[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 22 (Thursday, February 1, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 8568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2695]



[[Page 8568]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 012401D]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statements (SEISs) for the Essential Fish Habitat 
(EFH) Components of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) and Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP

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

ACTION:  Notification of intent to prepare an SEIS; request for 
comments; notice of scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS announces its intent to prepare SEISs in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the EFH 
components for both the Northeast Multispecies FMP and Atlantic Sea 
Scallop FMP. NMFS will hold a public scoping meeting and accept written 
comments to determine the range of management alternatives to be 
addressed in the SEISs to describe and identify EFH, minimize to the 
extent practicable the adverse effects of fishing on EFH, and identify 
other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH.

DATES:  NMFS will accept written comments through March 5, 2001. A 
public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, February 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments on the intent to prepare the SEISs and 
requests for the scoping document or other information should be 
directed to the National Marine Fisheries Service, 1 Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: Louis A. Chiarella. Telephone (978) 281-
9277. Comments may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9301. 
NMFS will not accept comments by e-mail. The public meeting will be 
held at the NMFS Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA on February 22, 2001, 3:00- 5:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Louis A. Chiarella, Essential Fish 
Habitat Coordinator, ([email protected]), (978) 281-9277, fax 
(978) 281-9301.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sixteen groundfish species are managed 
through the Northeast multispecies complex and one species is managed 
under the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP. In response to a U.S. district 
court order, NMFS is re-evaluating the EFH components originally 
developed as part of Amendment 11 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP and 
Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP that were approved by the 
Secretary of Commerce on March 3, 1999. The SEISs will consider EFH and 
Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC), as well as fishing and non-
fishing threats to EFH as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act.
    NMFS is considering the need to revise EFH designations for 
Northeast multispecies and Atlantic sea scallops based upon any 
available new scientific information, and is considering potential HAPC 
designations. NMFS will consider a range of alternatives to minimize 
adverse effects of fishing activities on EFH.
    This analysis and subsequent management alternatives may be 
presented within separate NEPA documents or may be included within NEPA 
documents currently being developed by NMFS and the New England Fishery 
Management Council (Council) for the Northeast Multispecies FMP and 
Atlantic Sea Scallops FMP.
    The public is invited to assist NMFS and the Council in developing 
the scope of alternatives to be analyzed.

Public Information Meeting

    The public scoping meeting will be held on: Thursday, February 22, 
2001, from 3-5 p.m., NMFS Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA, Conference Room.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Louis A. Chiarella (see ADDRESSES), (978) 281-
9277, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

     Dated: January 26, 2001.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries National Marine 
Fisheries Service
[FR Doc. 01-2695 Filed 1-31-01; 8:45 am]
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