[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 145 (Thursday, July 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37980-37981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18189]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XQ63


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

[[Page 37981]]


ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS); notice of public scoping meetings; requests for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) 
announces its intention to prepare, in cooperation with NFS, and EIS in 
accordance with the national Environmental Policy Act to assess 
potential effects on the human environment of alternative measures to 
address several issues regarding the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management 
Plan.
    This notice announces a public process for determining the scope of 
issues to be addressed, and for identifying the significant issues 
related to amendment the plan. This notice is to alert the interested 
public of the scooping process, the development of the Draft EIS, and 
to provide for public participation in that process.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m., EST, on 
September 4, 2009. Four public scoping meetings will be held during 
this comment period. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, 
and locations.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent by any of the following 
methods:
    E-mail to the following address: [email protected]. Please note on 
your correspondence and in the subject line of e-mail comments the 
following identifier: ``Spiny Dogfish Amendment 3 Scoping Comments.'';
    Mail or hand deliver to Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 
South New Street, Dover, Delaware 19904-6790. Mark the outside of the 
envelope ``Spiny Dogfish Amendment 3 Scoping Comments.'';
    Fax to: (302) 674-5399.
    The scoping document may also be obtained from the Council office 
at the previously provided address, or by request to the Council by 
telephone (302) 674-2331, or via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/comments/comments.htm.
    Comments may also be provided verbally at any of the three public 
scoping meetings. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, and 
locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. New Street, Room 2115, 
Dover, DE 19904; telephone: (302) 674-2331, extension 19.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meetings

    Four scoping meetings to facilitate public comment will be held on 
the following dates and locations:
    1. August 10, 2009, 7 p.m., Virginia Marine Fisheries Commission, 
2600 Building Meeting Room, 2600 Washington Ave., Newport News, VA 
23607;
    2. August 11, 2009, 7 p.m., Ocean County Administration Building, 
Public Hearing Room 119, 101 Hooper Ave, Toms River, NJ 08754;
    3. August 12, 2009, 6:30 p.m., New Hampshire Urban Forestry Center, 
45 Elwyn Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801;
    4. August 13, 2009, 7 p.m., Radisson Plymouth, 180 Water Street, 
Plymouth, MA 02360.

Issues Identified for Discussion under this Amendment

(1) Research-Set-Aside (RSA) provision
    Currently there is no option for allocating a portion of the spiny 
dogfish quota for research. The Council is considering adding an RSA 
provision to the FMP.
(2) Commercial Quota Allocation Alternatives
    Currently, the commercial quota for spiny dogfish is allocated 
seasonally into two periods in the fishing year. Period 1 (May 1 - Oct 
31) is allocated 57.9% of the quota and Period 2 (Nov 1 - Apr 30) is 
allocated 42.1% of the quota. The Council is considering alternative 
allocation (i.e., geographic) schemes for the Federal quota.
(3) Specifying the spiny dogfish quota and/or trip limits by sex
    The Council is considering modifications to the FMP that would 
allow for sex-specific annual specification of spiny dogfish quota and/
or trip limits.
(4) Limited Access Spiny Dogfish Permit
    Federal spiny dogfish permits are currently available to all 
vessels. The Council is considering modifying the Federal permit to 
make it a limited access permit. It is possible that an incidental 
catch permit would also be established that would be open access.
(5) Recreational Spiny Dogfish Fishery
    To the extent that recreationally-caught spiny dogfish are 
retained, that component of the overall fishery is not acknowledged in 
the FMP. The Council is considering adding the recreational fishery to 
the FMP.
    The Council may deviate from these examples and develop additional 
approaches, consistent with their description in the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, NS1, and the NS 1 Guidelines. The above issues under consideration 
are described in greater detail in the scoping document itself; copies 
may be obtained from the Council (see ADDRESSES) or via the Internet at 
http://www.mafmc.org.mid-atlantic/comments/comments.htm.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Bryan, (302) 674-2331, ext. 
18, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: July 27, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-18189 Filed 7-29-09; 8:45 am]
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