[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 8693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3336]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021407A]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Amendment 10 Butterfish Stock 
Rebuilding and Amendment 11 Atlantic Mackerel Limited Access Program

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

ACTION:  Supplemental Notice Of Intent (NOI) to prepare an 
environmental impact statement; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  On December 19, 2005, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council), in cooperation with NMFS, announced its intent to 
prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for Amendment 10 (butterfish 
stock rebuilding program) and a supplemental environmental impact 
statement (SEIS) for Amendment 11 (Atlantic mackerel limited access 
program) to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP). Since then, the Council and NMFS have concluded 
that a SEIS must be prepared for Amendment 10; therefore, this 
supplemental NOI seeks comments on Amendment 10. In addition, the 
Council hereby notifies the public that SEIS documents for Amendment 10 
and Amendment 11 will be developed simultaneously, but each amendment 
will remain separate fishery management actions.

DATES:  Public comments on the supplementary NOI for Amendment 10 must 
be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern standard time, on March 29, 
2007.

ADDRESSES:  Copies of supporting documents used by the Council are 
available from: Daniel Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council, Room 2115, Federal Building, 300 South New 
Street, Dover, DE 19904-6790.
    Written comments on the supplementary notice of intent for 
Amendment 10 may be sent by any of the following methods:
     E-mail to the following address: [email protected]. 
Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following 
document identifier: ``Comments on MSB Amendment 10'';
     Mail to Daniel Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council, Room 2115, Federal Building, 300 South New 
Street, Dover, DE 19904-6790. Mark the outside of the envelope 
``Comments on MSB Amendment 10''; or
     Fax to Daniel Furlong, 302-674-5399.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Carrie Nordeen, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, phone 978-281-9272, fax 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Amendment 10 Butterfish Stock Rebuilding

    The most recent stock assessment for Atlantic butterfish indicated 
that while overfishing of the stock is not occurring, the stock is 
overfished because the most recent estimates of stock biomass are 
slightly below the minimum biomass threshold supporting maximum 
sustainable yield (50 percent of BMSY). Based on this 
information, NMFS notified the Council that the butterfish stock is 
designated as being overfished as defined under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 
purpose of Amendment 10 to the FMP is to develop a management program 
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act which would rebuild the 
butterfish stock to the level associated with BMSY. After a 
preliminary analysis of the action, the Council believed that an EA 
would fulfill the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA). However, during the development and preliminary analyses of 
alternatives for rebuilding strategies and possible management 
measures, it became apparent that some of the measures being considered 
could potentially have significant effects on the human environment, 
particularly the Loligo squid fishery. Potential measures being 
considered are no action, gear modifications, area management, and 
bycatch/retention requirements. In order to consider the full range of 
alternatives potentially necessary to rebuild the overfished butterfish 
stock, the Council has determined that the development of a SEIS will 
be necessary to fulfill the requirements of NEPA and this supplemental 
notice of intent requests comments on this action.

Amendment 11 Atlantic Mackerel Limited Access Program

    On March 4, 2005 (70 FR 10605), the Council published an NOI to 
prepare a SEIS to consider the impacts of alternatives for limiting 
access to the Atlantic mackerel fishery. The Council subsequently 
conducted scoping meetings on the development of a limited access 
program, which the Council originally planned to include in Amendment 9 
to the FMP. However, due to unforeseen delays in the development of 
Amendment 9, the Council subsequently notified the public on December 
19, 2005 (70 FR 75114), that the mackerel limited access program would 
be considered in Amendment 11 to the FMP. The Council hereby notifies 
the public that it will begin development of Amendment 11 and the 
associated SEIS while Amendment 10 is being developed, although the two 
amendments will remain separate fishery management actions. Comments 
received during the previous scoping period for Amendment 11 will be 
considered and no additional comments are being sought at this time. 
This notification also reminds the public that interested participants 
should locate and preserve records that substantiate and verify their 
participation in the Atlantic mackerel fishery in Federal waters.

Request for Comments

    The public will have the opportunity to comment on the measures and 
alternatives being considered by the Council for both amendments 
through public meetings and public comment periods required by NEPA, 
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. NMFS 
anticipates completing these SEISs and all related documents by early 
2009.

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

    Dated: February 21, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-3336 Filed 2-26-07; 8:45 am]
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