[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66683-66684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26599]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC791


Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Special Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Fishing Permit

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact for the issuance of a special coral 
reef ecosystem fishing permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS issued a Special Coral Reef Ecosystem Fishing Permit that 
authorizes Kampachi Farms, LLC, to culture and harvest a coral reef 
ecosystem management unit fish species in a floating pen in Federal 
waters west of the Island of Hawaii. This notice informs the public 
that NMFS prepared an environmental assessment of the potential impacts 
of the proposed activity, and finds that there will be no significant 
impact to the environment from the activity.

DATES: The special coral reef ecosystem fishing permit is effective 
from October 25, 2013, through October 24, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may review the final environmental assessment (EA) and 
finding of no significant impact, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0125, at 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0125.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phyllis Ha, Sustainable Fisheries, 
NMFS PIR, tel 808-944-2265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS issued a Special Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Fishing Permit to Kampachi Farms, LLC, consistent with Federal 
regulations for Hawaii fisheries at 50 CFR Sec.  665.224, pertaining to 
management of coral reef ecosystem fisheries, and in accordance with 
the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaii Archipelago (FEP). The permit 
authorizes the culture and harvest of the native coral reef ecosystem 
management unit fish species Seriola rivoliana, marketed as Kona 
Kampachi[supreg], using a

[[Page 66684]]

floating cage tethered to a 28-ft vessel connected to a single-point 
mooring established at around 6,000 feet deep, approximately 5.5 nm 
west of Keauhou Bay, Hawaii.
    NMFS published in the Federal Register a notice of availability of 
a draft EA and request for public comments on August 13, 2013 (78 FR 
49258). NMFS received comments from eight individuals, and considered 
those comments by improving information in the baseline and the clarity 
of the final EA. None of the comments resulted in substantial changes 
to the analysis about the significance of impacts of the proposed 
action on the human environment in the final EA.
    Based on the information in the final EA, NMFS determined that the 
action will not significantly impact the quality of the human 
environment.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 1, 2013.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26599 Filed 11-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P