80 FR 72951 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; 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 225 (November 23, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 225 (November 23, 2015)
| Page Range | 72951-72953 | |
| FR Document | 2015-29795 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 225 (Monday, November 23, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 72951-72953] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-29795] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XE308 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; 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 22 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which would set criteria for a limited entry program for the small-mesh multispecies (whiting) fishery. 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, January 7, 2016. ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments on Amendment 22 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 22 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. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The New England Fishery Management 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 22 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is anticipated to consider criteria that would restrict access to the directed whiting fishery based on past participation by vessels in the fishery and possibly other factors through the establishment of a limited entry program. Amendment 22 would also determine limits and fishery regulations that would apply to qualifying and non-qualifying vessels. The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed through a set of exemptions from the requirements of the ``large-mesh'' multispecies fishery. The current small-mesh exemptions under the FMP were first established in Amendment 5 in 1994. Amendment 5 prevented fishing with mesh smaller than the established minimum size in Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Areas, unless exempted fisheries could be established that reduce the bycatch of regulated multispecies to less than 5 percent of the total weight of fish on board. Since that time, experimental and exempted fisheries for small-mesh multispecies in this area have evolved through cooperative experimentation, gear research, and gear technologies that significantly reduce bycatch of non-target species, especially regulated multispecies. A number of amendments and framework adjustments revised management of the small-mesh fishery, including the relationships between [[Page 72952]] retention limits and net mesh size, created and then modified a seasonal raised footrope trawl fishery in Cape Cod Bay, made minor modifications to several related measures, and created a raised footrope trawl whiting fishery in the inshore Gulf of Maine. Using a September 9, 1996, control date, the Council developed and submitted Amendment 12 to establish limited access criteria during 1999. Due to concerns about equity and overfishing, the limited access criteria in this amendment were disapproved (See the final rule (65 FR 6766; March 29, 2000) for Amendment 12 here: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfd/multifr/65FR16765.pdf). In 2006, the Council held new scoping hearings for an second limited entry amendment, which at the time was known as Amendment 15 (http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfd/multifr/65FR16765.pdf) and began development of limited access alternatives using March 25, 2003, control date and fishery data (dealer and VTR) through 2005. Extensive analyses were completed through May 2007 by Whiting Advisors and the Small Mesh Multispecies Committee to develop and evaluate alternatives. Concerns were raised, and potential solutions generated, to address ``historic'' whiting fisheries that had lost access in the mid-2000s due to groundfish restrictions and/or changes in availability of small-mesh multispecies. Between the 2006 scoping hearings and May 2007, substantial progress was made to analyze the fishery and develop alternatives, but the Council encountered data, enforcement, and compliance problems that compromised any approach that could be taken. Because these issues could not be resolved in a timely manner, the Council took up higher priority issues in 2008 and work on the amendment was discontinued. Many of the issues that were raised at that time have not been resolved. Amendment 19 (http://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/Final_Amendment_19.pdf) was approved and implemented on April 4, 2013 (http://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/amend19final_rule.pdf), establishing allowable biological catch specifications, annual catch limits, and accountability measures individually for northern and southern stocks of whiting (silver and offshore hakes) and red hake. These limits were set using a benchmark stock assessment conducted in 2010 (http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1101/). The most recent action was a Specifications Document for Fishing Years 2015-2017 (http://www.nefmc.org/library/2015-2017-whiting-specifications), taken in response to an operational assessment that updated the stock status and to make a correction to the northern red hake accountability measure. The operational assessment determined that overfishing of northern red hake was occurring in 2013 (http://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/SAFE-Report-for-Fishing-Year-2013.pdf), a situation that the Council addressed by changing the ABC and reducing northern red hake possession limits. The assessment detected a large 2013 year class, but its size was imprecise and it would not enter the fishery until 2015-2016. Because this large year class could cause excessive discards with the reduced northern red hake possession limits, a new operational red hake assessment was requested and presented to the Council in September 2015. The Council is considering adjusting the red hake specifications based on that update. Amendment 22 The purpose of Amendment 22 is to implement measures that would prevent unrestrained increases in fishing effort by new entrants to the fishery. The need for the amendment is to reduce the potential for a rapid escalation of the small-mesh multispecies fishery, possibly causing overfishing and having a negative effect on red hake and whiting markets. The outcome of both would have negative effects on fishery participants. The amendment