[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 117 (Friday, June 17, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35408-35409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15152]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XR75


Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Components of Fishery Management 
Plans (Northeast Multispecies, Atlantic Sea Scallop, Monkfish, Atlantic 
Herring, Skates, Atlantic Salmon, and Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab) 5-
Year Review

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

ACTION: Supplemental notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a programmatic 
environmental impact statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is in the 
process of preparing a programmatic EIS for an Omnibus EFH Amendment to 
the fishery management plans (FMPs) for Northeast (NE) multispecies, 
Atlantic sea scallop, monkfish, Atlantic herring, NE skate complex, 
Atlantic salmon, and Atlantic deep-sea red crab. The Council will 
expand the scope of this action to include review of, and possible 
changes to, the NE multispecies closed areas. During this comment 
period, the Council is seeking comments on the possible revision of 
these management areas.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m. e.s.t., 
July 18, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England 
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 
01950.
     Fax: (978) 465-3116.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this notification is to alert 
the interested public of the Council's intent to consider changes to 
the NE multispecies closed areas in the Omnibus EFH Amendment. A 
description of the background and need for the Omnibus EFH Amendment 
can be found in the original NOI dated February 24, 2004, (69 FR 8367) 
and is not repeated here. The amendment has been developed in two 
phases. Phase 1 included a review and update of EFH designations, 
consideration of habitat areas of particular concern, an updated prey 
species list, and an update of non-fishing impacts. A notice of 
availability for the Phase 1 Draft EIS (DEIS) was published on April 6, 
2007 (72 FR 17157).
    Phase 2 will include an evaluation of the effects of fishing on 
EFH, and management measures to minimize the adverse effects of fishing 
on EFH across all FMPs. A subset of the alternatives to minimize the 
impacts of EFH will focus specifically on minimizing the impacts of 
fishing on deep-sea corals. During early meetings to develop Phase 2 
alternatives in late 2009 and early 2010, the Council's Habitat 
Oversight Committee concluded that development and implementation of 
new or modified habitat management areas was complicated substantially 
by the existence of the NE multispecies closed areas. There is 
considerable spatial overlap between the NE multispecies closed areas 
and the current habitat areas which are closed to bottom tending mobile 
gears. Generally, the NE multispecies closed areas are closed to all 
gear capable of catching groundfish, including but not limited to 
mobile gears, although there are specific exemptions for certain 
fisheries and gear types. Specifically, the Habitat Oversight Committee 
was concerned about the feasibility of implementing new habitat 
management areas outside of the boundaries of the NE multispecies 
closed areas, in particular the year round closures, even if current 
habitat management areas were eliminated, as this would substantially 
increase in the amount of seabed closed to fishing for some types of 
gears/fisheries.

[[Page 35409]]

    At the January 2011 Council meeting, the Habitat Oversight 
Committee raised the issue of modifying or eliminating the NE 
multispecies closed areas via the Omnibus EFH Amendment. At its April 
2011 meeting, the Council reviewed available information related to 
this issue, including how this change in scope would affect the Omnibus 
EFH Amendment's timeline given other priorities established for 2011, 
and then voted to expand the scope of the Amendment to consider 
modifying the NE multispecies closed areas in conjunction with the 
establishment of any new habitat closed areas.
    Following public comment on all alternatives, including any 
alternatives related to the NE multispecies closed areas as well 
alternatives to designate EFH and HAPCs, minimize impacts to EFH, and 
protect deep-sea corals, the Council will select final alternatives and 
then prepare and submit a final EIS document. It is anticipated that 
all selected alternatives from both phases of the Omnibus EFH Amendment 
will be implemented via a single rulemaking. Considering this expansion 
of scope, the expected implementation date for the Omnibus EFH 
Amendment will be delayed beyond the previously anticipated date of 
summer 2012.
    Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on this change in 
scope as well as on other issues related to the development of EFH 
impacts minimization alternatives. Comments are specifically sought on 
the utility of existing or alternative closures to address the needs of 
groundfish stocks, as well as on the impacts of changes to the existing 
closures on groundfish fishing and other activities (such as Special 
Access Programs, exempted/certified bycatch fisheries, recreational 
fishing opportunities, endangered or threatened species protection, 
etc.).

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

    Dated: June 13, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-15152 Filed 6-16-11; 8:45 am]
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