[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 82 (Monday, April 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21225-21226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8187]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042307A]


New England Fishery Management Council; Skate Fishery Management 
Plan; Scoping Process

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

ACTION:  Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) and notice of initiation of scoping process; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY:  The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) 
announces its intent to prepare an amendment to the Skate Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) and to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of 
any proposed management measures. The Council is also formally 
initiating a public process to determine the scope of alternatives to 
be addressed in the amendment and EIS. The purpose of this notification 
is to alert the interested public of the re-commencement of the scoping 
process and to provide for public participation in compliance with 
environmental documentation requirements.

DATES:  The Council will discuss and take scoping comments at public 
meetings in May, 2007. For specific dates and times of the scoping 
meetings, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written scoping comments must 
be received on or before 5 p.m., local time, May 30, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  The Council will take scoping comments at public meetings 
in Gloucester, MA, Narragansett, RI and Buzzards Bay, MA. For specific 
locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written comments should be 
submitted by any of the following methods:
     Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, 
Northeast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, One Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. Please write on the envelope: 
``Scoping Comments on Amendment 3 to the Skate FMP'';
     E-mail: [email protected];
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov; 
or
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.
    Requests for copies of the scoping document and other information 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England 
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 
01950, telephone (978) 465-0492. The scoping document is also 
accessible electronically via the Internet at http://www.nefmc.org/skates/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council, (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Skate FMP was implemented in September 2003. The primary 
objectives of the Skate FMP are to: (1) Protect the overfished species 
of skates and increase their biomass to target levels specified in the 
FMP while preventing overfishing of the other skate species; and (2) 
collect information critical for improving knowledge of skate fisheries 
by species and for monitoring the status of skate fisheries, resources, 
and related markets, as well as the effectiveness of skates management 
approaches. The FMP includes reporting requirements to improve fishery 
information, prohibitions on overfished species, a trip limit for the 
skate wing fishery, and mechanisms for FMP monitoring and plan 
adjustments. Through the establishment of a ``baseline'' of management 
measures in other fisheries, the FMP recognizes the interactions of 
skates with groundfish, scallops, and monkfish fisheries. In 2006, 
winter skate was determined to be overfished. Therefore, under the 
provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, the Council must develop and implement a rebuilding plan for this 
resource.

Measures Under Consideration

    The Council may consider a host of management measures to reduce 
skate mortality, improve reporting, cap or reduce landings, and/or 
reduce bycatch and discard mortality to prevent overfishing and rebuild 
overfished stocks. Measures that may be considered include, but are not 
limited to, a hard TAC for the directed skate fishery, annual catch 
limits and accountability measures, greater regulation of the fishery 
through days-at-sea limits, changes to skate possession limits, changes 
to exempted fisheries and closed areas, new gear regulations, and 
elimination of the baseline review process and proxy input controls.
    It is possible that during the scoping process, other issues will 
be raised related to the purpose of this amendment, and if appropriate, 
those issues will be considered by the Council as well.

[[Page 21226]]

Scoping Process

    All persons affected by or otherwise interested in skate management 
are invited to participate in determining the scope and significance of 
issues to be analyzed by submitting written comments (see ADDRESSES) 
and/or by attending one of the scoping meetings. Scope consists of the 
range of actions, alternatives, and impacts to be considered. 
Alternatives include the following: Not amending the management plan 
(taking no action); developing an amendment that contains management 
measures such as those discussed in this notice; or other reasonable 
courses of action. Impacts may be direct, indirect, or cumulative.
    This scoping process will also identify and eliminate from detailed 
analysis issues that are not relevant or feasible. When, after the 
scoping process is completed, the Council proceeds with the development 
of an amendment to the Skate FMP, the Council will prepare an EIS to 
analyze the impacts of the range of alternatives under consideration. 
The Council will hold public hearings to receive comments on the draft 
amendment and on the analysis of its impacts presented in the EIS.

Scoping Hearing Schedule

    The Council will discuss and take scoping comments at the following 
public meetings:
    1. Tuesday, May 22, 2007, from 7 - 9 p.m.; Gloucester City Hall, 
Kyrouz Auditorium, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone: 
(978) 281-9720.
    2. Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 7 - 9 p.m.; Narragansett Town 
Hall, 25 Fifth Avenue, Narragansett, RI 02882; telephone: (401) 789-
1044.
    3. Thursday, May 24, 2007, from 7 - 9 p.m.; Mass Maritime, 101 
Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532; telephone: (508) 830-5000.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with physical disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: April 24, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-8187 Filed 4-27-07; 8:45 am]
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