is intended to ensure that catches of the small-mesh multispecies and other non-target species will be at or below specifications, reducing the potential for causing accountability measures to be triggered and resulting closure of the directed fishery. The Council's Small-Mesh Multispecies Committee and the Council will be identifying the goals and objectives for Amendment 22 following the scoping period and will then develop alternatives to meet the purpose and need of the action. Following input from these Council bodies and the public, the Council will select a range of alternatives to consider limited access criteria as well as limits and fishing restrictions for qualifying and non-qualifying vessels. Public Comment All persons affected by or otherwise interested in small-mesh multispecies 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 22 would consider limited access criteria based on a vessel's history in the fishery and possibly other factors, as well as limits and fishing restrictions that would apply to qualifying and non- qualifying vessels. After the scoping process is completed, the Council will begin development of Amendment 22 and will prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of the range of alternatives under consideration. Impacts may be direct, indirect, 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 Magnuson-Stevens Act, 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. Tuesday, December 1, 2015; 5:30 p.m.; Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME 04101; (207) 775-2311. 2. Monday, December 7, 2015; 7 p.m.; MA DMF of Marine Fisheries; Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station; 30 Emerson Ave; Gloucester, MA 01930; (978) 282-0308. 3. Monday, December 14, 2015; 7 p.m.; Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 02740; (774) 634-2000. 4. Monday, December 21, 2015; 7 p.m.; Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation; 240 Edgemere St., Montauk, New York 11954; (631) 668-1124 5. Webinar; Thursday, December 17, 2015; 3-5 p.m. Register to participate: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5272201506328155394; Call in info: Toll: +1 (914) 614-3221; Access Code: 539-710-362. Special Accommodations The meetings are accessible to people with physical disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to [[Page 72953]] Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least five days prior to this meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: November 18, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-29795 Filed 11-20-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 225 / Monday, November 23, 2015 / Notices 72951
(SSC) will meet in San Juan, Puerto auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. • Fax to (978) 465–3116.
Rico. Miguel A. Rolón, Executive Director, Requests for copies of the
DATES: The meetings will be held on Caribbean Fishery Management Council, Amendment 22 scoping document and
December 8–10, 2015. See 270 Muñoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, other information should be directed to
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00918–1903, Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
dates and times. telephone (787) 766–5926, at least 5 New England Fishery Management
days prior to the meeting date. Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2,
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at
Dated: November 18, 2015. Newburyport, MA 01950, telephone
the Caribbean Fishery Management (978) 465–0492. The scoping document
Council Headquarters, 270 Muñoz Tracey L. Thompson,
is accessible electronically via the
Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Internet at http://www.nefmc.org.
Puerto Rico 00918. Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–29783 Filed 11–20–15; 8:45 am] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
Caribbean Fishery Management Council, BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
New England Fishery Management
270 Muñoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, Council, (978) 465–0492.
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–1903;
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
telephone: (787) 766–5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Background
Caribbean Fishery Management Administration The New England Fishery
Council’s SSC will hold a three-day Management Council, working through
meeting to discuss the items contained RIN 0648–XE308
its public participatory committee and
in the following agenda: meeting processes, anticipates the
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
December 8, 2015, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery development of an amendment that may
Management Plan; Notice of Intent To be analyzed through an environmental
Æ Call to Order impact statement (EIS), dependent on
Æ Island-Based Fishery Management: Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement; Scoping Process; Request addressing applicable criteria in the
Choosing Species to be Included for Council on Environmental Quality
Federal Management Within Each for Comments
regulations and guidance for
Island Group AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries implementing the National
• Review Draft List of Species Selected Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
for Management—Review Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Amendment 22 to the Northeast
Æ Puerto Rico Commerce. Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
Æ St. Croix
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an (FMP) is anticipated to consider criteria
Æ St. Thomas/St. John
environmental impact statement and that would restrict access to the directed
• Next Steps in Developing Island
initiate scoping process; request for whiting fishery based on past
Based
comments. participation by vessels in the fishery
Æ Action 2—Species Complexes—
SERO Update and possibly other factors through the
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery establishment of a limited entry
• SEDAR 46 U. S. Caribbean Data- Management Council announces its
Limited Species Workshop Update program. Amendment 22 would also
intention to prepare, in cooperation determine limits and fishery regulations
Æ Data Review—SEFSC with NMFS, an environmental impact
Æ Alternative Methods for that would apply to qualifying and non-
statement in accordance with the qualifying vessels.
