[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 827-828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-288]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 122297C]


Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto 
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft supplemental environmental 
impact statement (DSEIS); request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the intent of the Caribbean Fishery Management 
Council (Council) to prepare a DSEIS on Amendment 1 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates 
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (FMP). Amendment 1 would 
establish a Marine Conservation District (MCD), approximately 20 square 
nautical miles in area, in Federal waters south of St. John, U.S. 
Virgin Islands (USVI). The purpose of this notice is to solicit public 
comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in the DSEIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the DSEIS must be received on 
or before February 6, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the scope of the DSEIS and requests for 
additional information on Amendment 1 should be sent to Miguel A. 
Rolon, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Graciela Garcia-Moliner, 787-766-5926, 
or Georgia Cranmore, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1993, the Council's Marine Reserve Zoning 
Committee recommended the establishment of the first MCD in the U.S. 
Caribbean, in Federal waters south of St. John, USVI, seaward of the 
Virgin Islands National Park. A MCD is an area designed to protect 
coral reef resources, reef fish stocks, and their habitats. Fishing 
would be prohibited within the MCD, and the Council is considering a 
ban on the anchoring of fishing vessels

[[Page 828]]

in the MCD. Expected benefits include: (1) Establishment of a refuge 
and resource replenishment area to increase abundance and diversity of 
reef resources; (2) protection of critical spawning stock and recruits 
from overfishing, thus helping to ensure continued abundance of fishery 
resources; (3) physical protection of the coral reef structures; and 
(4) improvement of opportunities for eco-tourism that does not damage 
coral. Disadvantages include displacement of fishing effort to other 
areas and possible short-term loss of revenues for commercial 
fishermen, especially reef fish trap fishermen.

Scoping Process

    Public hearings were held on these issues during March 1996 and 
October 1997 in the USVI. No additional scoping meetings are scheduled. 
The Council is requesting written comments on the scope of the issues 
to be addressed in the DSEIS.

Timetable for DSEIS Preparation and Decisionmaking Schedule

    The Council intends to accept public comments on the completed 
DSEIS, prepare a final supplemental environmental impact statement 
(FSEIS), and submit the FSEIS to NMFS when it submits Amendment 1 for 
NMFS' review, approval, and implementation.

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

    Dated: December 31, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-288 Filed 1-6-98; 8:45 am]
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