[Federal Register: December 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 246)]
[Notices]
[Page 72992-72994]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26de07-40]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE57
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish
Fisheries in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
[[Page 72993]]
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement;
request for written comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council), announces its intent to prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on revisions to
Steller sea lion protection measures, in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The proposed action is to
revise the Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish
fisheries. The scope of the SEIS will be to determine the impacts to
the human environment resulting from modifications to the existing
protection measures. NMFS will accept written comments from the public
to determine the issues of concern and the appropriate range of
management alternatives to be addressed in the SEIS.
DATES: Written comments must be received by April 21, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on issues and alternatives for the SEIS
should be sent to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator,
Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Ellen
Sebastian. Comments may be submitted by
E-mail: SSL-SEISM@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line
the following document identifier: SSL SEIS. E-mail comments, with or
without attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes;
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
Hand Delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK; or
Fax: 907-586-7557.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Harrington, (907) 586-7228
or gretchen.harrington@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the United
States has exclusive fishery management authority over all living
marine resources found within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The
management of these marine resources, with the exception of certain
marine mammals and birds, is vested in the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary). The Council has the responsibility to prepare fishery
management plans for those marine resources off Alaska requiring
conservation and management. Management of the Federal groundfish
fishery located off Alaska in the EEZ is carried out under the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Gulf of Alaska (FMPs). These FMPs, their amendments, and implementing
regulations (found at 50 CFR part 679) are developed in accordance with
the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable
Federal laws and executive orders, notably NEPA and the Endangered
Species Act (ESA).
The Council is considering revising the Steller sea lion protection
measures for the groundfish fisheries based on new information
available regarding the potential interactions between Steller sea
lions and groundfish fisheries. NMFS and the Council have determined
that the preparation of an SEIS may be required for this action because
revisions to the groundfish fishery regulations to protect Steller sea
lions may result in significant impacts on the human environment not
previously analyzed in the Final SEIS for Steller Sea Lion Protection
Measures (November 2001). Thus, NMFS, in consultation with the Council,
is initiating scoping for an SEIS in the event that an SEIS is needed.
NMFS is seeking information from the public through the SEIS
scoping process on the range of alternatives to be analyzed; and on the
environmental, social, and economic issues to be considered in the
analysis. Written comments generated during this scoping process will
be shared with the Council and incorporated into the SEIS.
The SEIS would be integrated with the related ESA documents that
have been or are being prepared to address Steller sea lion issues to
avoid redundancy, while providing a decision-making document that
analyzes the potential impacts of the proposed action and its
alternatives on the human environment. Related ESA documents
(biological assessments, biological opinions, and a draft recovery
plan) and background information are available on the NMFS Alaska
Region website at http://stellersealions.noaa.gov/.
The SEIS on revisions to Steller sea lion protection measures will
supplement the Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures Final SEIS
(November 2001), which is available on the NMFS Alaska Region website
at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/seis/sslpm/default.htm
.
The preferred alternative for Steller sea lions protection measures
in the 2001 SEIS was the area and fishery specific approach, which
allowed for different protection measures specific to the type of
fishery in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska. NMFS
implemented the current protection measures in 2003 (68 FR 204, January
2, 2003). This approach was a precautionary response to concerns about
Steller sea lions and was intended to reduce the economic impact of the
protection measures on participants in the groundfish fisheries. The
protection measures in the preferred alternative were determined to
neither jeopardize the continued existence of Steller sea lions nor
adversely modify their designated critical habitat. Further, this
approach met the Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates, especially with regards
to safety at sea, minimizing bycatch, minimizing impacts to fishing
communities, and attaining optimum yield.
Steller sea lion protection measures for the groundfish fishery
currently include (1) global harvest controls for Steller sea lion prey
species (pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel); (2) spatial harvest
controls specific to prey species, gear type, and proximity to rookery,
haulout, or forage areas to limit prey species removal in an area; (3)
temporal harvest controls for pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel,
including seasonal apportionments to limit prey species removal during
certain times of the year; and (4) a vessel monitoring system
requirement for all vessels (except vessels using jig gear) fishing for
pollock, Pacific cod, or Atka mackerel.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to revise the Steller sea lion protection
measures for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska
groundfish fisheries based on new information available regarding the
potential interactions between Steller sea lions and groundfish
fisheries. The purpose of the proposed action is to maintain adequate
protection for Steller sea lions to avoid jeopardy of extinction and
destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat
under the ESA, while minimizing to the extent practicable the impacts
to the fishing industry and coastal communities that result from
complying with the protection measures. The revisions are necessary to
ensure the best scientific information available is used to: (1) ensure
the fisheries are not likely to result in jeopardy of extinction and
destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat; (2)
alleviate any unnecessary restrictions for the fleet to improve
efficiency and ensure economic viability for the industry; and (3)
[[Page 72994]]
minimize potential adverse economic impacts on coastal communities.
