[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52830-52831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19002]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE485


Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Conducted and Funded by 
the National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (DPEA) for Fisheries and Ecosystem Research 
Conducted and Funded by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC).'' 
Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period 
for this DPEA. The purpose of the DPEA is to evaluate, in compliance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the potential 
direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of conducting and funding 
fisheries and ecosystem research in the North Pacific Ocean and the 
marine waters off of Alaska.

DATES: Comments must be received by no later than September 9, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the DPEA should be addressed to: DPEA Comments, 
c/o AFSC Director's Office, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 4, 
Seattle, WA 98115. Comments via email may be sent to 
[email protected]. NMFS is not responsible for email comments 
sent to addresses other than the one provided here. Comments sent via 
email, including all attachments, must not exceed a 10-megabyte file 
size. A copy of the DPEA may be obtained by writing to the address 
specified above, telephoning the contact listed below (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT), or visiting the internet at: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/dpea.html.
    Documents cited in this notice may also be viewed, by appointment, 
during regular business hours, at the aforementioned address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Daniel H. Ito, (206) 526-4232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) 
is the research arm of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the 
Alaska region of the U.S. The AFSC conducts research and provides 
scientific advice to manage fisheries and conserve living marine 
resources in the North Pacific and marine waters off of Alaska. The 
AFSC provides scientific data and technical advice to a variety of 
management organizations and stakeholder groups, including the NMFS 
Alaska Regional Office, North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(NPFMC), State of Alaska, Alaska coastal subsistence communities, and 
U.S. representatives participating in international fishery and marine 
mammal negotiations, as well as the fishing industry, environmental 
non-governmental organizations and other constituents.
    NMFS has prepared the DPEA under NEPA to evaluate several 
alternatives for conducting and funding fisheries and ecosystem 
research activities as the primary Federal action. Additionally in the 
DPEA, NMFS evaluates a related action--also called a ``connected 
action'' under 40 CFR 1508.25 of the Council on Environmental Quality's 
regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)--which is the proposed promulgation of regulations 
and authorization of the take of marine mammals incidental to fisheries 
research under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Additionally, 
because the proposed research activities occur in areas inhabited by 
species of marine mammals, birds, and fish listed under the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA) as threatened or endangered, this DPEA evaluates 
activities that could result in unintentional takes of ESA-listed 
marine species.
    The following four alternatives are currently evaluated in the 
DPEA:

(1) No-Action/Status Quo Alternative--Conduct Federal Fisheries and 
Ecosystem Research with Scope and Protocols Similar to Past Efforts
(2) Preferred Alternative--Conduct Federal Fisheries and Ecosystem 
Research (New Suite of Research) with Mitigation for MMPA and ESA 
Compliance
(3) Modified Research Alternative-- Conduct Federal Fisheries and 
Ecosystem Research (New Suite of Research) with Additional Mitigation
(4) No Research Alternative--No Fieldwork for Federal Fisheries and 
Ecosystem Research Conducted or Funded by AFSC

    The first three alternatives include a program of fisheries and 
ecosystem research projects conducted or funded by the AFSC as the 
primary Federal action. Because this primary action is

[[Page 52831]]

connected to a secondary Federal action (also called a connected action 
under NEPA), to consider authorizing incidental take of marine mammals 
under the MMPA, NMFS must identify as part of this evaluation ``(t)he 
means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the species 
or stock and its habitat.'' (Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA [16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.]). NMFS must therefore identify and evaluate a 
reasonable range of mitigation measures to minimize impacts to 
protected species that occur in AFSC research areas. These mitigation 
measures are considered as part of the identified alternatives in order 
to evaluate their effectiveness to minimize potential adverse 
environmental impacts. The three action alternatives also include 
mitigation measures intended to minimize potentially adverse 
interactions with other protected species that occur within the action 
area. Protected species include all marine mammals, which are covered 
under the MMPA, all species listed under the ESA, and bird species 
protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
    NMFS is also evaluating a second type of no-action alternative that 
considers no Federal funding for field fisheries and ecosystem research 
activities. This is called the No Research Alternative to distinguish 
it from the No-Action/Status Quo Alternative. The No-Action/Status Quo 
Alternative will be used as the baseline to compare all of the other 
alternatives.
    Potential direct and indirect effects on the environment are 
evaluated under each alternative in the DPEA. The environmental effects 
on the following resources are considered: Physical environment, 
special resource areas, fish, marine mammals, birds, invertebrates, and 
the social and economic environment. Cumulative effects of external 
actions and the contribution of fisheries and ecosystem research 
activities to the overall cumulative impact on the aforementioned 
resources is also evaluated in the DPEA for the three main geographic 
regions in which AFSC surveys are conducted.
    NMFS requests comments on the DPEA for Fisheries and Ecosystem 
Research Conducted and Funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Through this notice, NMFS is notifying 
the public that a DPEA is available for review so that interested or 
affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. 
NMFS is seeking written public comments on the scope of issues, 
potential impacts, and alternatives considered in the DPEA. Written 
comments will be accepted at the address above (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should be as specific as possible to be the most helpful. 
Written comments received, including the names and addresses of those 
submitting them, will be considered part of the public record for this 
proposed action and will be available for public inspection. Please 
include, with your comments, any supporting data or literature 
citations that may be informative in substantiating your comment.

    Dated: August 1, 2016.
Douglas P. DeMaster,
Director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-19002 Filed 8-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P