[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 84 (Friday, April 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 23729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9856]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042204E]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 6

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft supplemental environmental 
impact statement (SEIS), supplemental notice.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
added Federal permitting, bycatch reporting, and bycatch reduction 
actions to Amendment 6 of the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp 
Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Shrimp Amendment 6). Shrimp 
Amendment 6 also includes actions to evaluate and redefine, as needed, 
biological reference points and status determination criteria, and 
actions to modify the bycatch reduction protocol.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for copies of the scoping documents 
should be sent to Robert K. Mahood, Executive Director, South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, 
Charleston, SC 29407-4699, fax: 843-769-4520. Comments may also be 
submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: Shrimp 
Amendment 6.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Office; phone: 866-SAFMC-10 or 843-571-4366; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice supplements the notice of intent 
to prepare a draft SEIS to support Shrimp Amendment 6 (February 19, 
2002, 67 FR 7344) by adding the following actions: (1) require Federal 
permits in the penaeid (white, pink, and brown shrimp) shrimp fishery; 
(2) regularly monitor and assess bycatch in the penaeid and rock shrimp 
fisheries; and (3) reduce bycatch in the rock shrimp fishery. These 
actions will be evaluated in the draft SEIS.
    The purpose of the permit action is to identify and quantify the 
number of vessels participating in the South Atlantic penaeid shrimp 
fishery. Alternatives evaluated under the action would not limit access 
to the fishery at this time. However, the Council might consider a 
limited access program in the future and could use the control date of 
December 10, 2003, as a qualifying criterion for participation in the 
fishery. The Council notified the public of this control date through 
an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal 
Register on March 4, 2004 (69 FR 10189).
    The purpose of the bycatch reporting and reduction actions is to 
improve the accounting and management of bycatch in the penaeid and 
rock shrimp fisheries, consistent with the requirements of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
    Other actions in Shrimp Amendment 6 previously noticed in the 
Federal Register include evaluating and redefining, as needed, 
biological reference points and status determination criteria and 
modifying the bycatch reduction protocol.
    The Environmental Protection Agency will publish a notice in the 
Federal Register when the draft SEIS is available for public comment. 
Comments received by the Council and NMFS during the 45-day comment 
period on the draft SEIS will be considered in developing the final 
SEIS.

    Dated: April 27, 2004,
John H. Dunnigan,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-9856 Filed 4-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S