits; and clarifies and corrects existing regulations. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information and to achieve the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan. The measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.
NMFS issues this proposed rule to establish the 2026 Tribal allocation of Pacific whiting and set-aside of Pacific whiting for research and incidental mortality in non-groundfish fisheries. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of Tribal treaty fishing rights.
By this action, the Department makes a correcting amendment to its Privacy Act regulations. The Department previously amended those regulations via final rule by, among other things, updating eighteen references to an outdated Department position title. The amendatory instructions set forth in that rule, however, omitted mention of two of the paragraphs amended in such way. This action merely corrects that omission and does not make any further changes to the regulations.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
This final rule implements Amendment 15 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP) (Amendment 15). This final action modifies the timing of the Mid-Atlantic shark closed area, modifies the boundaries of the Charleston Bump and East Florida Coast closed areas to create low- and/ or high-bycatch-risk areas, and maintains the current boundaries and timing of the DeSoto Canyon closed area. This action also establishes a process to collect data from all the spatial management areas and review that data as needed and on a regular basis, while also renaming the closed areas to more closely reflect their intended uses. This rule does not implement a fleet-wide requirement for vessel owners to pay for electronic monitoring sampling costs as proposed but requires pelagic longline vessel owners to pay for the electronic monitoring sampling costs if their vessels choose to fish within the low-bycatch- risk areas of the Charleston Bump and East Florida Coast spatial management areas. This final action directly affects bottom and pelagic longline fishermen who hold Atlantic HMS fishing permits.
NMFS is considering possible deregulatory action to modify and modernize the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule. The goal of this initiative is to reduce unnecessary regulatory and economic burdens on the regulated community by replacing current seasonal speed restrictions with alternative management areas and advanced, technology-based, strike-avoidance measures that maintain or enhance conservation efficacy for the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis).
The Gulf Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 58B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf (FMP) (Amendment 58B) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved, Amendment 58 would, for the deep-water grouper (DWG) complex, revise the status determination criteria, sector allocations, and catch limits, set a recreational annual catch limit (ACL), and revise the recreational accountability measure (AM). The purpose of Amendment 58B is to update catch levels, management measures, and sector allocations for the DWG complex consistent with the best scientific information available.
By this rule, the Department clarifies and streamlines the regulations related to concrete masonry research, education, and promotion. Specifically, this rule adds language to clarify the purpose of these regulations, removes all of the sections that merely restate definitions provided in the underlying statute, clarifies the Secretary of Commerce's appointment authority, and streamlines the section governing disqualification and removal with respect to the Concrete Masonry Product Board (Board). This action is necessary and intended to promote clarity, simplicity, efficiency, and statutory conformity.
On January 5, 2026, NMFS published the proposed rule to revise commercial blacknose shark and recreational Atlantic shark fisheries management measures in the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) shark fisheries. In the proposed rule, NMFS announced a 60-day comment period ending on March 6, 2026. During the comment period, the Gulf Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requested an extension of the comment to provide additional opportunities for the public to consider and comment on the proposed measures and related analyses. NMFS is extending the comment period for this action through May 29, 2026. NMFS will consider comments received on the proposed rule in determining whether and how to implement final management measures.
NMFS has received a request for the reimplementation of incidental take regulations (ITR) governing the incidental taking of marine mammals during geophysical survey activity conducted in the Gulf of America (GOA). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposed rule and will consider public comments relevant to this proposed rule prior to issuing any final rule.
NMFS is adjusting the specifications for the 2026 Atlantic mackerel fishery to reflect the results of an updated mackerel management track stock assessment. This in-season action is intended to continue rebuilding the mackerel stock, help the mackerel fishery achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.
The Census Bureau provides an Age Search service of confidential records from the 1910 to 2020 decennial censuses and can issue an official transcript of the results to authorized individuals. With this rule, the Census Bureau is proposing to increase the fee for conducting an Age Search from $65.00 to $155.00. The Census Bureau is also proposing to increase the additional charge for expedited requests requiring search results within one day from $20.00 per case to $50.00 per case. These changes are needed to reflect the actual operating costs associated with processing an Age Search request which were last revised in 2004.
NMFS corrects the final rule that implemented management measures described in the Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas and St. John Fishery Management Plans (collectively, island-based FMPs), which published in the Federal Register on September 13, 2022. Among other measures, the final rule revised and redesignated the species tables, but inadvertently did not include revisions to the applicable species table references. The purpose of this correcting amendment is to fix these inadvertent errors.
