Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this notice announces that NMFS intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to inform its decision of whether to determine that a resource management plan (RMP) jointly developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Puget Sound Tribes (Tribes), collectively the co-managers, meets requirements under Limit 6 of the ESA 4(d) rule for the ESA-listed Puget Sound Chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The purpose of the RMP is to manage commercial, recreational, ceremonial, and subsistence salmon fisheries potentially affecting the Puget Sound Chinook ESU within the marine and freshwater areas of Puget Sound, from the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca inward, including fisheries under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Salmon Commission's Fraser River Panel. In order for NMFS to make a positive determination under Limit 6 on the RMP, NMFS must conclude that the RMP's management framework is consistent with the criteria under Limit 6. Limit 6 applies to RMPs developed jointly by the States of Washington, Oregon and/or Idaho and the Tribes within the continuing jurisdiction of United States v. Washington or United States v. Oregon. NMFS provides this notice to advise other agencies and the public of our plan to analyze effects related to approval and implementation of the RMP and to obtain suggestions and information that may be useful to the scope of issues and alternatives to include in the EIS.