Establishing Reference Points National Environmental Policy Act. An
Æ Review Methods SEFSC The small-mesh multispecies fishery
environmental impact statement may be is managed through a set of exemptions
December 9, 2015, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. necessary to provide analytical support from the requirements of the ‘‘large-
for Amendment 22 to the Northeast mesh’’ multispecies fishery. The current
• SEDAR 46 U. S. Caribbean Data- Multispecies Fishery Management Plan,
Limited Species Workshop Update small-mesh exemptions under the FMP
which would set criteria for a limited were first established in Amendment 5
(continued) entry program for the small-mesh
Æ Data Review—SEFSC in 1994. Amendment 5 prevented
multispecies (whiting) fishery. This fishing with mesh smaller than the
Æ Alternative Methods for notice is to alert the interested public of
Establishing Reference Points established minimum size in Gulf of
the scoping process and potential Maine/Georges Bank Regulated Mesh
Æ Review Methods SEFSC development of a draft environmental
• Next Steps in Developing Island Areas, unless exempted fisheries could
impact statement and to outline be established that reduce the bycatch of
Based opportunity for public participation in
Æ Action 3—Reference Points regulated multispecies to less than 5
that process. percent of the total weight of fish on
Æ Other Needed Actions
Æ 5 year CFMC Research Plan DATES: Written and electronic scoping board. Since that time, experimental
comments must be received on or before and exempted fisheries for small-mesh
December 10, 2015, 9 a.m.—12 p.m. 5 p.m., local time, January 7, 2016. multispecies in this area have evolved
• Finalize 5 year CFMC Research Plan ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments through cooperative experimentation,
• Review average landings relative to on Amendment 22 may be sent by any gear research, and gear technologies that
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ACLs and proposed closures of the following methods: significantly reduce bycatch of non-
• Email to the following address: target species, especially regulated
Special Accommodations comments@nefmc.org; multispecies.
These meetings are physically • Mail to Thomas A. Nies, Executive A number of amendments and
accessible to people with disabilities. Director, New England Fishery framework adjustments revised
For more information or request for sign Management Council, 50 Water Street, management of the small-mesh fishery,
language interpretation and other Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; or including the relationships between
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Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least U.S. Congress passed the Coastal Zone Dated: November 18, 2015.
five days prior to this meeting date. Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), 16 Sarah Brabson,
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. U.S.C. 1451 et. seq. The CZMA NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
authorized a federal program to [FR Doc. 2015–29750 Filed 11–20–15; 8:45 am]
Dated: November 18, 2015. encourage coastal states and territories BILLING CODE 3510–08–P
Emily H. Menashes, to develop comprehensive coastal
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable management programs. The CZMA has
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. been reauthorized on several occasions, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[FR Doc. 2015–29795 Filed 11–20–15; 8:45 am] most recently with the enactment of the
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Coastal Zone Protection Act of 1996. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
(CZMA as amended). The program is Administration
administered by the Secretary of RIN 0648–XE300
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Commerce, who in turn has delegated
this responsibility to the National Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico;
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Oceanic and Atmospheric Southeast Data, Assessment, and
Administration
Administration’s (NOAA) National Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
Submission for OMB Review; Ocean Services (NOS).
The coastal zone management grants AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Comment Request Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
provide funds to states and territories to:
The Department of Commerce will implement federally-approved coastal Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
submit to the Office of Management and management programs; complete Commerce.
