80 FR 10458 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; Scoping Process; Request for Comments
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 38 (February 26, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 38 (February 26, 2015)
| Page Range | 10458-10460 | |
| FR Document | 2015-03992 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 10458-10460] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-03992] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XD784 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; Scoping Process; Request for Comments AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and initiate scoping process; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council announces its intention to prepare, in cooperation with NMFS, an environmental impact statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. An environmental impact statement may be necessary to provide analytical support for Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 8 would specify a long-term acceptable biological catch control rule for the herring fishery and consider acceptable biological catch control rule alternatives that account for herring's role in the ecosystem. This notice is to alert the interested public of the scoping process and potential development of a draft environmental impact statement and to outline opportunity for public participation in that process. DATES: Written and electronic scoping comments must be received on or before 5 p.m., local time, April 30, 2015. ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments on Amendment 8 may be sent by any of the following methods:Email to the following address: [email protected]; Mail to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; or Fax to (978) 465-3116. Requests for copies of the Amendment 8 scoping document and other information should be directed to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950, telephone (978) 465-0492. The scoping document is accessible electronically via the Internet at http://www.nefmc.org. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (978) 465-0492. [[Page 10459]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The New England Fishery Management Council (Council), working through its public participatory committee and meeting processes, anticipates the development of an amendment that may be analyzed through an environmental impact statement (EIS), dependent on addressing applicable criteria in the Council on Environmental Quality regulations and guidance for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (Herring FMP) is anticipated to consider long-term harvest strategies for herring, including an acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule, that address the biological needs of the herring resource and the role of herring in the ecosystem. The herring fishery is managed as one stock complex along the east coast from Maine to Cape Hatteras, NC, although evidence suggests that separate spawning components exist within the stock complex. The Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adopted management measures for the herring fishery in state and Federal waters in 1999 and the Federal Herring FMP became effective on January 10, 2001. Following the re-authorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Fishery Management Act (MSA) in 2007, the Council developed Amendment 4 to the Herring FMP and implemented a process for establishing annual catch limits and accountability measures in the herring fishery. Amendment 4 also defined the herring ABC control rule as the specified approach to setting the ABC for a stock or stock complex as a function of scientific uncertainty in the estimate of the overfishing limit (OFL) and any other scientific uncertainty. The ABC control rule provides guidance to the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) regarding how to specify an annual ABC for herring based on scientific uncertainty, stock status, and the Council's risk tolerance. The ABC control rule specifies a buffer between the OFL and ABC to account for scientific uncertainty, such that there is a low risk in any given year that the OFL for herring will be exceeded. Establishing an ABC control is consistent with National Standard 1 Guidelines for implementing the provisions of the MSA. During the development of Amendment 4, there was considerable uncertainty surrounding the 2009 herring stock assessment. As part of the 2010-2012 herring fishery specifications process, the SSC recommended that the Council specify an ABC based on recent catch until a new benchmark stock assessment for herring could be completed. Consistent with the SSC advice, the Council specified the herring ABC for 2010-2012 as a three-year average catch level (2006-2008). This specification was adopted as the interim ABC control rule in Amendment 4, to serve as a placeholder until a benchmark stock assessment could be completed and a more appropriate long-term ABC control rule for herring could be developed. Following a benchmark stock assessment for herring in 2012, the Council and its SSC considered several alternatives for establishing an ABC control rule for herring, including two ABC control rules that explicitly adjust for the role of a forage fish in the ecosystem, during the 2013-2015 fishery specifications process. At that time, the SSC recognized the herring stock assessment's accounting for herring's role in the ecosystem. The SSC recommended that using reference points and projections associated with explicit forage fish ABC control rules receive further evaluation prior to implementation in a long-term harvest strategy for managing the herring fishery. Ultimately, based on SSC advice, the Council adopted an ABC control rule that specified a constant ABC for 2013-2015. The ABC control rule was based on the annual catch projected to produce a less than or equal to 50 percent probability of exceeding the fishing mortality rate to support maximum sustainable yield in 2015. At the conclusion of the 2013-2015 specifications process, the Council recommended a further consideration of long-term harvest strategies for herring either during the next specifications process and/or through an amendment to the Herring FMP. Amendment 8 is proposed to further consider long-term harvest strategies for herring, including an ABC control rule that addresses the biological needs of the herring resource and explicitly accounts for herring's role in the ecosystem, consistent with the requirements