[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4941-4942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2275]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 011900C]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Deep-sea Red Crab 
Fishery; Scoping Process

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

ACTION:  Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of scoping process; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) 
announces its intention to prepare a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for 
deep-sea red crab (Chaceon quinquedens) and to prepare an EIS, if 
necessary, to analyze the impacts of any proposed management measures. 
The FMP would be developed pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Council 
also formally announces a public process to determine the scope of 
issues to be addressed in the environmental impact analyses. The 
purpose of this notification is to alert the interested public of the 
commencement of the scoping process and to provide for public 
participation in compliance with environmental documentation 
requirements.

DATES:  The Council will discuss and take scoping comments at public 
meetings in February 2000. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times. Written scoping comments must be received at the 
appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) on or before 5:00 
p.m., local time, February 21, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  The Council will discuss and take scoping comments at 
public meetings in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific locations. Written comments and requests for 
copies of the scoping document and other information should be directed 
to Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management 
Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950, Telephone 
(978) 465-0492. Comments may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 
465-3116. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or 
Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Paul J. Howard, (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The deep-sea red crab (Chaceon quinquedens) is a deep-water benthic 
species that supports a small commercial fishery on the Atlantic coast 
in southern New England and on the southern slope of Georges Bank. 
Although not regulated, the commercial fishery appears to be limited to 
approximately six vessels, with some possible seasonal participation by 
offshore lobster vessels. There is no FMP for red crab.
    Information is scarce for this resource, but recent annual landings 
appear to be close to estimates of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) (5.5 
mil lb (2.5 mil kg)). Current capacity in this fishery is sufficient to 
harvest or exceed MSY; there is concern about excess harvesting 
capacity entering this fishery. The Council is considering development 
of a controlled access system in the red crab fishery to address the 
principle of matching capacity to sustainable harvest level. The 
limitation of entry into the fishery may be based on levels of 
participation or other criteria, such as domestic harvest capacity. The 
Council will consider other management measures (e.g., minimum size, 
quotas, trap limits and/or requirements, fishing seasons, etc.) as 
appropriate.

Scoping Process

    All persons affected by or otherwise interested in red crab fishery 
management are invited to participate in determining the scope and 
significance of issues to be analyzed by submitting written comments 
(see ADDRESSES) or attending one of the scoping meetings. Scope 
consists of the range of actions, alternatives, and impacts to be 
considered. Alternatives include preparing an FMP that contains 
management measures such as the ones previously mentioned in this 
notice; preparing an FMP that does not contain management measures, but 
that has a framework procedure for the development of such measures in 
the future; not preparing an FMP at this time; or other reasonable 
courses of action. Impacts may be direct, indirect, individual, or 
cumulative. The scoping process also will identify and eliminate from 
detailed study issues that are not significant. If, after the scoping 
process is completed, the Council proceeds with the development of an 
FMP, the Council will prepare an EIS or Environmental Assessment, as 
appropriate, depending on the nature of the FMP to be developed. The 
Council will hold

[[Page 4942]]

public hearings to receive comments on the draft FMP and the analysis 
of its impacts on the human environment.

Public Meeting Schedule

    The Council will discuss and take scoping comments at public 
meetings as follows:
    February 11, 2000, 1:00 p.m., Urban Forestry Center, State of New 
Hampshire Division of Parks and Lands, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, NH 
03801, (603) 431-6774 and
    February 14, 2000, 1:00 p.m., Center for Marine Science and 
Technology (CMAST), University of Massachusetts, 706 South Rodney 
French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA, (508) 999-8193.
    Additional scoping meetings may be scheduled as needed.

Special Accommodations

    The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: January 27, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-2275 Filed 2-1-00; 8:45 am]
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