[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3700-3701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1029]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE86


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 17

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

[[Page 3701]]


ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS); notice of scoping meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) 
intends to prepare a DEIS to assess the impacts on the natural and 
human environment of the management measures proposed in its draft 
Amendment 17 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper 
Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP).

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in 
the DEIS will be accepted until February 22, 2008, at 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent by any of the following methods, mail: 
Kate Michie, NMFS, Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, 
St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone: 727-824-5305; fax: 727-824-5308; e-
mail: [email protected]. Scoping documents are available from the 
Council's Web site at www.safmc.net.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer, South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, 4055 Faber Place 
Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; phone: 843-571-4366, toll 
free 1-866-SAFMC-10; fax: 843-769-4520; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South 
Atlantic region in the exclusive economic zone is managed under the 
FMP. The FMP was prepared by the Council and implemented by NMFS under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 
622.
    The Council is considering specifying annual catch limits (ACLs) 
for all snapper-grouper species currently undergoing overfishing. 
Revisions to the Magnuson-Stevens Act in 2007 require that by 2010, 
FMPs, for fisheries determined by the Secretary to be subject to 
overfishing, must establish a mechanism for specifying ACLs at a level 
that prevents overfishing and does not exceed the recommendations of 
the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committees or other 
established peer review processes. These FMPs are also required to 
establish, by 2010, accountability measures for fisheries subject to 
overfishing.
    By 2011, FMPs for all other fisheries, except fisheries for species 
with annual life cycles, must meet these same requirements. The Council 
is considering alternatives such as removing species from the fishery 
management unit that are rarely captured or taken primarily in state 
waters. The Council is also considering assigning some species to stock 
complexes. Furthermore, the Council is considering extending 
regulations for the snapper-grouper complex into the Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council's jurisdiction because the northern part of 
the range of some snapper-grouper species occurs beyond the current 
jurisdiction of the Council.
    This NOI is intended to inform the public of the preparation of a 
DEIS in support of Amendment 17 to the FMP. The DEIS will specify ACLs, 
establish measures to ensure accountability for species experiencing 
overfishing, as well as establish other measures. Following publication 
of this NOI, the Council will conduct public scoping meetings to 
determine the range of issues to be addressed in the DEIS and the 
associated Amendment 17.
    Following consideration of public scoping comments, the Council 
plans to begin preparation of the draft Snapper-Grouper Amendment 17/
DEIS. The Council and its Scientific and Statistical Committee will 
review the draft Snapper-Grouper Amendment 17/DEIS in 2008. If the 
Council approves the document, public review will take place in late 
2008. A comment period on the DEIS is planned, which will include 
public hearings to receive comments. A Federal Register notice will 
announce the availability of the DEIS associated with this amendment, 
as well as a 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's Administrative Order 
216-6. The Council will consider public comments received on the DEIS 
in developing the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), and 
before voting to submit the final amendment to NMFS for Secretarial 
review, approval, and implementation. NMFS will announce in the Federal 
Register the availability of the final amendment and FEIS for public 
review during the Secretarial review period, and will consider all 
public comments prior to final agency action to approve, disapprove, or 
partially approve the final amendment.

Scoping Meetings, Times, and Locations

    All meetings will begin at 2 p.m. In addition to Amendment 17, the 
Council intends to scope three other amendments at this series of 
meetings. Separate NOIs have been prepared for each amendment. The 
meetings will be physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for information packets or for sign language interpretation or 
other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council (see ADDRESSES).
    Monday, February 4, 2008--The Mutiny Hotel, 2951 South Bayshore 
Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133; phone: 305-441-2100.
    Tuesday, February 5, 2008--Radisson Resort at the Port, 8701, 
Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920; phone: 321-784-0000.
    Wednesday, February 6, 2008--Quality Inn, 125 Venure Drive, 
Brunswick, GA 31525; phone: 912-265-4600.
    Thursday, February 7, 2008--Sheraton New Bern, 100 Middle Street, 
New Bern, NC 28560; phone: 252-638-3585.
    Wednesday, February 20, 2008--Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International 
Boulevard, North Charleston, SC 29418; phone: 843-308-9331.

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

    Dated: January 16, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-1029 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am]
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