Budget (OMB) for clearance the information for the Coastal Zone ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 45 post-
following proposal for collection of Management Program (CZMP) workshop webinar for Gulf of Mexico
information under the provisions of the Performance Management System; Vermilion Snapper.
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. develop program assessments multi-year
Chapter 35). SUMMARY: The SEDAR 45 assessment of
strategies to enhance their programs the Gulf of Mexico Vermilion Snapper
Agency: National Oceanic and within priority areas under Section 309
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). will consist of one in-person workshop
of the CZMA; submit documentation as and a series of webinars. See
Title: Coastal Zone Management
described in the CZMA Section 306a on SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Program Administration Grants,
the approved coastal zone management
Performance Reports, Amendments and DATES: The SEDAR 45 post-workshop
programs; submit requests to update
Routine Program Changes, Section 306A webinar will be held from 1 p.m. to 3
their federally-approved programs
and Section 309 Requirements, and p.m. on December 8, 2015.
through amendments or program
Section 6217 Coastal Nonpoint ADDRESSES:
changes; and develop and submit state
Pollution Program. Meeting address: The meeting will be
coastal nonpoint pollution control
OMB Control Number: 0648–0119. held via webinar. The webinar is open
Form Number(s): None. programs (CNP) as required under
Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act to members of the public. Those
Type of Request: Regular (revision interested in participating should
and extension of a currently approved Reauthorization Amendments.
Revision: The CZMP Performance contact Julie A. Neer at SEDAR (see FOR
information collection). FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) to
Number of Respondents: 34. Measurement System has been revised
to reduce the number of measures on request an invitation providing webinar
Average Hours Per Response: Coastal
which state programs are required to access information. Please request
Zone Management Performance
report, resulting in an overall decrease webinar invitations at least 24 hours in
Tracking, 25 hours; performance
in reporting burden for the performance advance of each webinar.
reports: Year 1, Sections A and B, 35
SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place
hours; Year 2, Section A, 10 hours; Year measurement system. The assessment
Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC
3, Section A, 5 hours; Section C, 2 process under CZMA Section 309 has
29405.
hours; amendments and program change also been refined to rely more on readily
documentation, 20 hours; Section 306a available existing data and allow states FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
Application Checklist and to more quickly focus their assessments A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; (843) 571–
documentation, 5 hours; Section 309 on high-priority enhancement areas. 4366; email: Julie.neer@safmc.net
Strategy & Assessment Document Affected Public: State, local and tribal SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
Preparation, 260 hours; Section 309 governments. of Mexico, South Atlantic, and
Competitive Funding—Section A Semi- Caribbean Fishery Management
Frequency: Annually, semi-annually
annual Performance Report on Project Councils, in conjunction with NOAA
and on occasion.
Implementation and Section 305 Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to States Marine Fisheries Commissions
Section A Semi-Annual Performance
obtain or retain benefits. have implemented the Southeast Data,
Report, 2 hours each; Coastal Nonpoint
Pollution Control Program Document This information collection request Assessment and Review (SEDAR)
Preparation and Section 305 Program may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow process, a multi-step method for
Development Document, 1 hour each. the instructions to view Department of determining the status of fish stocks in
Burden Hours: 9,144. Commerce collections currently under the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multi-
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Needs and Uses: This request is for review by OMB. step process including: (1) Data/
revision and extension of a currently Written comments and Assessment Workshop, and (2) a series
approved information collection. recommendations for the proposed of webinars. The product of the Data/
In 1972, in response to intense information collection should be sent Assessment Workshop is a report which
pressure on United States (U.S) coastal within 30 days of publication of this compiles and evaluates potential
resources, and because of the notice to OIRA_Submission@ datasets and recommends which
importance of U.S. coastal areas, the omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806. datasets are appropriate for assessment
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Document Created: 2018-03-01 11:17:31
Document Modified: 2018-03-01 11:17:31
| 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, January 7, 2016. | |
| Contact | Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (978) 465-0492. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 72951 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE30 |
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