[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43126-43127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14722]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 071905C]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment

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

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS); supplement.

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SUMMARY: NMFS and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
(Council) are evaluating the environmental impacts of a range of 
management actions for red porgy, black sea bass, vermilion snapper, 
snowy grouper, and golden tilefish in a DEIS. These management actions 
are being developed in a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region 
(FMP). This notice is intended to supplement notices published in 
January 2002 and in September 2003, announcing the preparation of DEISs 
for FMP Amendments 13 and 13B, respectively.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the DEIS will be accepted 
through August 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Jack McGovern, NMFS Southeast 
Region, 263 13\th\ Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, phone: 727-
824-5305; fax: 727-824-5308; e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer; toll free 1-866-SAFMC-10 or 843-571-4366; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper grouper fishery operating in the 
South Atlantic exclusive economic zone is managed under the FMP. 
Following Council preparation, this FMP was approved and implemented by 
NMFS in March 1983, under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    The Council began developing FMP Amendment 13 in 2001 to address 
multiple Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements, as well as the scheduled 
sunset of regulations protecting the Oculina Experimental Closed Area, 
and other administrative issues. The Notice of Intent (NOI) for the 
DEIS associated with FMP Amendment 13 was published in the Federal 
Register on January 31, 2002 (67 FR 4696). A subsequent notice 
announcing the division of actions in FMP Amendment 13 into FMP 
Amendments 13A and 13B was published on September 12, 2003 (68 FR 
53706). FMP Amendment 13A contained a single action to extend the 
regulations in the Oculina Experimental Closed Area, and was supported 
by an Environmental Assessment. The remaining actions in FMP Amendment 
13 were transferred to FMP Amendment 13B, for which the Council 
continued to prepare a DEIS.
    Stock assessments have been completed for red porgy, black sea 
bass, vermilion snapper, golden tilefish, and snowy grouper through the 
Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review process. The assessments 
revealed that: all the stocks, except red porgy, are subjected to 
overfishing; all the stocks, except for golden tilefish and vermilion 
snapper, are overfished (the biomass level of

[[Page 43127]]

vermilion snapper is unknown); and the red porgy stock is recovering as 
planned, indicating the rebuilding schedule approved for that stock in 
FMP Amendment 12 would support a moderate harvest increase.
    It is anticipated that management actions proposed in FMP Amendment 
13B will not be implemented until 2007. The Council decided at its June 
2005 Council meeting to consider management actions for these five 
recently assessed stocks in a regulatory amendment as the most 
practical avenue to address necessary management measures. Regulatory 
amendments differ from FMP amendments in that they allow the Council to 
implement specific regulations through abbreviated rulemaking. The FMP 
outlines the actions that may be implemented and/or adjusted using this 
regulatory framework process.
    This NOI is intended to inform the public that management actions 
previously considered in FMP Amendment 13B for select stocks are being 
developed in a regulatory amendment. Proposed actions in this 
regulatory amendment would address overfishing of black sea bass, 
vermilion snapper, golden tilefish, and snowy grouper, and increase red 
porgy harvest to a level supported by the approved rebuilding schedule 
for that stock. Management measures currently being evaluated for the 
commercial sector in this DEIS include new or adjusted: catch quotas, 
size limits, trip limits, seasonal closures, fishing year start dates, 
and gear restrictions. Management measures currently being evaluated 
for the recreational sector include new or adjusted: catch allocations, 
bag limits, size limits, and seasonal closures.
    The Council will continue to work on FMP Amendment 13B while 
preparing the regulatory amendment. Management actions still being 
considered in FMP Amendment 13B would: redefine, divide into 
multispecies units, and identify indicator species within the snapper 
grouper fishery management unit; review and define, as needed, 
management reference points for snapper grouper stocks; review and 
define, as needed, rebuilding schedules and strategies for overfished 
stocks; reduce directed and incidental fishing mortality on select 
species through new or adjusted catch quotas, seasonal closures, size 
limits, and/or bag limits; and change permit renewal and 
transferability provisions. Amendment 13B also will include a bycatch 
practicability analysis. The full suite of alternatives currently being 
considered in the regulatory amendment can be obtained from the Council 
(see ADDRESSES for contact information). The DEIS and/or final EIS 
(FEIS) associated with this amendment may include additional management 
measures identified during the public comment processes.
    A Federal Register notice will announce the availability of the 
DEIS associated with this amendment, as well as the 45-day public 
comment period, pursuant to regulations issued by the Council on 
Environmental Quality for implementing the National Environmental 
Policy Act and to NOAA Administrative Order 216-6. NMFS and the Council 
will consider public comments received on the DEIS in developing the 
FEIS. NMFS will announce in the Federal Register the availability of 
the FEIS for public review and will consider all public comments prior 
to final agency action to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the 
amendment.

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

    Dated: July 21, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-14722 Filed 7-25-05; 8:45 am]
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