[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3989-3991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1378]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 120400B]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the 
Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 3990]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

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

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

SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic 
Council) intends to prepare a DEIS to assess the impacts on the natural 
and human environment of the dolphin and wahoo fishery and of the 
management measures proposed for this fishery under the draft Fishery 
Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, 
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this notice is to solicit 
public comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in the DEIS.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the DEIS and requests for 
additional information on the management measures proposed for the 
management of dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, 
and Gulf of Mexico should be sent to the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 
29407-4699; phone: 843-571-4366; fax: 843-769-4520.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed by 
the DEIS should be received by the Council by February 16, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, 843-571-4366, or Steve 
Branstetter, 727-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Atlantic Council is jointly 
preparing with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf of 
Mexico Council) and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Caribbean 
Council) a draft Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo 
Fishery of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (FMP) The New 
England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council are also cooperating in the FMP preparation.
    The South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Carribean Councils intend 
that the FMP take a precautionary approach in conserving the dolphin 
and wahoo fishery resources throughout their range in the exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ) of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. 
The FMP would have management objectives for the achievement of optimum 
yield from the dolphin and wahoo resources and the maintenance of 
current allocations among user groups. A draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) will be integrated into the draft FMP document.
    The DEIS will describe the FMP's proposed management measures and 
their reasonable alternatives and will assess the environmental impacts 
of these proposed and alternative measures. Based on considerable 
previous public input (see reference below to public hearings held to 
date on a preliminary draft of the FMP/DEIS), the South Atlantic, Gulf 
of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils have already identified a number of 
proposed FMP measures and their alternatives. The proposed management 
units for dolphin and wahoo would be defined as the populations of each 
species throughout their full management range in the Atlantic, Gulf of 
Mexico, and Caribbean EEZ. Alternative management units considered will 
include the establishment of three separate units for each species 
based on each Council's geographical area of jurisdiction. The DEIS 
will assess the environmental impacts of the FMP's considered options 
for requiring dealer, vessel, and operator permits to participate in 
the fishery as well as the effects of any qualifying criteria, such as 
prior levels of participation in the fishery, for obtaining and 
maintaining permits. The DEIS will also evaluate the environmental 
impacts of the FMP's considered alternatives for reporting 
requirements. The DEIS will assess the impacts of the FMP's proposed 
and alternative biologically acceptable values, based on either biomass 
or fishing mortality rates, that define maximum sustainable yield, 
optimum yield, and overfishing and overfished conditions. The FMP and 
DEIS will identify and describe essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH 
Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (EFH HAPCs) for dolphin and wahoo. 
The DEIS will assess the environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed and alternative EFH and EFH HAPCs; EFH/EFH HAPCs alternatives 
considered may include specific locales that are important to the 
continued health of the dolphin and wahoo stocks or areas of importance 
to a critical life stage of these species.
    The FMP would establish a framework procedure allowing the South 
Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils to recommend new 
management measures and adjustments for existing measures, within 
specified limits, that could be approved and implemented (under the 
framework procedure) without having to amend the FMP. Also, the South 
Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils intend that the FMP 
provide each Council with the authority to recommend independently the 
establishment of harvesting restrictions for its respective area of 
jurisdiction. Such area-specific measures generally would be proposed, 
approved, and implemented under the FMP's framework procedure. The 
environmental impacts of measures proposed later under the framework 
procedure would be assessed at the time of proposal.
    To maintain healthy stocks of both dolphin and wahoo in the 
Atlantic, the South Atlantic Council intends that the FMP initially 
propose commercial trip limits, recreational bag and boat limits, 
minimum size limits, and allowable gears for the dolphin and wahoo 
fishery within its area of the EEZ. The Gulf of Mexico Council is 
considering several measures that would apply only to the Gulf of 
Mexico EEZ; these include establishment of specific dates for the 
fishing year and prohibition of the sale of recreationally caught fish. 
The DEIS will assess the environmental impacts of all of the FMP's 
proposed area-specific measures and their considered alternatives.
    The DEIS will evaluate the impacts of the FMP's proposed allocation 
of the majority of the catch to the recreational sector. This 
allocation is intended to preserve the historical contribution of the 
recreational sector to the total fishery. To ensure economic stability 
for the established commercial fishery, the FMP would propose a 
restriction on or a prohibition of the sale of fish caught in the 
recreational fishery.
    Based on input received during 17 public hearings held to date on a 
preliminary draft of the FMP/DEIS, the South Atlantic Council intends 
to prepare a revised draft FMP and to finalize the DEIS covering its 
environmental impacts. Because of the previous considerable 
opportunities for public input, the South Atlantic Council has 
scheduled no specific scoping meetings for the DEIS. However, the South 
Atlantic Council is requesting written comments on the scope of the 
issues to be addressed in the DEIS.
    Once the South Atlantic Council completes the DEIS, it will submit 
it to NMFS for filing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 
EPA will publish in the Federal Register a notice of availability of 
the DEIS for public comment. This procedure is pursuant to the Council 
on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508) and to NOAA's Administrative Order 216-6 regarding NOAA's 
compliance with NEPA.
    The South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery 
Management

[[Page 3991]]

Councils intend to consider public comments received on the DEIS before 
adopting final management measures for a final FMP. The South Atlantic 
Council intends to prepare a final environmental impact statement 
(FEIS) in support of the final FMP. The three Councils would then 
submit the final FMP/FEIS to NMFS for Secretarial review, approval, and 
implementation under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. During Secretarial 
review, NMFS will file the FEIS with EPA for announcement of a final 
comment period on the FEIS (again, through publication of a notice in 
the Federal Register). This comment period will be concurrent with the 
Secretarial review period, during which NMFS will invite public comment 
on the final FMP and proposed implementing regulations (Secretarial 
review comment periods are announced through publication in the Federal 
Register). NMFS will consider all public comment received during the 
Secretarial review period, whether on the FMP, FEIS, or proposed 
regulations, prior to taking final agency action to approve, 
disapprove, or partially approve the FMP.
    Copies of the draft FMP may be obtained by contacting Kim Iverson 
at the Council (see ADDRESSES).

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

    Dated: January 10, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-1378 Filed 1-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S