Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Caribbean and Amendment 5 to the Joint Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, 41063-41064 [E7-14451]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 143 / Thursday, July 26, 2007 / Notices authorities, and the public for this information. The information provided will help NMFS better assess pot gear fisheries (lobster, whelk/conch, crab, fish trap) and their impacts on sea turtle populations in the northeast region (Maine to Virginia). Reports are made by telephone, or by fax or email. III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0496. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; Individuals or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government; and State, Local or Tribal Government. Estimated Number of Respondents: 45. Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 45. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $675. IV. Request for Comments rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: July 20, 2007. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E7–14464 Filed 7–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 16:36 Jul 25, 2007 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Estuarine Research Reserve System Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Public Comment Period for the Revised Management Plan for the Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve. AGENCY: II. Method of Collection VerDate Aug<31>2005 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Jkt 211001 SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce is announcing a thirty day public comment period on the revised Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan which will begin on the day this announcement is published. Comments should be sent within the comment period in hard copy or e-mail to Doris Grimm at Doris.Grimm@noaa.gov or NOAA’s Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 EastWest Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated in February 1984 pursuant to Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1461. Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(c), a state must revise its management plan every five years. The reserve has been operating under a management plan approved in 1996. The submission of this plan fulfills this requirement and sets a course for successful implementation of the goals and objectives of the reserve. Since the last management plan, the Wells Reserve acquired two key parcels of land, changed its boundary, constructed needed facilities, and has implemented several system-wide programs. It acquired the 27-acre Alheim property and the 21⁄2-acre Lord parcel, and changed its boundary to include 359 acres of the watershed areas of the Reserve. The Reserve built the Maine Coastal Ecology Center, new interpretive exhibits, the Alheim Commons dormitory, and the Forest Learning Shelter, and equipped and opened the Coastal Resource Library. This new management plan serves as the primary guidance document for the PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 41063 operation of the Wells Reserve’s core and system-wide programs in research and monitoring, education and coastal training, and resource management and stewardship. The plan provides guidance on the acquisition of land to be added to the Reserve and on the construction and renovation of buildings and exhibits that support NERR programs. It also guides the Reserve in important related programs, such as volunteerism and outreach to communities to encourage stewardship of coastal resources in southern Maine. The Wells Reserve is a public/private partnership whose administrative oversight is vested in the Reserve Management Authority (RMA). This independent state agency was established in 1990 to support and promote the interests of the Wells Reserve. The RMA has a Board of Directors composed of representatives having a property, management, or program interest in the Wells Reserve. The RMA members represent the Maine Department of conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Town of Wells, the Laudholm Trust, the Maine State Planning Office, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Grimm at (301) 563–7107 or Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563–1158 of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 EastWest Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For copies of the Wells Management Plan revision, visit https://www.wellsreserve.org. Dated: July 20, 2007. David M. Kennedy, Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. E7–14487 Filed 7–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–08–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–AV61 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Caribbean and Amendment 5 to the Joint Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\26JYN1.SGM 26JYN1 41064 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 143 / Thursday, July 26, 2007 / Notices rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) intends to prepare a DEIS to describe and analyze management alternatives to be included in an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and the FMP for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. These alternatives will consider measures to implement a minimum import size on spiny lobster. The purpose of this notice of intent is to solicit public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS. DATES: Written comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS must be received by the Council by August 27, 2007. A series of scoping meetings will be held in September, 2007. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the DEIS and requests for additional information on the amendment should be sent to the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–25772203; telephone: 787–766–5927; fax: 787– 766–6239. Comments may also be sent by e-mail to Graciela.GarciaMoliner@noaa.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Graciela Garcia-Moliner; phone: 787– 766–5927; fax: 787–766–6239; e-mail: Graciela.Garcia-Moliner@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Spiny Lobster (Paniluris argus)in the Southeast Region is managed under a Caribbean FMP and a joint Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic FMP. All three Southeast fishery mangement councils have expressed concern recently about the effects of imports of spiny lobster that are smaller than the size limits in the U.S. spiny lobster FMPs. In many instances, imports are also undersized based on size limits established in the country of origin. Many Caribbean and Central and South American nations share these concerns, and scientific evidence suggests that larvae from one area or region within this species’ range may contribute to stock recruitment in other areas or regions. The Caribbean Fishery Management Council has expressed intent to amend its Spiny Lobster FMP to consider application of a minimum size limit on imported spiny lobster. NOAA Fisheries VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:36 Jul 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 believes amendment of the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny Lobster FMP should be addressed concurrently. After conferring with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Caribbean Council was designated as the administrative lead to address spiny lobster issues. Thus, the Caribbean Council will prepare one document, which contains an amendment to the Caribbean Spiny Lobster FMP and also an amendment to the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny Lobster FMP. The Caribbean Council will develop a DEIS to describe and analyze management alternatives to implement a minimum size limit on imported spiny lobster. The amendment will provide updates to the best available scientific information regarding Paniluris argus, and based on the information, the Councils will determine what actions and alternatives are necessary to protect spiny lobster throughout its range. Those alternatives may include, but are not limited to: a ‘‘no action’’ alternative regarding the fishery; alternatives to restrict the minimum import size based on carapace length; alternatives to restrict the minimum import size based on tail length; and alternatives to restrict the importation of meat, which is not whole lobster or tailed lobster. In accordance with NOAA’s Administrative Order NAO 216–6, Section 5.02(c), the Caribbean Council has identified this preliminary range of alternatives as a means to initiate discussion for scoping purposes only. This may not represent the full range of alternatives that eventually will be evaluated by the Caribbean Council. Once the Caribbean Council completes the DEIS associated with the amendment to the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Caribbean, it must be approved by a majority of the voting members, present and voting, of the Carribean Council. Similarly, the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny Lobster FMP amendment and associated DEIS must be approved by those Councils. After the Councils approve this document, the DEIS will be submitted to NMFS for filing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA will publish a notice of availability of the DEIS for public comment in the Federal Register. The DEIS will have a 45–day comment period. This procedure is pursuant to regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 40 CFR parts 1500–1508) and to NOAA’s Administrative Order PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 216–6 regarding NOAA’s compliance with NEPA and the CEQ regulations. The Councils will consider public comments received on the DEIS in developing the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and before adopting final management measures for the amendment. The Councils will submit both the final joint amendment and the supporting FEIS to NMFS for review by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. NMFS will announce, through a notice published in the Federal Register, the availability of the final joint amendment for public review during the Secretarial review period. During Secretarial review, NMFS will also file the FEIS with the EPA for a final 30–day public comment period. This comment period will be concurrent with the Secretarial review period and will end prior to final agency action to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the final joint amendment. NMFS will announce, through a notice published in the Federal Register, all public comment periods on the final joint amendment, its proposed implementing regulations, and its associated FEIS. NMFS will consider all public comments received during the Secretarial review period, whether they are on the final amendment, the proposed regulations, or the FEIS, prior to final agency action. Dated: July 20, 2007. Emily Menashes, Acting Director, Office Of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–14451 Filed 7–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 020907C] Marine Mammals; File Nos. 715–1883 and 881–1745 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit and permit amendment. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Permit No. 715–1883 for conduct of research on northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) has been issued to the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium (NPUMMRC), University of British E:\FR\FM\26JYN1.SGM 26JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 143 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41063-41064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14451]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-AV61


