[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10467-10468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02820]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF177


Pacific Island Pelagic Fisheries; Deep-Set Tuna Longline 
Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement; public meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS, in coordination with the Western Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council), intends to prepare a Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to analyze the environmental 
impacts of the continued authorization and management of U.S. Pacific 
Island deep-set tuna longline fisheries under the Fishery Ecosystem 
Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP) and other 
applicable laws. The analysis would include certain longline fisheries 
based in Hawaii, the U.S. west coast, American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Publication of 
this notice begins the public scoping process to determine the scope of 
the environmental issues for consideration in the PEIS and allowing 
interested parties to suggest fishery management issues to be 
considered in the PEIS. The PEIS is intended to support management of 
U.S. pelagic longline fisheries.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting dates. NMFS 
must receive comments by April 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this action, identified by NOAA-
NMFS-2017-0010, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0010, click the ``Comment 
Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your 
comments.
     Mail: Send written comments to Michael D. Tosatto, 
Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp 
Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
     Scoping Meeting: Submit written comments at a scoping 
meeting.
    Instructions: You must submit comments by the above methods to 
ensure that NMFS receives, documents, and considers your comments. NMFS 
may not consider comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period. 
NMFS will consider all comments received as part of the public record 
and will generally post comments for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address) 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 comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you 
wish to remain anonymous).
    Copies of the FEP, amendments, and previous EISs are available at 
http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ariel Jacobs, NMFS, Pacific Islands 
Regional Office, (808) 725-5182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and the Council manage domestic 
longline fisheries in U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ or Federal 
waters; generally 3-200 nautical miles from shore) around the U.S. 
Pacific Islands and on the high seas according to the FEP, as 
authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. Shallow-set longline vessels target swordfish near the surface; 
the shallow-set fisheries are covered by a separate analysis and will 
not be analyzed under the PEIS. Deep-set vessels target tunas deeper 
than 100 m. The deep-set fisheries have more participants, greater 
fishing effort, catch, and higher total revenues than the shallow-set 
fisheries.
    The primary deep-set longline fisheries are in Hawaii and American 
Samoa. Access to the Hawaii longline fisheries is limited to 164 
vessels, of which about 140 are typically active. Of these, about 20 
may also shallow-set during any given year. For example, in 2014 there 
were 1,350 deep-set trips and 81 shallow-set trips. Most vessels with 
Hawaii longline permits are based in Hawaii, and about 10 operate from 
ports on the U.S. west coast.
    Access to the American Samoa deep-set tuna fishery is also limited, 
with a maximum of 60 permits divided into four classes based on vessel 
size. About 30 vessels are active in the American Samoa fishery, mostly 
Class D (vessels over 70 ft). Historically, a few deep-set tuna 
longline vessels operated out of Guam and the CNMI, but these fisheries 
have been inactive since 2011.
    Management provisions governing deep-set tuna longline fisheries 
include, but are not limited to the following requirements:
     Limited entry/access programs;
     Vessel size limits;
     Mandatory permits and reporting of catch and effort;
     Areas where fishing is prohibited;
     Monitoring by on-board observers;
     Satellite-based vessel monitoring system;
     Catch limits or prohibitions for some fish species;
     Gear configuration requirements; and
     Specific methods for handling and releasing bycatch.
    See Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 665 for most 
of the regulations. There are additional requirements under other 
authorities, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered 
Species Act, marine sanctuaries and

[[Page 10468]]

monuments, international requirements, and other laws regulating 
shipping, pollution, etc.
    NMFS has evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the deep-
set longline fisheries in previous National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) analyses. In a 2001 EIS, NMFS evaluated the potential impacts on 
target and non-target stocks, protected marine species (sea turtles, 
marine mammals, etc.), fishermen, and other parameters. In a 2005 EIS, 
NMFS evaluated the potential impacts on seabirds. In a 2009 PEIS, NMFS 
evaluated the potential impacts when the Council and NMFS developed and 
implemented five geographically based FEPs, including the Pelagic FEP. 
Additionally, NMFS has evaluated, through separate NEPA analyses, the 
potential impacts of several FEP amendments and additional regulatory 
changes since 2009.
    In the current PEIS, NMFS and the Council will evaluate the direct, 
indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of U.S. Pacific Island 
deep-set longline fisheries. The proposed federal action is the 
continued authorization of the U.S. Pacific Island deep-set tuna 
longline fisheries of American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and Hawaii, including 
vessels based on the U.S. west coast, as managed under the FEP and 
other applicable laws.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to maintain viable domestic 
deep-set tuna longline fisheries, while ensuring the long-term 
sustainability of fishery resources, and the conservation of protected 
species and their habitats. The need for the proposed action is to 
manage deep-set tuna longline fisheries under an adaptive management 
framework that allows for timely management responses to changing 
environmental conditions, consistent with domestic and international 
conservation and management measures.
    Although each deep-set longline fishery managed under the FEP 
generally operates in a similar manner, each fishery is subject to a 
unique set of conservation and management issues and regulatory 
framework. Accordingly, the scope of the analyses would be programmatic 
in nature.

Public Involvement

    We are notifying the public that NMFS intends to prepare a PEIS, 
and will hold a series of public scoping meetings to describe the 
management of deep-set longline fisheries under the FEP. We invite 
comments from the public at the early stage of environmental effects 
analysis planning. Specifically, NMFS is seeking input from the public 
on issues that NMFS should address in the draft PEIS related to 
management of the deep-set longline fisheries, including catch of 
target species (e.g., tunas) and non-target species (e.g., sharks), 
interactions with protected species, and impacts on the pelagic 
ecosystem. This will assist NMFS and the Council in determining the 
scope of the environmental issues, and in developing of a reasonable 
range of fishery management alternatives to analyze in the draft PEIS.
    There will be an opportunity for the public to comment on the draft 
PEIS when it is published. You may find more information about deep-set 
tuna longline fisheries managed under the FEP and the progress of the 
PEIS at http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/SFD/SFD_regs_index.html.

Meetings

    NMFS will hold public meetings at the dates and locations below. 
All meetings will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

1. Hilo, HI

Tuesday, February 21, 2017, Edith Kanakaole Hall, Room 122, University 
of Hawaii at Hilo, 200 W. Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720.

2. Honolulu, HI

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Nuuanu Elementary School, Cafeteria, 3055 
Puiwa Ln., Honolulu, HI 96817.

3. Pago Pago, AS

Tuesday, February 28, 2017, Sadie's By the Sea, Upstairs Conference 
Room, Utulei Beach, Rte. 1, Pago Pago, AS 96799.

4. Tafuna, AS

Wednesday, March 1, 2017, NOAA GMD/PIFSC Compound Tafuna (West 
Location), 8043 Tasi St., Tafuna, AS 96799.

5. Pago Pago, AS

Thursday, March 2, 2017, PC Mauga Tasi Asuega Fale Tele (East 
Location), Village of Pago Pago, AS 96799.

6. Saipan, MP

Tuesday, March 7, 2017, Pedro P. Tenorio Multipurpose Center, Beach 
Rd., Susupe, Saipan, MP 96950.

7. Mangilao, GU

Thursday, March 9, 2017, University of Guam, CNAS 127, University Dr., 
Mangilao, GU 96923.

Special Accommodations

    NMFS will make every attempt to make these meetings accessible to 
people with disabilities. Direct any requests for sign language 
interpretation, physical assistance, or other auxiliary aids to Ariel 
Jacobs at (808) 725-5182 at least five days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: February 7, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-02820 Filed 2-10-17; 8:45 am]
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