We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Eagle Lake rainbow trout as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Eagle Lake rainbow trout may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of the subspecies to determine if listing the Eagle Lake rainbow trout is warranted.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Model Evaluation Workgroup (MEW) will hold a work session to review work products individual members have been developing prior to submission to the 2012 salmon methodology review process. The meeting is open to the public.

The work session will be held Monday, September 17, 2012, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Pacific Council and its advisory entities will meet September 13-18, 2012. The Pacific Council meeting will begin on Friday, September 14, 2012 at 10 a.m., reconvening each day through Tuesday, September 18, 2012. All meetings are open to the public, except a closed session will be held at the end of business on Friday, September 14 to address litigation and personnel matters. The Pacific Council will meet as late as necessary each day to complete its scheduled business.

ADDRESSES: Meetings of the Pacific Council and its advisory entities will be held at the Riverside Hotel, 2900 Chinden Boulevard, Boise, ID 83714; telephone: (208) 343-1871.

The Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) affords stakeholders the opportunity to give policy, management, and technical input concerning Trinity River (California) restoration efforts to the Trinity Management Council (TMC). The TMC interprets and recommends policy, coordinates and reviews management actions, and provides organizational budget oversight. This notice announces a TAMWG meeting, which is open to the public.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to monitor potential tsunami debris off the Washington coast.

Since July 15th, there have been three reports of that large “barge-like” object off the Washington and Oregon coasts. The first sighting was 55 miles off of the Westport coast a month ago. A second sighting was reported off of Tillamook Bay, OR a week later followed by a report off the Yaquina Head, OR coast on July 29. NOAA says the object is likely now off the coast of California.

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) has initiated a review of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS or sanctuary) boundaries, to evaluate the opportunity and effects of expanding the sanctuary's boundary. The process required by NMSA will be conducted concurrently with a public process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice also informs the public that NOAA will coordinate its responsibilities under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) with its ongoing NEPA process, including the use of NEPA documents and public and stakeholder meetings to also meet the requirements of section 106. NOAA anticipates completion of the final environmental impact statement and concomitant documents will require approximately twelve months from the date of publication of this Notice of Intent.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc South of Humbug Pacific Halibut Workgroup (SHPHW) will hold a conference call to finalize a report summarizing the biological,
assessment, monitoring, and allocation history of Pacific halibut in the area south of Humbug Mt.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Ecology and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Suquamish Tribe, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are collectively referred to as the Trustee Council for this case. The Trustee Council is providing notice that the Supplement to the Draft Programmatic Restoration Plan and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RP/PEIS) are being released for public comment. The Restoration Plan identifies a restoration approach to compensate for injuries to natural resources in the Lower Duwamish River. The Trustees seek damages from potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of natural resources and services injured by the release of hazardous substances in the Lower Duwamish River. This notice provides details on the availability of and opportunity to comment on the Supplement to the Draft Programmatic Restoration Plan and PEIS. Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally at a public meeting.

Written comments must be received by October 10, 2012

In September 2011, the largest dam removal in U.S. history began on the Elwha River in Washington—home to all five species of Pacific salmon. Just a few short months after the 108-foot tall Elwha Dam was removed, fish are already returning to their restored habitat.  

ISSF's Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna report has been updated with the lastest stock assessments for the eastern Pacific Ocean. The report evaluates the biolofical health of the world's 23 commercially fished oceanic tuna stocks. The report identifies which stocks are healthy, those that are in danger of being overfished and stocks that are in an overfished state. The report also rates fishing gears according to their impact on the marine environment. 

This update highlights two important changes in the eastern Pacific Ocean.