oceanpolicy.com

NOAA today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, June 12 on its request for Office of Management and Budget approval to revise the Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey that estimates marine recreational fishing activity for all coastal states from Maine to Mississippi and Hawaii.  The 5-minute mail survey involves an estimated [...]

The Coast Guard today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, July 6 on its evaluation of safe access routes for the movement of vessel traffic proceeding to or from the ports or places in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and whether shipping safety fairways and/or routing measures should be established, adjusted, [...]

The Interior Dept.’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that the Gulf of Maine Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force will hold a public meeting on May 10-11 in Bangor, ME. Meeting topics will include an update on BOEM’s commercial and research offshore wind energy planning activities and discussion on next steps for the Gulf [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, July 6 on a petition seeking a rulemaking to establish vessel speed limit restrictions and other mitigation measures in the Rice’s whale “core” habitat area through a year-round 10-knot vessel speed limit in waters 100-400 meters deep from around Pensacola, FL [...]

The Coast Guard today announced the availability of the Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Port Access Route Study, which examined existing shipping routes and waterway uses to evaluate the need for establishing additional vessel routing measures. Study recommendations include implementation of five shipping safety fairways within the study area and a series of measures [...]

NOAA today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, May 8 on the preparation of a National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy (“National Strategy”) for the Coral Reef Conservation Program (“Program”). The Program is implemented in coastal and marine waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, Northern Mariana [...]

POTUS Issues Executive Order on Modernizing Regulatory Reviews President Biden today issued an Executive Order on “Modernizing Regulatory Review” in order to “advance policies that promote the public interest and address national priorities.” Among other things, the Executive Order directs federal agencies to: Proactively engage interested or affected parties in the development of regulatory agendas [...]

U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken today announced the departure of Assistant Sec. for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources Monica Medina at the end of April.  Medina, who has served in this role since Sept. 2021, will become President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation [...]

The Coast Guard today announced that the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee and its Subcommittees on Boats & Associated Equipment, Prevention Through People, and Strategic Planning will hold a public meeting in Annapolis, MD on May 10-12.  Agenda items include status of the national recreational boating safety survey and Coast Guard mobile application, as well as [...]

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council today announced a proposed ~$260,000 EPA subaward to the Woodlands Conservancy in Louisiana for habitat restoration in accordance with the Gulf of Mexico Conservation Enhancement Grant Program.  Funding will specifically be used to restore and enhance resident and migratory bird habitat in St. Bernard Parish.