[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28749-28750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07096]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for 
Fisheries Research Conducted and Funded by the Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center

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

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

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Supplemental 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA) for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center.'' 
Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period 
for this SPEA. The purpose of this Draft SPEA is to evaluate potential 
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of changes in research that 
were not analyzed in the 2019 Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), or new research activities 
in the North Pacific Ocean and marine waters off of Alaska. Where 
necessary, updates to certain information on species, stock status or 
other components of the affected environment that may result in 
different conclusions from the 2019 PEA are presented in this analysis.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than June 18, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft SPEA should be addressed to Rebecca 
Reuter, Environmental Compliance Coordinator, NOAA/NMFS/AFSC, 7600 Sand 
Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
    The mailbox address for providing email comments is: 
[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 Draft SPEA 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: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/supplemental-programmatic-environmental-assessment-fisheries-research-conducted-and-funded. Documents cited in 
this notice may also be viewed, by appointment, during regular business 
hours at the aforementioned address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Reuter, email: 
[email protected], phone: (206) 526-4234.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AFSC is the research arm of NMFS in the 
Alaska Region. The purpose of AFSC fisheries research is to produce 
scientific information necessary for the management and conservation of 
living marine resources in the North Pacific Ocean and marine waters 
off of Alaska. AFSC's research is needed to promote both the long-term 
sustainability of the resource and the recovery of certain species, 
while generating social and economic opportunities and benefits from 
their use. 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 Draft SPEA under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate several

[[Page 28750]]

alternatives for conducting and funding fisheries and ecosystem 
research activities as the primary Federal action. Additionally, in the 
Draft SPEA, 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 mammal incidental to the 
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, sea turtles and fish 
listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened or 
endangered, this Draft SPEA evaluates activities that could result in 
unintentional takes of ESA-listed marine species.
    The following two alternatives are currently evaluated in the Draft 
SPEA:
     Alternative 1--Continue current fisheries and ecosystem 
research (Status Quo/no action) as described in the 2019 AFSC PEA.
     Alternative 2--Conduct current research with some 
modifications as well as new research activities that are planned for 
the future (i.e., 2024--2029). New future research proposed under 
Alternative 2 was not previously analyzed in the 2019 PEA.
    The 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 connected to a secondary 
Federal action, 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 two action alternatives also include 
mitigation measures intended to minimize potentially adverse 
interaction 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.
    Potential direct and indirect effects on the environment are 
evaluated under each alternative in the Draft SPEA. The environmental 
effects on the following resources are considered: physical 
environment, special resource areas, fish, marine mammals, birds, sea 
turtles, invertebrates, and the social and economic environment. 
Cumulative effects of external actions and the contribution of 
fisheries research activities to the overall cumulative impact on the 
aforementioned resources is also evaluated in the Draft SPEA for the 
geographic regions in which AFSC surveys are conducted.
    NMFS requests comments on the Draft SPEA for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska 
Fisheries Science Center. Please include, with your comments, any 
supporting data or literature citations that may be informative in 
substantiating your comment.

    Dated: March 29, 2024.
Robert Foy,
Science and Research Director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-07096 Filed 4-18-24; 8:45 am]
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