[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37393-37395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13256]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 051302A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish 
Fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement (SEIS); notice of scoping meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its intent to prepare an SEIS in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) proposes management 
measures to improve the economic efficiency of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 
groundfish fisheries and to address conservation, safety, and social 
concerns. The Council is considering one or more methods of allocating 
fishing privileges, such as: individual fishing quotas (IFQs); 
individual processing quotas (IPQs); allocations to communities; 
fishing cooperatives program; or other measures. The scope of the SEIS 
will include a review of the GOA groundfish

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fisheries that may be affected by management measures that improve the 
economic efficiency of the GOA groundfish fisheries, the components of 
these 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 SEIS.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through November 15, 2002 (see 
ADDRESSES). Public scoping meetings will be held in August, September, 
and October. For dates and times see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on issues and alternatives for the SEIS 
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-Durall, 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 internet.
    An analysis of the issues and alternatives will be available 
through the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 West 4th, 
Suite 306, Anchorage, AK., 99501-2252.
    Public scoping meetings will be held in Alaska's Sand Point, King 
Cove, Kodiak, Cordova, Homer, and Petersburg, and in Seattle, 
Washington. For specific locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenn Merrill, (907) 586-7228 or 
email: [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 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 April 12, 1978. The 
Secretary has approved numerous amendments to the FMP since that time. 
Section 304 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies a process for 
amending FMPs.
    The proposed action to be addressed in the SEIS is amendment of the 
FMP to include policies and management measures that would increase the 
economic efficiency of the GOA groundfish fisheries. Additional 
information on EISs pertaining to Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries 
may be obtained through NMFS (see ADDRESSES). Fisheries conducted under 
such policies and management measures generally are considered more 
``rational'' than other fisheries because capital investment in 
``rationalized'' fisheries tends to be in balance with the amount of 
fish that can be conservatively harvested. Hence, to ``rationalize'' 
the management of the GOA groundfish fisheries implies that the 
management required will incorporate economic incentives that prevent 
or reduce excessive capital investment. This is commonly accomplished 
through the establishment of transferable harvesting privileges or 
other market-based systems for allocating access to the fishery 
resources.
    Rationalization programs may provide additional opportunities to 
use fishing methods that reduce the bycatch of non-target species and 
reduce gear conflicts thereby addressing larger conservation goals. 
Rationalization programs also may reduce the incentive to fish during 
unsafe conditions. Rationalization programs frequently result in 
substantial changes to the existing management regime and these changes 
may have a significant effect on the human environment.
    The SEIS will examine the GOA groundfish fisheries authorized under 
the FMP, which may be affected by any proposed rationalization program 
and the potential changes to the management of the fisheries under 
these programs. The scope of the alternatives analyzed is intended to 
be broad enough for the Council and NMFS to make informed decisions on 
whether a rationalization program should be developed and, if so, how 
it should be designed, and to assess 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

    The analysis will evaluate a range of alternative regimes for 
managing GOA groundfish fisheries. Alternatives analyzed in the SEIS 
may include those identified here, plus additional alternatives 
developed through the public scoping process and the Council.
    The potential alternatives already identified for the SEIS include: 
(1) the existing management measures (status quo); (2) a 
rationalization program; and (3) a modified Licence Limitation Program. 
The specific options for a rationalization program identified thus far 
include the use of IFQs, IPQs, fishing cooperatives, and quotas held by 
communities, either separately or in combination. The particular 
combination of these options would effectively provide multiple 
``alternative'' rationalization programs. Public scoping meetings will 
provide the opportunity for comment on the range of alternatives and 
the specific options within the rationalization alternative.
    Specific options for rationalization are derived from preliminary 
discussions by three separate Council GOA rationalization committees 
tasked to address this issue, recommendations from the Council's 
Advisory Panel, and the Council. In addition, the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2001 (Public Law 106-554) requires the Council to 
examine the fisheries under its jurisdiction, particularly the Gulf of 
Alaska groundfish fisheries, to determine whether rationalization is 
needed and describes management measures that should be analyzed. 
Additional information on the specific options for rationalization may 
be obtained through the Council (see ADDRESSES), or via the Council 
website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/.
    The Council may recommend specific options for analysis in late 
2002. The rationalization alternative, options for consideration, and 
other alternatives and options, will be developed through this scoping 
process in coordination with the Council's rationalization committee 
and the Council. Depending on the rationalization program options 
selected, Congressional action may be required to provide statutory 
authority

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to implement a specific rationalization alternative preferred by the 
Council. Lack of statutory authority for any particular alternative or 
option does not prevent consideration of that alternative or option in 
the SEIS.

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 identify 
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 SEIS and on alternatives and options that 
should be considered for management of the GOA groundfish fisheries.
    Public comments on specific aspects of the rationalization programs 
should be submitted to NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The public also will be 
able to provide oral and written comments at the meetings listed below. 
The Council will make a draft analysis of these alternative 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 Scoping Meetings

    1. Saturday, August 17, 2002, from 9 a.m. to noon--Aleutians East 
Borough Office, 100 Mossberry Lane, Sand Point, AK.
    2. Sunday, August 18, 2002, from 9 a.m. to noon--King Cove Harbor 
House, 100 Harbor House Road, King Cove, AK.
    3. Friday, August 23, 2002, from 1 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.-- Fishery 
Industrial Technology Center, 118 Trident Way, Kodiak, AK.
    4. Monday, September 16, 2002, from 5 p.m to 8 p.m.--Cordova City 
Library Meeting Room, 622 First Street, Cordova, AK.
    5. Tuesday, September 24, 2002, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.--Best Western 
Bidarka Inn, 575 Sterling Highway, Homer, AK.
    6. Thursday, September 26, 2002, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.--City 
Council Chambers, 12 Nordic Drive, Petersburg, AK.
    7. Tuesday, October 1, 2002, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.--Doubletree 
Hotel, Seattle Airport, 18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA, in 
conjunction with the Council's October meeting.
    The public is invited to assist NMFS in developing the scope of 
alternatives and issues to be analyzed for the SEIS. Comments will be 
accepted in writing at the meetings and at the NMFS address above (see 
ADDRESSES). Meeting schedules may be delayed due to weather conditions 
and flight availability in some locations. Meetings may be rescheduled 
if necessary.

Special Accommodations

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

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

    Dated: May 21, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-13256 Filed 5-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S