and intent of the MSA. The importance of herring as a forage species is underscored by the Council's specified intent to consider a wide range of alternatives for ABC control rules in this amendment, including those that explicitly account for herring's role in the ecosystem. The Council's Herring Oversight Committee and the Council will be identifying the goals and objectives for Amendment 8 following the scoping period and will then develop alternatives to meet the purpose and need of the action. Additionally, the Council's Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) Plan Development Team and EBFM Committee will be developing guidance for managing forage fish within an ecosystem context and will be participating in the development of an ABC control rule and reference points for herring during this amendment. Following input from these Council bodies and the public, the Council will select a range of alternatives to consider long-term harvest strategies and ABC control rules for herring. Public Comment All persons affected by or otherwise interested in herring management are invited to participate in determining the scope and significance of issues to be analyzed by submitting written comments (see ADDRESSES) or by attending one of the four scoping meetings for this amendment. Scoping consists of identifying the range of actions, alternatives, and impacts to be considered. At this time in the process, the Council believes that the alternatives considered in Amendment 8 would consider long-term harvest strategies and ABC control rules for herring that explicitly account for herring's role in the ecosystem. After the scoping process is completed, the Council will begin development of Amendment 8 and will prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of the range of alternatives under consideration. Impacts may be direct, individual, or cumulative. The Council will hold public hearings to receive comments on the draft amendment and on the analysis of its impacts presented in the Draft EIS. In addition to soliciting comment on this notice, the public will have the opportunity to comment on the measures and alternatives being considered by the Council through public meetings and public comment periods consistent with NEPA, the MSA, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The following scoping meetings have been scheduled. The Council will take and discuss scoping comments on this amendment at the following public meetings: 1. Friday, March 6, 2015; 10:30 a.m.; Samoset Resort, Rockland Room, 220 Warrenton Street, Rockport, ME 04856; (207) 594-2511. 2. Thursday, March 26, 2015; 6 p.m.; DoubleTree by Hilton, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923; (978) 777-2500. [[Page 10460]] 3. Monday, April 6, 2015; 6 p.m.; Webinar; Register to participate: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/700212250002809602; call-in (631) 992-3221; Access Code 541-819-750. 4. Monday, April 20, 2015; 6 p.m.; Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355; (860) 572-0731. Special Accommodations The meetings are accessible to people with physical disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least five days prior to this meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: February 23, 2015 . Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-03992 Filed 2-25-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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Thus, if the record demonstrates that, the publication of this notice. Rebuttal DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
with respect to the production and sale briefs, and rebuttals to written
of the subject merchandise, the new comments, which must be limited to National Oceanic and Atmospheric
company operates as the same business issues raised in such briefs or Administration
entity as the predecessor company, the comments, may be filed not later than RIN 0648–XD784
Department may assign the new 5 days after the date of publication of
company the cash deposit rate of its this notice. Parties who submit case Fisheries of the Northeastern United
predecessor.12 For a full description of briefs or rebuttal briefs in this CCR are States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Notice
the methodology underlying our requested to submit with each of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
conclusions, see the Preliminary Impact Statement; Scoping Process;
argument: (1) A statement of the issue;
Decision Memorandum. A list of topics Request for Comments
and (2) a brief summary of the
discussed in the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum is included as Appendix argument; and (3) a table of authorities. AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
I of this notice. Interested parties who wish to comment Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
on the preliminary results must file Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Initiation and Preliminary Results of briefs electronically using ACCESS. An Commerce.
the Changed Circumstances Review electronically-filed document must be ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an
Pursuant to section 751(b)(1) of the received successfully in its entirety by environmental impact statement and
Act and 19 CFR 351.216(d), the the Department’s electronic records initiate scoping process; request for
Department will conduct a CCR upon system, ACCESS, by 5 p.m. Eastern comments.
receipt of a request from an interested Time on the date the document is due.
party or receipt of information SUMMARY: The New England Fishery
In accordance with 19 CFR Management Council announces its
concerning an antidumping duty order
351.216(e), the Department intends to intention to prepare, in cooperation
which shows changed circumstances
sufficient to warrant a review of the issue the final results of this changed with NMFS, an environmental impact
order. Section 351.221(c)(3)(ii) of the circumstance review not later than 270 statement in accordance with the
Department’s regulations permits the days after the date on which the review National Environmental Policy Act. An
Department to combine the initiation is initiated, or within 45 days if all environmental impact statement may be
and preliminary results of a CCR if the parties agree to our preliminary finding. necessary to provide analytical support
Department concludes that expedited for Amendment 8 to the Atlantic
Notification to Interested Parties Herring Fishery Management Plan.
