The Deschutes River Basin once supported thriving steelhead runs. In 1964, the completion of Round Butte Dam—the most upstream dam of the three-dam Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project—prevented significant numbers of juvenile steelhead from migrating to the Pacific Ocean. With dwindling adult returns, fish passage was abandoned by 1968. This, among other challenges, prevented fish from accessing their historical spawning and rearing habitat and contributed to the decline of Middle Columbia River steelhead. In 1999, NOAA Fisheries listed Middle Columbia River steelhead as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for lower Columbia River coho salmon and Puget Sound steelhead, currently listed as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The specific areas proposed for designation for lower Columbia River coho include approximately 2,288 mi (3,681 km) of freshwater and estuarine habitat in Oregon and Washington. The specific areas proposed for designation for Puget Sound steelhead include approximately 1,880 mi of freshwater and estuarine habitat in Puget Sound, Washington. We propose to exclude a number of particular areas from designation because the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of inclusion and exclusion will not result in the extinction of the species.

We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including information on the economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designations, as well as the benefits to the species from designations. We will consider additional information received prior to making final designations.

Comments on this proposed rule must be received by 5 p.m. P.S.T. on April 15, 2013. Requests for public hearings must be made in writing by February 28, 2013.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a conference call of its Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) and Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS). A listening station will be available at the Pacific Council offices for interested members of the public, and there may be opportunities to
attend the meeting remotely.

The conference call will be held Tuesday, January 29, 2013, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

On December 21, 2012, NOAA published a notice of intent in the Federal Register to revise the boundaries of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries. This document makes a correction to the dates of the scoping meetings. The end of the scoping period remains March 1, 2013.

NOAA will accept public comments on the notice of intent published at 77 FR 75601 (December 21, 2012) through March 1, 2013.

In a move that would permanently ban oil drilling along more than 50 miles of Northern California coast, the Obama administration announced plans Thursday to expand two Northern California marine sanctuaries, extending them up the rugged Sonoma and Mendocino coast.

The announcement, at a news conference in Washington, D.C., with members of the Bay Area congressional delegation and officials from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, marks the largest expansion of national marine sanctuaries in California in 20 years -- since President George. H.W. Bush established the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 1992.

With this notice, NOAA announces that it is considering whether to expand the boundaries of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries. NOAA will conduct this review pursuant to section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1434(e)). As required by the NMSA, the review will include public processes outlined under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). NOAA anticipates that the review and potential expansion of existing sanctuary boundaries will be completed within 18 to 24 months.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 1, 2013. Dates for scoping meetings are:

    (1) January 24 2013 at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall.

    (2) February 12, 2013 at the Gualala Community Center.

    (3) February 13, 2013 at the Point Arena High School.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 17 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan for Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries off the Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (Salmon FMP). Amendment 17, which was transmitted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) on November 5, 2012, to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, revises the maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) for Quillayute fall coho, revises the FMP to correct typographical errors, updates reporting measures to reflect new technology, and updates or removes other obsolete or unnecessary language. The Northwest Regional Administrator has determined that the actions of Amendment 17 have all either been previously analyzed in a NEPA document or qualify for categorical exclusion (CE) from further NEPA analysis under NAO 216-6. NMFS also proposes minor updates to regulations unrelated to Amendment 17.

Written comments on this proposed rule must be received on or before January 8, 2013.

The Coast Guard spotted a large dock that has washed ashore in a remote section of Olympic National Park on the northwest Washington coast. Scientists are concerned it could be debris from the tsunami that struck Japan last year.

Federal, state and tribal agencies were working together to reach the site and evaluate the dock for any potential invasive aquatic species that might be aboard, said Dave Workman of the Washington state Marine Debris Task Force. They also want to conclusively determine the dock's origin.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2013 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Pacific Council Salmon documents as well as the dates and locations of Pacific Council meetings and public hearings comprising the Pacific Council's complete schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April 2013 Pacific Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

Written comments on the salmon management alternatives must be received by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, March 31, 2013.

        
        
            

			
			Read more: PFMC Management Process for 2013 Ocean Salmon 		
	
            

In compliance with a federal court ordered deadline, and consistent with existing international protections, NOAA Fisheries announced that it is proposing Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings for 66 coral species, including 59 in the Pacific and seven in the Caribbean. This science-based proposal is more limited than the 2009 original petition that led to a settlement agreement and the court order. In order to ensure robust input, NOAA has been engaging the public since the process began three years ago. Before this proposed listing is finalized in late 2013, there will be a 90-day public comment period during which NOAA will hold 18 public meetings.