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Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Trawl Fisheries and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings

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[Federal Register: July 1, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 125)]
[Notices]
[Page 31411-31412]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jy09-34]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XP04

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Ocean
and Gulf of Mexico Trawl Fisheries and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; Extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: In response to requests from members of the public, NMFS
extends the public comment period on the notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by assessing potential impacts
resulting from the proposed implementation of new sea turtle
regulations in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico trawl fisheries. The
comment period is now extended for an additional 30 days until August
10, 2009.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until August 10, 2009. Comments
received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent
practicable.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to
Alexis.Gutierrez@noaa.gov, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910; 301-713-2322 or fax 301-713-4060. Additional information,
including the Scoping document, can be found at: http://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/strategy.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Dennis Klemm (ph. 727-824-5312, fax
727-824-5309, email Dennis.Klemm@noaa.gov), Pasquale Scida (ph. 978-
281-9208, fax 978-281-9394, email Pasquale.Scida@noaa.gov), Alexis
Gutierrez (ph. 301-713-2322, fax 301-713-4060, email
Alexis.Gutierrez@noaa.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On May 8, 2009, NMFS published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Sea Turtle Conservation and
Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Trawl
Fisheries and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings (74 FR 21627). The
Notice announced that NMFS is developing rulemaking to address sea
turtle bycatch in state and Federal trawl fisheries under the
Endangered Species Act. The notice also announced that NMFS would
conduct five public scoping meetings. NMFS has now conducted those
scoping meetings and has been asked to extend the comment period for an
additional 30 days.
    NMFS is asking for public comment on the alternatives outlined in
the scoping document. NMFS will evaluate a range of alternatives in the
Draft EIS for implementing phase one of the Strategy to reduce sea
turtle bycatch and mortality in trawl fisheries along the Atlantic
Coast. In addition to evaluating the status quo, NMFS will evaluate a
range of alternatives including which Atlantic trawl fisheries will be
regulated, the temporal and spatial aspects of the regulation and the
potential changes to the operation of Atlantic trawl fisheries. These
alternatives could include time and area closures, requiring the use of
TEDs in the summer flounder, whelk, croaker and weakfish flynet and
calico scallop trawls for the entire Atlantic Coast, as well as
combination of spatial and temporal options. In terms of spatial
options, sea turtles in U.S. waters range as far North as Georges Bank
and the Gulf of Maine, but may be less likely to interact with a
fishery towards the northern extent of this range. NMFSwill likely
evaluate several alternatives related to the northern/northeastern
extent of any required gear modification or other regulation.
Similarly, several alternatives will likely be evaluated for the
temporal extent of when a regulation would be in effect, as sea turtles
migrate north along the Atlantic coast as waters warm each year, and
are only present in more northern areas during the warmer months. The
public scoping document, the powerpoint presentation and the Notice of
Intent can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/
strategy.htm. The public comment period is now extended 30 days and
will close on August 10, 2009.

[[Page 31412]]

    Dated: June 24, 2009.
James H. Lecky,
Office Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15552 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

 
 

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