[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65867-65868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26795]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC329
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS); notice of initiation of scoping process; notice of scoping
meetings; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council)
announces its intent to prepare an amendment (Amendment 15) to the
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish (MSB) and to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of any
proposed management measures. The Council is initiating a public
process to determine the scope of alternatives to be addressed in the
amendment and EIS. This amendment currently will address the following
issue: Whether the Council should begin direct federal management of
river herrings (alewife and/or blueback herring) and/or shads (American
and/or hickory). Additional issues may be added depending on the
outcome of the scoping process. NMFS and the Council are alerting the
interested public of the commencement of the scoping process and
providing for public participation in compliance with environmental
documentation requirements.
DATES: Public comments on Amendment 15 scoping must be received no
later than 11:59 p.m., eastern standard time, on December 5, 2012.
Scoping hearings will be held on the following dates:
Nov 14, 2012, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.: Internet Webinar: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/268451473; While anyone with internet
access can join the webinar, there will also be a listening post at:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd
Floor, Newport News, VA 23607, (757) 247-2200.
Nov 15, 2012, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.: Internet Webinar: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/625483785; While anyone with internet
access can join the webinar, there will also be a listening post at:
New York Marine Resources Bureau Headquarters; 205 North Belle Mead
Rd., Suite 1, East Setauket, NY 11733, (631) 444-0430.
Nov 19, 2012, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.: Congress Hall, 251 Beach Ave,
Cape May, NJ 08204, 888-944-1816.
Nov 20, 2012, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.: Radisson Hotel Providence
Airport; 2081 Post Road; Warwick, RI 401-739-3000.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on Amendment 15 may be sent by any of the
following methods:
Email to the following address: [email protected].
Include ``Scoping Comments on MSB 15'' in the subject;
Mail to Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201,
Dover, DE 19901. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Scoping Comments on
MSB 15'' or
Fax to Chris Moore, Ph.D., (302) 674-5399. Include
``Scoping Comments on MSB 15'' in the fax.
Requests for copies of the scoping document and other information
should be directed to Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201,
Dover, DE 19901, toll-free telephone: (877) 446-2362. The scoping
document is also accessible via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/fmp/msb.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Toll-free telephone:
(877) 446-2362.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this amendment is to consider
measures for direct river herring and shad (RH/S) management by the
Council. Currently, RH/S are managed by the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) but there are interactions with federal
fisheries in federal waters. More direct management by the Council may
help RH/S conservation efforts, which do not appear to have yet rebuilt
many RH/S stocks. The amendment will consider whether the current
management framework for river herring and shad is sufficient for
conservation and management of these species and whether Federal
management under the Magnuson-Stevens Act would address any
deficiencies and/or inefficiencies. If management under the Magnuson-
Stevens Act can address those issues, the amendment will consider a
range of measures for Federal involvement/management. More details on
the topics addressed in this supplementary information section may be
found in the Amendment 15 scoping document (see above for how to obtain
scoping document).
The Council will first gather information during the scoping
period. This is the first and best opportunity for members of the
public to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be
considered in Amendment 15. The Council needs your input both to
identify management issues and develop effective alternatives. Your
comments early in the amendment development process will help us
address issues of public concern in a thorough and appropriate manner.
Comments can be made in writing, electronically, or during the scoping
hearings as described above. If the Council decides to move forward
with Amendment 15, the Council will develop a range of management
alternatives to be considered and prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to analyze the impacts of the management alternatives
being considered as required by the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). Impacts may be direct, indirect, individual, or cumulative. A
draft EIS will be distributed for public review. During a 45-day public
comment period (which will also include public hearings) the public may
comment on any aspect of the draft EIS. Following a review of the
comments, the Council will then choose preferred management measures
for submission with the Final EIS to the Secretary of Commerce for
publishing of a proposed and then final rule, both of which have
additional comment periods.
Special Accommodations: The scoping hearings are accessible to
people with physical disabilities. Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Chris
Moore, Ph.D. (see contact info above) at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date. Please contact Jason Didden at [email protected] or (302)
526-5254 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date if you would like to
confirm that your computer is set up to access the webinar. The webinar
works for most
[[Page 65868]]
computers, but sometimes there are technical problems with remote voice
communication from online participants. In such cases, participants may
still use a chat feature in the webinar to submit written comments or
questions.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 26, 2012.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-26795 Filed 10-30-12; 8:45 am]
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