Alternatives
The SEIS will evaluate a range of alternative management measures
for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska groundfish
fisheries. The Council's Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee (SSLMC)
is reviewing the latest scientific information regarding Steller sea
lions and potential groundfish fisheries interactions and developing
alternative Steller sea lion protection measures. The SSLMC has
collected proposals from the public for changes to the Steller sea lion
protection measures and is scheduled to evaluate and prioritize these
proposals for Council consideration in June 2008. After Council
consideration, the Council may recommend management measures to the
Secretary for evaluation and implementation. Information regarding the
SSLMC and the proposal evaluation process is available from the Alaska
Region website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/sslmc/default.htm
.
Alternatives may include those identified here, and those developed
through public scoping, Council, and SSLMC processes. Possible
alternatives could include one, or a combination of, the following:
1.No action - retain the current suite of Steller sea lion
protection measures as are currently in place for fishing year 2008.
2.Change the current spatial management of the Atka mackerel,
pollock, or Pacific cod fisheries in the GOA and/or BSAI by opening or
closing areas near Steller sea lion rookeries, haulouts, and/or
foraging areas.
3.Change the current temporal management of harvests in the GOA
and/or BSAI Atka mackerel, pollock, and/or Pacific cod fisheries.
4.Change other management measures that currently apply to the GOA
and/or BSAI Atka mackerel, pollock, and/or Pacific cod fisheries, such
as changes to gear restrictions or the Aleutian Islands platoon
management system for Atka mackerel.
Preliminary Identification of Issues
A principal objective of the scoping and public input process is to
identify potentially significant impacts to the human environment that
should be analyzed in the SEIS. The analysis will evaluate the effects
of the alternatives for all resources, species, and issues that may
directly or indirectly interact with Steller sea lions and the
groundfish fisheries within the action area.
The primary issues to be analyzed are the effects of the proposed
action and its alternatives on Steller sea lions and their designated
critical habitat. Additional impacts to the following components of the
biological and physical environment may be evaluated: (1) other species
listed under the ESA and their critical habitat, and other species
protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act; (2) target and non-
target fish stocks, including forage fish and prohibited species; (3)
seabirds; and (4) the ecosystem.
Social and economic impacts also would be considered in terms of
the effects that changes in the Steller sea lion protection measures
would have on the following groups of individuals: (1) those who
participate in harvesting the groundfish resources; (2) those who
process and market groundfish and groundfish products; (3) those who
consume groundfish products; (4) those who rely on living marine
resources in the management area, particularly Steller sea lions, for
subsistence needs; (5) those who benefit from non-consumptive uses of
Steller sea lions and other living marine resources; and (6) fishing
communities.
Public Involvement
Scoping is an early and open process for determining the scope of
issues to be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement and for
identifying the significant issues related to the proposed action. A
principal objective of the scoping and public involvement process is to
identify a reasonable range of management alternatives that, with
adequate analysis, will delineate critical issues and provide a clear
basis for distinguishing between those alternatives and for selecting a
preferred alternative. Through this notice, NMFS is notifying the
public that an SEIS and decision-making process for this proposed
action has been initiated so that interested or affected people may
participate and contribute to the final decision.
NMFS is seeking written public comments on the scope of issues,
including potential impacts, and alternatives that should be considered
in revising the Steller sea lion protection measures. Written comments
will be accepted at the address above (see ADDRESSES). Written comments
should be as specific as possible to be the most helpful. Written
comments received during the scoping process, including the names and
addresses of those submitting them, will be considered part of the
public record on this proposal and will be available for public
inspection.
The public is invited to participate in the SSLMC meetings and
Council meetings where the latest scientific information regarding
Steller sea lions and fisheries interactions are being reviewed and
alternative protection measures are being developed and evaluated.
Future Council and SSLMC meetings will be noticed in the Federal
Register and on the website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/. Additional
information regarding regulatory, ESA, and NEPA activities for Steller
sea lions is available at the website at http://stellersealions.noaa.gov.
Please visit this website for more
information on this SEIS and for guidance on submitting effective
public comments.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 18, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-24951 Filed 12-21-07; 8:45 am]
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