By this rule, the Census Bureau is amending its regulations governing requests and establishing fee structures for special census services and studies. This action is necessary to eliminate obsolete provision and streamline the Census Bureau's regulations. This action is intended to promote simplicity and efficiency and to reduce the possibility of public confusion.
NMFS, upon request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp), issues this final rule pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to specified activities conducted in support of oil and gas exploration, development, production, and decommissioning in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years (2026-2031) and an associated letter of authorization (LOA). Together, the final rule and LOA allow for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described specified activities and timeframes, prescribes the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establishes requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
NMFS proposes to approve and implement the rebuilding plan recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) for the overfished Queets River Spring/Summer Chinook salmon stock (Queets sp/ su Chinook salmon). NMFS determined in October 2023 that this stock was overfished. The rebuilding plan will be part of the framework that guides the development of annual management measures for ocean salmon fisheries until NMFS determines that the overfished stock is rebuilt.
By this rule, NIST removes the regulations outlining the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and the Technology Innovation Program (TIP), both of which now lack authorization and, operationally, are no longer active. This action is necessary to reflect the repeal of the underlying statutory provision and to ensure that NIST's regulations remain current and up-to-date. This action is intended to minimize the risk of confusion and/or distraction and to promote efficiency.
This proposed rule would revise the regulations regarding the termination date for swordfish and shark limited access permits (LAPs). Currently, when a swordfish or shark LAP is not renewed within a year of the expiration date, the permit terminates and can no longer be renewed or used. This action would remove the termination date and allow permits to be renewed at any time. This action would stop the further loss of swordfish and shark LAPs and may benefit permit holders by providing them the ability to renew their LAPs more than one year past their expiration. This action would have no practical effect on harvest levels of swordfish and shark species and is administrative in nature.
By this rule, NIST removes its regulation setting forth marking requirements for toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms. Pursuant to statutory amendments made by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the subject regulation now lacks an underlying statutory authorization and has been rendered obsolete by the new, operative marking requirements issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The removal of the subject NIST regulation is therefore necessary to reflect the current state of the underlying law and to eliminate obsolete regulatory language. This action is intended to minimize the risk of public confusion regarding the applicable marking requirements and governing authority for toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms and to promote administrative efficiency.
NMFS announces 2026 specifications and projects 2027 specifications for the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries. The implementing regulations for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Bluefish FMP require us to publish specifications for the upcoming fishing year for each of these species and to respond to public comments received during the public comment period. The specifications for these species are intended to establish allowable harvest levels that will prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information, for the 2026 fishing year.
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowances (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide the opportunity for the harvest of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI).
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent the underharvest of, and to achieve the full use of, the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2026 A season allowance of the total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
By this rule, the Department of Commerce ("Department") amends its regulations implementing the Privacy Act of 1974. Specifically, this rule amends those regulations by updating the position title of an agency official, removing unnecessary language related to judicial review, eliminating a provision that merely cross- references and restates statutory criminal penalty provisions, updating the name and number of an existing Privacy Act system of records, and updating the list of denying officials set forth in an appendix to the regulations. This action is necessary to ensure that the Department's regulations are up-to-date, to reduce regulatory complexity and clutter, and to minimize the potential for confusion among the public. This action is intended to promote regulatory accuracy, clarity, and efficiency without diminishing any substantive right or obligation established by the Privacy Act.
NMFS issues this final rule to implement amendment 125 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). Amendment 125 and this final rule add a small vessel provision to the BSAI Pacific cod jig sector in the A season, January 1 to April 30. Under this small vessel provision, catch from catcher vessels (CV) using hook-and-line or pot gear that are less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) harvesting Pacific cod in the BSAI during the jig gear A season accrues to the jig sector allocation. This action provides stability and additional opportunities for some fishery participants and potential new entrants. It also advances the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act), the BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.
NMFS is transferring 30.8 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the Longline category. With this transfer, the adjusted Longline category quota for the 2026 fishing season is 240.1 mt and the adjusted Reserve category quota is 7.4 mt. The 2026 BFT Longline category is open until December 31, 2026, or until the Longline category quota is reached, whichever comes first. NMFS will distribute the transferred quota to permitted Atlantic Tunas Longline vessels with recent fishing activity. As a result of this transfer, each associated Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) account will receive 893 pounds (lbs) (0.4 mt) of IBQ. Note that NMFS intends to take separate action as soon as possible in 2026 to consider modifying the baseline BFT quota consistent with the quota adopted at the 2025 International Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) annual meeting.