[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48410-48411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23470]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 090701F]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; King and 
Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS); request for written comments; notice of scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its intent to prepare an EIS in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the Fishery 
Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) King and Tanner 
Crabs (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council proposes to 
rationalize the BSAI crab fisheries through an Individual Fishing Quota 
(IFQ) Program, or a cooperative program. The scope of the EIS will be a 
programmatic review of the FMP, examining all activities addressing the 
conduct of the BSAI crab fisheries authorized under the FMP, including 
components of proposed rationalization programs, and potential changes 
to the management of the fisheries under these programs.
    NMFS will hold public scoping meetings and accept written comments 
to determine the issues of concern and the appropriate range of 
management alternatives to be addressed in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through November 16, 2001. A 
public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, September 20, 2001, in 
Anchorage, AK. For dates and times of scoping meetings, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on issues and alternatives for the EIS 
should be sent to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator for 
Sustainable Fisheries, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 
99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or delivered to the Federal Building, 709 
West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. Comments may be sent via facsimile (fax) 
to 907-586-7557. NMFS will not accept comments by e-mail or the 
internet. For locations of the public scoping meetings, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Written comments specifically addressing the Council's analysis of 
rationalization programs should be sent to the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council, 605 West 4th Street, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 
99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Harrington, (907) 586-7228 or 
e-mail [email protected].

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 marine 
mammals and birds, is vested in the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). 
Eight Regional Fishery Management Councils prepare fishery management 
plans for approval and implementation by the Secretary. The North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has the responsibility to 
prepare fishery management plans for the fishery resources that require 
conservation and management in the EEZ off Alaska.
    NEPA requires preparation of an EIS for major Federal actions 
significantly impacting the quality of the human environment. 
Regulations implementing NEPA at 40 CFR 1502.4(b) state:
    Environmental impact statements may be prepared, and are 
sometimes required, for broad Federal actions such as adoption of 
new agency programs or regulations. Agencies shall prepare 
statements on broad actions so that they are relevant to policy and 
are timed to coincide with meaningful points in agency planning and 
decision making.
    The FMP was approved by the Secretary on June 2, 1989 (54 FR 
29080). The Secretary approved a revised and updated FMP on March 9, 
1999 (64 FR 11390). The FMP establishes a State/Federal cooperative 
management regime that defers many aspects of crab

[[Page 48411]]

management to the State of Alaska (State), with Federal oversight. The 
FMP identifies specific aspects of crab management that remain under 
the jurisdiction of the Federal government, such as limited access.
    The FMP is a framework plan for the management measures deferred to 
the State. For these measures, the framework in the FMP establishes 
policy objectives and criteria instead of selecting specific management 
measures. This allows for long-term management of the fishery without 
frequent amendments to the FMP.
    FMP amendments are required for changes to the management measures 
under Federal jurisdiction and for changes to the framework plan for 
management measures deferred to the State. FMP amendments are also 
required to keep the FMP in compliance with the requirements of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    NMFS has identified the need to prepare an EIS to take a 
programmatic look at the FMP and possible alternatives to the FMP in 
light of Council consideration of a program to rationalize the BSAI 
crab fisheries. NMFS recognizes that the rationalization programs under 
consideration will result in substantial changes to many of the current 
management measures and possibly the framework of the FMP and that 
these programmatic changes may significantly affect the environment. 
NMFS views this as an opportune time to analyze these potential changes 
as well as analyze alternative ways to manage the BSAI crab fisheries.
    The proposed action to be addressed in the EIS is the 
rationalization of the BSAI crab fisheries. Given this proposed action, 
the scope of the EIS will be a programmatic review of the FMP, 
examining all activities addressing the conduct of the BSAI crab 
fisheries authorized under the FMP, including components of proposed 
rationalization programs and potential changes to the management of the 
fisheries under these programs. The scope of the analysis is intended 
to be broad enough for the Council and NMFS to make an informed 
decision on a rationalization program and to undertake further analysis 
of other changes to the FMP as necessary with the implementation of 
these programs.
    NMFS is seeking information from the public through the scoping 
process on the range of alternatives to be analyzed and on the 
environmental, social, and economic issues to be considered in the 
analysis.

Alternatives

    NMFS will evaluate a range of alternative FMPs for managing the 
BSAI crab fisheries. Alternatives analyzed in the EIS may include those 
identified here, plus additional alternatives developed through the 
public scoping process and through working with the Council and the 
State. Each alternative would constitute a complete FMP, that would 
include an approach for every aspect needed in an FMP.
    The potential alternatives already identified for the EIS include: 
(1) The existing FMP (no action) and (2) an FMP as modified by a 
rationalization program (IFQ or cooperatives).
    The Council will recommend the specific alternative for the 
rationalization program in early 2002. In June 2001, the Council 
adopted a suite of alternatives, elements, and options for an analysis 
of potential rationalization programs for the BSAI crab fisheries. 
These alternatives, elements, and options were developed through the 
Council's rationalization committee, Advisory Panel meetings, and 
Council meetings. Congressional action would be required to provide 
statute authority to implement the alternatives under Council 
consideration.

Public Involvement

    Scoping is an early and open process for determining the scope of 
issues to be addressed 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 selecting a preferred alternative.
    NMFS is seeking written public comments on the scope of issues that 
should be addressed in the EIS and alternatives that should be 
considered for management of the BSAI crab fisheries.
    Public comments on specific aspects of the rationalization programs 
should be submitted to the Council (see ADDRESSES). The public will 
also be able to provide oral and written comments through the Council 
process and at Council meetings. Upon completion, the Council will make 
a draft analysis of these proposed programs available for public review 
and comment. Copies of the analysis can be requested from the Council 
(see ADDRESSES).

Dates, Times, and Locations for Public Information Meetings

    The public is invited to assist NMFS in developing the scope of 
alternatives and issues to be analyzed for the EIS. Comments will be 
accepted in writing at the meetings and at the NMFS address (see 
ADDRESSES).
    One public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, September 20, 
2001, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Hilton Hotel, 500 West 3rd Street, 
Anchorage, Alaska, in conjunction with the Council's Crab Plan Team 
meeting.
    Two additional scoping meetings will be held in Seattle, 
Washington: One, on Monday, October 1, 2001, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., at 
the Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 N.W. 57th Street, in conjunction with the 
Annual Bering Sea/ Aleutian Islands Crab Industry Meeting; and the 
second on Thursday, October 4, 2001, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Sea-Tac 
airport Doubletree, 18740 International Blvd., in conjunction with the 
October Council meeting.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Gretchen Harrington, NMFS, (see 
ADDRESSES), (907) 586-7228, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: September 14, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-23470 Filed 9-17-01; 2:29 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S