The National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed rules amending the current regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. This proposed rule revises the management measures for reducing the incidental mortality and serious injury to the North Atlantic right whale, humpback whale, and fin whale in commercial trap/pot and gillnet fisheries to meet the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The measures identified in the Plan are also intended to benefit minke whale, which are not strategic, but are known to be taken incidentally in commercial fisheries. NMFS wants comments on or before September 16, 2013. NMFS’ Federal register notice seeking comments is available online at
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-07-16/pdf/2013-16779.pdf