[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 83 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 25558-25559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6502]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 042406G]


Notice of Public Hearings for Measures to End Bottomfish 
Overfishing in the Hawaii Archipelago

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces three public hearings on the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement, Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish 
Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region, Measures to End Bottomfish 
Overfishing in the Hawaii Archipelago (DSEIS). The DSEIS was prepared 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as 
amended, the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations, and 
NOAA Administrative Order Series 216-6 Environmental Review Procedures 
for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act.

DATES: The public hearings will be held May 18, 22, and 25, 2005, 
respectively. For specific dates, times and locations of the public 
hearings, and the agenda see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The DSEIS is accessible electronically through the NMFS 
Pacific Islands Regional Office Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir or at the Western Pacific Fishery

[[Page 25559]]

    Management Council (Council) website at http://www/wpcouncil.org. 
State of Hawaii public libraries were provided with copies of the DSEIS 
to be made available for inspection. Copies of the DSEIS may also be 
obtained from Keith Schultz, NEPA Specialist; 1601 Kapiolani Boulevard, 
Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814, 808-944-2276. Please specify when 
requesting if you would prefer a hard copy of the document, otherwise a 
CD may be provided. State of Hawaii public libraries were also provided 
with copies of the DSEIS.
    Comments or questions submitted on the DSEIS must be received by 
May 30, 2006. Written comments should be submitted by mail to: William 
L. Robinson, Pacific Islands Regional Administrator, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814. Comments 
may be submitted by facsimile (fax) to 808-973-2941. Electronic 
comments may be submitted by e-mail to include in the comment subject 
line the following document identifier: Bottomfish Overfishing DSEIS, 
or through the internet at the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.. A copy of your comments should be submitted to 
Rodney F. Weiher, PhD., NEPA Coordinator, by mail to the NOAA Strategic 
Planning Office (PPI/SP), SSMC3, Room 15603, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; by fax to 301-713-0585; or by e-mail to 
[email protected].
    The public comment period began on April 14, 2006, with the 
publication of the Notice of Availability of the DSEIS in the Federal 
Register by the Environmental Protection Agency and will continue until 
May 30, 2006. Written and oral comments will be given equal weight, and 
NMFS will consider all comments received by May 30, 2006, in preparing 
the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Comments 
received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the NEPA 
process or to request a copy of the DSEIS, contact: Keith Schultz, NEPA 
Specialist, as indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

    On May 27, 2005, the Regional Administrator for the NMFS Pacific 
Islands Region notified the Council that overfishing of the bottomfish 
species complex is occurring within the Hawaiian Archipelago. In 
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Council is preparing an 
amendment to the Bottomfish FMP to end overfishing in the bottomfish 
complex in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bottomfish in the Hawaiian 
Archipelago are a collection, or complex, of deep-slope snappers, 
groupers, and jacks. The primary species addressed in the DSEIS are the 
``Deep 7'' bottomfish species. The Deep 7 bottomfish species are: onaga 
(Etelis corsucans), ehu (Eetelis carbunculus), gindai (Pristipomoides 
zonatus), kalekale (Pristipomoides sieboldii), hapuupuu (Epinephelus 
quernus), opakapaka (Pristipomoides filamentosus), and lehi (Aphareus 
rutilans). The DSEIS examines Hawaii's bottomfish fisheries, describes 
the alternatives being considered to end the overfishing, and 
identifies the impacts associated with each alternative.

Proposed Federal Action

    The proposed Federal action in the DSEIS is the approval of an 
amendment to end overfishing of Hawaii's archipelagic bottomfish multi-
species stock complex by the Secretary of Commerce and the 
implementation and enforcement of the amendment's regulatory measures 
by NMFS. The proposed Federal action in the DSEIS would be the 
implementation of a seasonal closure between May 1 and August 31 
prohibiting the targeting, possession, landing, or selling of any of 
Hawaii's Deep 7 bottomfish species. However, if the State of Hawaii 
does not commit to promulgate seasonal closure regulations, the 
proposed Federal action would be the implementation of a closure of 
Middle and Penguin Banks to the targeting, possession, landing, or 
selling of any of Hawaii's Deep 7 bottomfish species from Middle and 
Penguin Banks.

Guideline Hearing Agenda

    All attendees wishing to comment during the public hearing must 
register during the registration period for the hearing.

Availability of the DSEIS

    The following format will be used as a guideline for conducting the 
hearing.
    1. Open the Hearing
    2. Introductions and Hearing Procedures
    3. Presentation of the Proposed Action and the Alternatives
    4. Opportunity for Public to Ask Questions to Clarify Points Made 
in the Presentation
    5. Public Comment
    6. Close the Hearing
    Dates, Times and Locations of Public Hearings
    (1) Maui, HI--Thursday, May 18, 2006, from 7-9 p.m., at the Maui 
Beach Hotel, 170 Maahumanu Ave., Maui, island of Maui Beach Hotel, 170 
Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului, HI 96732;
    (2) Kauai, HI--Monday, May 22, 2006, from 7-9 p.m., at the Chiefess 
Kamakahelei Middle School, 4431 Nuhou St, Lihue, HI 96766; and
    (3) Honolulu, HI--Thursday, May 25, 2006, from 7-9 p.m. at the Ala 
Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu, Oahu.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Keith Schultz, 808-944-2276, at 
least five (5) business days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: April 25, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6502 Filed 4-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S