action is warranted. In this instance, we
have information on the record Amendment 8 would specify a long-
This notice is issued and published in
necessary to reach the preliminary term acceptable biological catch control
accordance with sections 751(b) and
results of CCR. As such, we find that rule for the herring fishery and consider
777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.216
expedited action is warranted. acceptable biological catch control rule
and 351.221(c)(3)(ii). alternatives that account for herring’s
Accordingly, we have combined the
preliminary results with the initiation. Dated: February 18, 2015. role in the ecosystem. This notice is to
We preliminarily determine that Paul Piquado, alert the interested public of the scoping
Beijing Dixon, under its new business Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and process and potential development of a
license, (i.e., Beijing Dixon is now Compliance. draft environmental impact statement
registered as an exporter, and it exports and to outline opportunity for public
pencils produced by Kunshan Dixon), is Appendix I participation in that process.
the successor-in-interest to Beijing List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary DATES: Written and electronic scoping
Dixon for the purposes of administering Decision Memorandum comments must be received on or before
the Order and it revocation with respect 1. Summary
5 p.m., local time, April 30, 2015.
to Beijing Dixon. The Preliminary 2. Background ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments
Decision Memorandum provides a full 3. Scope of the Order on Amendment 8 may be sent by any of
description of the analysis underlying 4. Successor-in-Interest Analysis the following methods:
our conclusions. a. Analytical Framework • Email to the following address:
b. Relevant Facts comments@nefmc.org;
Public Comment • Mail to Thomas A. Nies, Executive
i. Management
Interested parties are invited to ii. Production Facilities Director, New England Fishery
comment on these preliminary results in iii. Customer Base Management Council, 50 Water Street,
accordance with 19 CFR iv. Suppliers Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; or
351.309(c)(1)(ii). Pursuant to 19 CFR c. Analysis • Fax to (978) 465–3116.
351.310(c), any interested party may i. Time Period
Requests for copies of the
request a hearing within 30 days of ii. Successorship Analysis Amendment 8 scoping document and
publication of this notice. Parties will be 1. Management other information should be directed to
notified of the time and date of any 2. Production Facilities Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
hearing, if requested. Pursuant to 19 3. Customer Base New England Fishery Management
CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), interested parties Suppliers Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2,
may submit case briefs and/or written 5. Recommendation Newburyport, MA 01950, telephone
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comments not later than 30 days after (978) 465–0492. The scoping document
[FR Doc. 2015–04081 Filed 2–25–15; 8:45 am]
is accessible electronically via the
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
Forged Stainless Steel Flanges from India, 71 FR Internet at http://www.nefmc.org.
327, 327 (January 4, 2006). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
12 See, e.g., Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon
From Norway; Final Results of Changed
Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
Circumstances Antidumping Duty Administrative New England Fishery Management
Review, 64 FR 9979, 9980 (March 1, 1999). Council, (978) 465–0492.
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![10460 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
3. Monday, April 6, 2015; 6 p.m.; to all persons and vessels subject to the • Captains and crew must follow the
Webinar; Register to participate: https:// jurisdiction of the United States, within provisions of the relevant cooperative
attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ 90 days of notification from the IWC agreement between NOAA and a Native
700212250002809602; call-in (631) 992– Secretariat of an amendment to the IWC American whaling organization.
3221; Access Code 541–819–750. Schedule (16 U.S.C. 916k). Regulations • The aboriginal hunters must have
4. Monday, April 20, 2015; 6 p.m.; that implement the WCA, found at 50 adequate crew, supplies, and equipment
Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, CFR 230.6, require the Secretary of to engage in an efficient operation.
Mystic, CT 06355; (860) 572–0731. Commerce (Secretary) to publish, at • Crew may not receive money for
least annually, aboriginal subsistence participating in the hunt.
Special Accommodations whaling quotas and any other • No person may sell or offer for sale
The meetings are accessible to people limitations on aboriginal subsistence whale products from whales taken in
with physical disabilities. Requests for whaling deriving from regulations of the the hunt, except for authentic articles of
sign language interpretation or other IWC. Native American handicrafts.
auxiliary aids should be directed to At the 64th Annual Meeting of the • Captains may not continue to whale
Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least IWC, the Commission set catch limits after the relevant quota is taken, after
five days prior to this meeting date. for aboriginal subsistence use of the season has been closed, or if their
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
bowhead whales from the Bering- licenses have been suspended. They
Chukchi-Beaufort Seas stock. The may not engage in whaling in a wasteful
Dated: February 23, 2015 . bowhead catch limits were based on a manner.
