[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55240-55241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24115]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 091203B]


Public Scoping Meetings on the Management of Bottomfish Fishery 
Resources within the Exclusive Economic Zone around the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana 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); notice of scoping meetings; request for written comments.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Western 
Pacific Council) and NMFS announce their intent to prepare a 
comprehensive EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA) on the Federal management of bottomfish fishery 
resources in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
    The Council will convene public scoping meetings in the CNMI to 
solicit comments on bottomfish fishery issues and potential management 
options related to those resources. The scope of the EIS analysis will, 
among other things, describe activities related to the management, 
monitoring, and conduct of the fisheries; examine the impacts of 
bottomfish harvest on archipelagic and localized stocks; and consider 
the potential impacts to protected species, non-target species, and 
essential fish habitat. The scoping meetings will provide for public 
input on the issues, range of alternatives, and impacts the EIS should 
consider. Written comments will also be accepted concerning the various 
management options the EIS should consider.

DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held in Saipan, CNMI, on 
September 24, 2003; in Tinian, CNMI, on September 24, 2003; in Rota, 
CNMI, September 25, 2003; in Agana, Guam on September 26, 2003. Written 
comments must be submitted by October 27, 2003. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates, times, and locations.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the issues, range of alternatives, and 
impacts that should be discussed in the EIS may be sent to Kitty M. 
Simonds, Executive Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, or to Sam 
Pooley, Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Regional 
Office, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu HI 96814. Comments 
may be sent to the Council via facsimile (fax) at 808-522-8226 and must 
be received by October 27, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director, 
808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the United 
States has exclusive management authority over all living marine 
resources found within the EEZ. The management of these marine 
resources found within the EEZ with the exception of sea birds and some 
marine mammals, 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 Western 
Pacific Council has the responsibility to prepare fishery management 
plans for fishery resources in the EEZ of the Western Pacific Region, 
which include the Federal waters surrounding the CNMI.
    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 bottomfish fishery resources that occur in the EEZ waters 
surrounding CNMI are not currently managed under the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific Region (FMP), which was developed by the Council and 
approved by NOAA, becoming effective August 27, 1986 (51 FR 27413). 
There have been six amendments to the FMP since 1986, and recently, a 
comprehensive draft EIS describing the environmental effects of the 
existing fishery activities conducted under the FMP was developed. The 
draft EIS, which is currently being finalized for transmittal to NOAA, 
presents an overall picture of the existing management framework for 
the bottomfish resources occurring in the EEZ of the Western Pacific 
region.
    In order for the bottomfish fishery resources in the EEZ of the 
CNMI to be managed under the FMP, an amendment to the existing FMP is 
required. The

[[Page 55241]]

Council has recently adopted Amendment 8 to the FMP, which if approved, 
would allow the bottomfish resources in the EEZ waters of the CNMI to 
be managed under the FMP. Amendment 8 is currently being finalized for 
transmittal to NOAA.
    The FMP provides a management framework for which the Secretary has 
promulgated corresponding regulations at 50 CFR 660.61. For example, if 
Amendment 8 is approved, the CFR regulations that would apply to the 
bottomfish fishery in the EEZ waters of CNMI include, among other 
things, gear restrictions (50 CFR 660.64) and vessel identification 
requirements (50 CFR 660.16)

Background

    The bottomfish fishery resources occurring in the EEZ waters of 
Guam are managed under the FMP. Recently, Guam's bottomfish fishery has 
experienced an increase in effort due to the entry and participation of 
large-scale vessels ( 50 ft)(15.2 m). This has concerned the 
Council for multiple reasons: (1) there is a lack of information 
regarding Guam's bottomfish fishery resources, (2) local catch rates 
might decline to levels not viable to support the small-vessel 
component of the fishery, (3) community participation in the fishery 
may be threatened, and (4) traditional patterns of supply for 
bottomfish products in the local markets may be disrupted.
    These concerns prompted the Council to recommend the development of 
Amendment 9 to the FMP that would address the apparent increase in 
effort occurring in Guam's bottomfish fishery. An environmental 
assessment prepared for the amendment described the various management 
needs and options to effectively manage the fishery, in addition to the 
costs of no action. On June 12, 2003, the Council chose the preferred 
alternative which excludes large-scale vessels ( 50 ft)(15.2 
m) from fishing for bottomfish within 50 nm of Guam, the implementation 
a permit system, and logbook reporting requirements. Reflecting the 
preferred alternative, Amendment 9 is currently being finalized for 
transmittal to NOAA.

CNMI

    For several years, there has been bottomfish fishing in the EEZ 
waters of CNMI. A significant portion of the effort in the CNMI's 
bottomfish fishery is from larger vessels ( 50 ft), which 
account for sixty percent of the total bottomfish landings in the CNMI.
    As a response to the Council's development of Amendment 9, which 
addresses the emergence of large-scale vessels in Guam's bottomfish 
fishery, the CNMI is concerned that large-scale vessels displaced from 
Guam's bottomfish fishery will subsequently fish and exploit the nearby 
bottomfish resources in the EEZ waters around the CNMI. For this 
reason, the Council has recommended the development of a comprehensive 
EIS that describes various options for effective management of the 
bottomfish fishery around the CNMI.

Alternatives

    The Council is scoping to establish a reasonable range of 
alternatives, which may include gear restrictions, limited access, 
closed areas, seasonal closures, permits and reporting requirements, 
and catch limits. In addition to developing possible alternatives, the 
scoping meetings will serve to identify and eliminate the issues which 
are not significant or which have been covered by prior environmental 
review.

Public Involvement

    Public scoping is an early and open process for determining the 
scope of issues to be addressed. A principle 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.

Dates, Times, and Locations for Public Scoping Meetings

    1. Tinian, CNMI -- Wednesday, September 24, 2003, from 2-4 p.m. at 
the Tinian Gaming Commission Conference Room, San Jose, Tinian 96952.
    2. Saipan, CNMI -- Wednesday, September 24, 2003, from 7-9 p.m. at 
the Pedro P. Tenorio Multipursoe Building, Susupe, Saipan 96950;
    3. Rota, CNMI -- Thursday, September 25, 2003, from 1-3 p.m. at the 
Department of Lands and Natural Resources Building, Songsong, Rota 
96951.
    4. Agana, Guam - Friday, September 26, 2003, from 7-9 p.m. at the 
G. D. Perez Marina, Agana, Guam 96910.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, 808-522-8220 
(voice) or 808-522-8226 (fax), at least five days prior to the meeting 
date.

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

    Dated: September 17, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24115 Filed 9-22-03; 8:45 am]
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