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Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: January 17, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 3989-3991]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ja01-55]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 120400B]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the
Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 3990]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS); request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic
Council) intends to prepare a DEIS to assess the impacts on the natural
and human environment of the dolphin and wahoo fishery and of the
management measures proposed for this fishery under the draft Fishery
Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic,
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this notice is to solicit
public comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in the DEIS.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the DEIS and requests for
additional information on the management measures proposed for the
management of dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea,
and Gulf of Mexico should be sent to the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC
29407-4699; phone: 843-571-4366; fax: 843-769-4520.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed by
the DEIS should be received by the Council by February 16, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, 843-571-4366, or Steve
Branstetter, 727-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Atlantic Council is jointly
preparing with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf of
Mexico Council) and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Caribbean
Council) a draft Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo
Fishery of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (FMP) The New
England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council are also cooperating in the FMP preparation.
    The South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Carribean Councils intend
that the FMP take a precautionary approach in conserving the dolphin
and wahoo fishery resources throughout their range in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.
The FMP would have management objectives for the achievement of optimum
yield from the dolphin and wahoo resources and the maintenance of
current allocations among user groups. A draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS) will be integrated into the draft FMP document.
    The DEIS will describe the FMP's proposed management measures and
their reasonable alternatives and will assess the environmental impacts
of these proposed and alternative measures. Based on considerable
previous public input (see reference below to public hearings held to
date on a preliminary draft of the FMP/DEIS), the South Atlantic, Gulf
of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils have already identified a number of
proposed FMP measures and their alternatives. The proposed management
units for dolphin and wahoo would be defined as the populations of each
species throughout their full management range in the Atlantic, Gulf of
Mexico, and Caribbean EEZ. Alternative management units considered will
include the establishment of three separate units for each species
based on each Council's geographical area of jurisdiction. The DEIS
will assess the environmental impacts of the FMP's considered options
for requiring dealer, vessel, and operator permits to participate in
the fishery as well as the effects of any qualifying criteria, such as
prior levels of participation in the fishery, for obtaining and
maintaining permits. The DEIS will also evaluate the environmental
impacts of the FMP's considered alternatives for reporting
requirements. The DEIS will assess the impacts of the FMP's proposed
and alternative biologically acceptable values, based on either biomass
or fishing mortality rates, that define maximum sustainable yield,
optimum yield, and overfishing and overfished conditions. The FMP and
DEIS will identify and describe essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH
Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (EFH HAPCs) for dolphin and wahoo.
The DEIS will assess the environmental impacts associated with the
proposed and alternative EFH and EFH HAPCs; EFH/EFH HAPCs alternatives
considered may include specific locales that are important to the
continued health of the dolphin and wahoo stocks or areas of importance
to a critical life stage of these species.
    The FMP would establish a framework procedure allowing the South
Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils to recommend new
management measures and adjustments for existing measures, within
specified limits, that could be approved and implemented (under the
framework procedure) without having to amend the FMP. Also, the South
Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Councils intend that the FMP
provide each Council with the authority to recommend independently the
establishment of harvesting restrictions for its respective area of
jurisdiction. Such area-specific measures generally would be proposed,
approved, and implemented under the FMP's framework procedure. The
environmental impacts of measures proposed later under the framework
procedure would be assessed at the time of proposal.
    To maintain healthy stocks of both dolphin and wahoo in the
Atlantic, the South Atlantic Council intends that the FMP initially
propose commercial trip limits, recreational bag and boat limits,
minimum size limits, and allowable gears for the dolphin and wahoo
fishery within its area of the EEZ. The Gulf of Mexico Council is
considering several measures that would apply only to the Gulf of
Mexico EEZ; these include establishment of specific dates for the
fishing year and prohibition of the sale of recreationally caught fish.
The DEIS will assess the environmental impacts of all of the FMP's
proposed area-specific measures and their considered alternatives.
    The DEIS will evaluate the impacts of the FMP's proposed allocation
of the majority of the catch to the recreational sector. This
allocation is intended to preserve the historical contribution of the
recreational sector to the total fishery. To ensure economic stability
for the established commercial fishery, the FMP would propose a
restriction on or a prohibition of the sale of fish caught in the
recreational fishery.
    Based on input received during 17 public hearings held to date on a
preliminary draft of the FMP/DEIS, the South Atlantic Council intends
to prepare a revised draft FMP and to finalize the DEIS covering its
environmental impacts. Because of the previous considerable
opportunities for public input, the South Atlantic Council has
scheduled no specific scoping meetings for the DEIS. However, the South
Atlantic Council is requesting written comments on the scope of the
issues to be addressed in the DEIS.
    Once the South Atlantic Council completes the DEIS, it will submit
it to NMFS for filing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
EPA will publish in the Federal Register a notice of availability of
the DEIS for public comment. This procedure is pursuant to the Council
on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the procedural
provisions of The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 40 CFR Parts
1500-1508) and to NOAA's Administrative Order 216-6 regarding NOAA's
compliance with NEPA.
    The South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery
Management

[[Page 3991]]

Councils intend to consider public comments received on the DEIS before
adopting final management measures for a final FMP. The South Atlantic
Council intends to prepare a final environmental impact statement
(FEIS) in support of the final FMP. The three Councils would then
submit the final FMP/FEIS to NMFS for Secretarial review, approval, and
implementation under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. During Secretarial
review, NMFS will file the FEIS with EPA for announcement of a final
comment period on the FEIS (again, through publication of a notice in
the Federal Register). This comment period will be concurrent with the
Secretarial review period, during which NMFS will invite public comment
on the final FMP and proposed implementing regulations (Secretarial
review comment periods are announced through publication in the Federal
Register). NMFS will consider all public comment received during the
Secretarial review period, whether on the FMP, FEIS, or proposed
regulations, prior to taking final agency action to approve,
disapprove, or partially approve the FMP.
    Copies of the draft FMP may be obtained by contacting Kim Iverson
at the Council (see ADDRESSES).

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

    Dated: January 10, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-1378 Filed 1-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

 
 

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