Emily H. Menashes, joint request by the United States and
Dated: February 19, 2015.
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable the Russian Federation, accompanied by
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. documentation concerning the needs of Paul N. Doremus,
[FR Doc. 2015–03992 Filed 2–25–15; 8:45 am] two Native groups: Alaska Eskimos and Acting Director, Office for International
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Chukotka Natives in the Russian Far Affairs and Seafood Inspection, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
East.
The IWC set a 6-year block catch limit [FR Doc. 2015–04083 Filed 2–25–15; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE of 336 bowhead whales landed. For BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
each of the years 2013 through 2018, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric number of bowhead whales struck may
Administration not exceed 67, except that any unused DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
RIN 0648–XD704 portion of a strike quota from any prior
year may be carried forward. No more Office of the Secretary
Whaling Provisions; Aboriginal than 15 strikes may be added to the
Subsistence Whaling Quotas strike quota for any one year. At the end Renewal of Department of Defense
of the 2014 harvest, there were 15 Federal Advisory Committees
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries unused strikes available for carry-
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and AGENCY:DoD.
forward, so the combined strike quota Renewal of Federal Advisory
ACTION:
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), set by the IWC for 2015 is 82 (67 + 15).
Commerce. Committee.
An arrangement between the United
ACTION: Notice; notification of quota for States and the Russian Federation SUMMARY: The Department of Defense
bowhead whales. ensures that the total quota of bowhead (DoD) is publishing this notice to
whales landed and struck in 2015 will announce that it is renewing the charter
SUMMARY: NMFS notifies the public of not exceed the limits set by the IWC.
the aboriginal subsistence whaling for the Missouri River (South Dakota)
Under this arrangement, the Russian Task Force (‘‘the Task Force’’).
quota for bowhead whales that it has natives may use no more than seven
assigned to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim
strikes, and the Alaska Eskimos may use Freeman, Advisory Committee
Commission (AEWC), and of limitations no more than 75 strikes.
on the use of the quota deriving from Management Officer for the Department
Through its cooperative agreement of Defense, 703–692–5952.
regulations of the International Whaling with the AEWC, NOAA has assigned 75
Commission (IWC). For 2015, the quota strikes to the Alaska Eskimos. The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
is 75 bowhead whales struck. This quota AEWC will in turn allocate these strikes committee’s charter is being renewed
and other applicable limitations govern among the 11 villages whose cultural pursuant to section 905(a) of the
the harvest of bowhead whales by and subsistence needs have been Missouri River Restoration Act of 2000
members of the AEWC. documented, and will ensure that its (‘‘the Missouri River Restoration Act’’)
DATES: Effective February 26, 2015. hunters use no more than 75 strikes. (Title IX of Pub. L. 106–541, the Water
ADDRESSES: Office for International
Resources Development Act of 2000)
Other Limitations and in accordance with the Federal
Affairs and Seafood Inspection, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East- The IWC regulations, as well as the Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD NOAA regulation at 50 CFR 230.4(c), 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended)
20910. forbid the taking of calves or any whale and 41 CFR 102–3.50(a).
accompanied by a calf. The Task Force is a non-discretionary
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NOAA regulations (at 50 CFR 230.4) Federal advisory committee that shall
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Melissa Garcia, (301) 427–8385. contain a number of other prohibitions provide independent advice and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aboriginal relating to aboriginal subsistence recommendations to the Secretary of the
subsistence whaling in the United States whaling, some of which are summarized Army on plans and projects to reduce
is governed by the Whaling Convention here: siltation of the Missouri River in the
Act (WCA) (16 U.S.C. 916 et seq.). • Only licensed whaling captains or State of South Dakota and to meet the
Under the WCA, IWC regulations shall crew under the control of those captains objectives of the Pick-Sloan Missouri
generally become effective with respect may engage in whaling. River Basin Program authorized by
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Document Created: 2015-12-18 13:05:29
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 13:05:29
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and initiate scoping process; request for comments. | |
| Dates | Written and electronic scoping comments must be received on or before 5 p.m., local time, April 30, 2015. | |
| Contact | Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (978) 465-0492. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 10458 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XD78 |
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