Search Results for keywords:"Gulf of Mexico"

NOAA's National Ocean Service, in collaboration with several agencies, is seeking public input to identify data for transmission planning in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This Request for Information aims to improve coastal and marine spatial studies, focusing on offshore wind and transmission planning. The public can provide feedback through written comments or by participating in a public meeting in New Orleans on January 14-15, 2025. The feedback will help NOAA understand data needs and gaps for marine spatial planning and engage better with communities.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has temporarily closed the commercial harvest of king mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico. This decision was made because the annual catch limit for this type of fishing has been met. The closure is effective from March 20, 2025, at noon until January 20, 2026, at 6 a.m. This measure aims to protect the king mackerel population in the Gulf, ensuring sustainable fishing practices.

The Department of Commerce has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of an information collection related to the Southeast Region Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Programs. This request aims to extend and revise current collections under the program, which manages commercial fishing quotas in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. The proposed changes would include gathering additional business details in applications and requiring extra verification if certain conditions are met when reporting landings. These changes are intended to better manage the program and ensure fair distribution of resources, and they offer an opportunity for public comment.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are holding a public meeting for the SEDAR 68 Assessment Webinar II on February 12, 2021. This meeting is part of an ongoing process to review fish stock status in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic, particularly focusing on the scamp grouper. Participants will discuss data analysis and assessment methods, aiming to make recommendations on the best approaches to evaluate and manage fish populations. The meeting will be accessible online, and interested members of the public can request an invitation to join.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to TGS, allowing the incidental taking of marine mammals during geophysical surveys related to oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico. This LOA is effective from February 15, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The authorization is granted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which permits incidental takings only if they have a negligible impact on the species. The surveys will occur over 83 days with specific modeling used to ensure compliance with existing regulations, and the anticipated impact is considered minimal.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a temporary final rule adjusting the annual commercial quotas for Atlantic sharks for 2025. These changes are based on shark underharvests from the 2024 fishing year, allowing additional fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen. The rule specifies that certain shark species, such as Gulf of America blacktip and smoothhound sharks, can have unharvested quotas carried over because they are not overfished. However, other shark groups like Hammerhead and Blacknose, which are either overfished or overfishing is occurring, won't have quota carryovers. The rule is effective from April 16, 2025, through December 31, 2025.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has decided that there is competitive interest in leasing areas for wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico, following a request for competitive interest published earlier in 2024. Hecate Energy Gulf Wind LLC initially expressed interest in leasing the areas, and Invenergy GOM Offshore Wind LLC also submitted an interest. Both companies have been found to be qualified for holding a lease, and BOEM plans to proceed with a competitive lease sale process in the Gulf, potentially starting in 2026. This decision comes after BOEM reviewed proposals and comments regarding the suitability of the specified areas for wind energy projects.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to bp Exploration and Production, Inc., permitting them to incidentally take marine mammals during a geophysical survey in the Gulf of Mexico. The survey involves using a marine vibrator source, which is less harmful to marine mammals compared to traditional airgun sources. NMFS determined the survey will have a negligible impact on marine mammal populations, and the level of animal disturbance will be within permissible limits. The LOA is valid from January 14, 2025, to December 31, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has issued a temporary rule to close the hook-and-line commercial fishing for king mackerel in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico. This closure is due to the commercial quota being reached and will last from February 22, 2021, until the end of the fishing year on June 30, 2021. NMFS previously closed gillnet fishing for the same species in this zone after reaching its quota on January 28, 2021. The closure aims to conserve the king mackerel population in the Gulf.