[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15959-15960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06379]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD172


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Initiation of 5-Year Essential 
Fish Habitat Review

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

ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year Essential Fish Habitat review; 
request for information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces a 5-year review of essential fish habitat (EFH) 
for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The purpose of the 5-year 
review is to evaluate the EFH provisions of the fishery management plan 
(FMP) and revise or amend them as warranted. A 5-year review is based 
on the best data available regarding Atlantic HMS and their habitats; 
therefore, NMFS is requesting submission of any such information on 
Atlantic HMS EFH that has become available since publication of Final 
Amendment 1 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP in 2009; Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 3 to the 2006 Consolidated 
HMS FMP; and the interpretive rule and final action that published on 
September 22, 2010, and defined EFH for roundscale spearfish.

DATES: To allow adequate time to conduct this review, NMFS must receive 
your information no later than May 23, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit information by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit information via email to: 
[email protected].
     Mail: Submit written information to Jenni Wallace, HMS 
Management Division, NMFS, SSMC3/F/SF1, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the envelope ``Atlantic 
HMS EFH 5-Year Review.''
     Instructions: Information must be submitted by one of the 
above methods to ensure that the information is received, documented, 
and considered by NMFS. Information sent by any other method, or 
received after the end of the 60-day submission period, may not be 
considered. All information received is a part of the public record and 
may be posted for public viewing on http://

[[Page 15960]]

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, 
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business 
information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will 
accept anonymous submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace or Margo Schulze-Haugen 
at (301)427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1996, Congress reauthorized the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 
Section 305(b)(1)(A) of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act includes 
a requirement to identify and describe EFH for all federally-managed 
fish species based on guidelines established by the Secretary of 
Commerce (Secretary), to minimize, to the extent practicable, adverse 
effects on such habitat caused by fishing, and to identify other 
actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH. EFH is 
defined in section 3(10) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act as ``those waters 
and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or 
growth to maturity''.
    The fishery management plan regulations (50 CFR 600.815) addressing 
EFH state that Councils and NMFS should periodically review and revise 
or amend the EFH provisions as warranted based on available information 
(Sec.  600.815(a)(10)). In 2009, NMFS completed a 5-year review and 
update of EFH for Atlantic HMS in Final Amendment 1 to the 2006 
Consolidated HMS FMP (June 12, 2009; 74 FR 288018). In Amendment 1, 
NMFS updated and revised existing identifications and descriptions of 
EFH for Atlantic HMS, designated a Habitat Area of Particular Concern 
(HAPC) for bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico and updated the analysis 
of fishing and non-fishing impacts to EFH. In 2010, NMFS published a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 3 to the 2006 
Consolidated HMS FMP that designated EFH for smoothhound sharks using 
the same methodology in Final Amendment 1 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS 
FMP. In 2010, NMFS also published an interpretive rule and final action 
(September 22, 2010, 75 FR 57698) that added roundscale spearfish to 
the definition of terms in the Atlantic HMS regulations, and defined 
EFH for roundscale spearfish. This notice announces the first 5-year 
review of all designated Atlantic HMS EFH.

Public Solicitation of New Information

    To ensure that the 5-year review is complete and based on the best 
data available regarding Atlantic HMS and their habitats, NMFS is 
soliciting information from the public, government agencies, tribes, 
the scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and any 
other parties, concerning EFH of Atlantic HMS. Categories of requested 
information are based on the 10 EFH components identified in FMP 
regulations. These include: (1) Description and identification of EFH; 
(2) Fishing activities that may adversely affect EFH; (3) Non-Magnuson-
Stevens Act fishing activities that may adversely affect EFH; (4) Non-
fishing related activities that may adversely affect EFH; (5) 
Cumulative impacts analysis; (6) Conservation and enhancement; (7)Prey 
species; (8) Identification of Habitat Areas of Particular Concern; (9) 
Research and information needs; and (10) Review and revision of EFH 
components of FMPs (Sec.  600.815(a)(1)-(10)). Any new information will 
be considered during the 5-year review and may also be used in 
evaluating ongoing research and management of Atlantic HMS.

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

    Dated: March 19, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-06379 Filed 3-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P