[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6916-6917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02355]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XX038]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Bluefish Fishery; 
Scoping Process

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

ACTION: Notice; public scoping meetings; requests for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council announces its 
intent to prepare, in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries 
Service and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an 
amendment to the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. An 
Environmental Impact Statement may be necessary for the amendment under 
the National Environmental Policy Act to analyze the impacts of any 
proposed management measures. The Council has initiated this amendment 
in order to perform a review of the sector-based allocations, 
commercial allocations to the states, goals and objectives of the 
management plan, transfer processes, and develop a rebuilding plan. 
This notice announces the Council's supplemental public process for 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed, and for identifying 
the significant issues related to the bluefish fishery in the Greater 
Atlantic region. This notice is to alert the interested public of the 
Council's scoping process, the potential development of a draft 
Environmental Impact Statement, and to provide for public participation 
in that process.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before 11:59 p.m., EST, 
on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Eleven supplemental 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:
     Email to the following address: 
[email protected]. Include ``Bluefish Scoping Comments'' 
in the subject line;
     Mail or hand deliver to Dr. Christopher M. Moore, 
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North 
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, Delaware 19901. Mark the outside of the 
envelope ``Bluefish Scoping Comments''; or
     Fax to (302) 674-5399.
    The scoping document may 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.
    Comments may also be provided verbally at any of the eleven 
supplemental public scoping meetings. See Supplementary Information for 
dates, times, and locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, 
DE 19901, (telephone 302-674-2331).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    More details on the topics addressed in this supplementary 
information section may be found in the Bluefish Amendment Scoping 
Document (see ADDRESSES) and on the bluefish allocation amendment page 
of the Council's website at http://www.mafmc.org/actions/bluefish-allocation-amendment.
    The Council, in cooperation with the Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission, has initiated this action in order to (1) update 
the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives for 
bluefish management; (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish 
sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer 
processes within the Bluefish FMP; and 3) initiate a bluefish 
rebuilding plan. Some questions for consideration in this amendment: 
(1) Are the existing goals and objectives appropriate for managing the 
bluefish fishery; (2) is the existing allocation between the commercial 
and recreational sectors based on the annual catch limit appropriate 
for managing the bluefish fishery; (3) are the existing commercial 
state allocations appropriate for managing the bluefish fishery; (4) 
are the existing transfer processes appropriate for managing the 
bluefish fishery; and (5) what is the appropriate approach to take for 
rebuilding?
    The scoping period is an important opportunity for members of the 
public to raise concerns related to the issues that will be considered 
in the amendment. The Council needs your input to identify management 
issues, develop effective alternatives, and identify possible impacts 
to be considered. Public comments early in the amendment development 
process will help the Council address issues of public concern in a 
thorough and appropriate manner. Comments can be made in writing or 
during the scoping hearings as described above (see ADDRESSES).

[[Page 6917]]

    Following the scoping process, the Council will develop a range of 
management alternatives to be considered and potentially prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the impacts of the 
management alternatives being considered as required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act. A draft EIS will be distributed for public 
review. During a 30-day public comment period which will include public 
hearings, the public may comment on any aspect of the draft EIS. 
Following a review of the comments, the Council will then choose 
preferred management measures for submission with the Final EIS to the 
Secretary of Commerce to publish a proposed and then final rule. An 
additional comment period will be available during the rulemaking 
process.

Scoping Hearings

    The Council will take and discuss scoping comments on this 
amendment at the following eleven supplemental scoping meetings dates 
and locations:
    1. Thursday, February 13, 2020 from 7:30-9 p.m.: Massachusetts 
Maritime Academy, Admiral's Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA 
02532.
    2. Tuesday, February 18, 2020 from 6-8 p.m.: Ocean County 
Administration Bldg., Rm. 119, 101 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08753.
    3. Wednesday, February 19, 2020 from 7-8 p.m.: Delaware Dept. of 
Natural Resources & Environmental Control Auditorium, Richardson & 
Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
    4. Tuesday, February 25, 2020 from 4:45-6 p.m.: Berlin Library, 13 
Harrison Avenue, Berlin, MD 21811.
    5. Wednesday, February 26, 2020 from 7:30-9 p.m.: University of 
Rhode Island Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium, South Ferry Road, 
Narragansett, RI 02882.
    6. Wednesday, February 26, 2020 from 8-9 p.m.: Connecticut 
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Marine Headquarters 
Boating Education Center (Rear Building), 333 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 
06371.
    7. Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 6-7 p.m.: North Carolina 
Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, 5285 Highway 70 
West, Morehead City, NC 28557.
    8. Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 7-9 p.m.: Stony Brook 
University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Room 120 
Endeavour Hall; Stony Brook, NY 11794.
    9. Monday, March 2, 2020 from 6-8 p.m.: Merritt Island Service 
Center Complex, 2575 N Courtenay Parkway, Room 205, Merritt Island, FL 
32953.
    10. Monday, March 2, 2020 from 6-7 p.m.: Virginia Marine Resources 
Commission, 380 Fenwick Road, Building 96, Fort Monroe, VA 23651.
    11. Wednesday, March 4, 2020 from 6-7:30 p.m.: Internet webinar 
accessible at http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bf_allocation_rebuilding_scoping/. Audio is available by dialing 1-800-
832-0736 and entering room number 5068609.

Special Accommodations

    The scoping hearings are accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should 
be directed to M. Jan Saunders (302-674-2331, ext 251) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: February 3, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-02355 Filed 2-5-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P