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster 
Fishery of the Caribbean and Amendment 5 to the Joint Fishery 
Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery Gulf of Mexico and South 
Atlantic

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

[[Page 41064]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) intends to 
prepare a DEIS to describe and analyze management alternatives to be 
included in an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the 
Spiny Lobster Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and 
the FMP for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South 
Atlantic. These alternatives will consider measures to implement a 
minimum import size on spiny lobster. The purpose of this notice of 
intent is to solicit public comments on the scope of issues to be 
addressed in the DEIS.

DATES:  Written comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the 
DEIS must be received by the Council by August 27, 2007. A series of 
scoping meetings will be held in September, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments on the scope of the DEIS and requests for 
additional information on the amendment should be sent to the Caribbean 
Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San 
Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-25772203; telephone: 787-766-5927; fax: 787-
766-6239. Comments may also be sent by e-mail to Graciela.Garcia-
Moliner@noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Graciela Garcia-Moliner; phone: 787-
766-5927; fax: 787-766-6239; e-mail: Graciela.Garcia-Moliner@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Spiny Lobster (Paniluris argus)in the 
Southeast Region is managed under a Caribbean FMP and a joint Gulf of 
Mexico and South Atlantic FMP. All three Southeast fishery mangement 
councils have expressed concern recently about the effects of imports 
of spiny lobster that are smaller than the size limits in the U.S. 
spiny lobster FMPs. In many instances, imports are also undersized 
based on size limits established in the country of origin. Many 
Caribbean and Central and South American nations share these concerns, 
and scientific evidence suggests that larvae from one area or region 
within this species' range may contribute to stock recruitment in other 
areas or regions.
    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council has expressed intent to 
amend its Spiny Lobster FMP to consider application of a minimum size 
limit on imported spiny lobster. NOAA Fisheries believes amendment of 
the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny Lobster FMP should be addressed 
concurrently. After conferring with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the 
Caribbean Council was designated as the administrative lead to address 
spiny lobster issues. Thus, the Caribbean Council will prepare one 
document, which contains an amendment to the Caribbean Spiny Lobster 
FMP and also an amendment to the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny Lobster 
FMP.
    The Caribbean Council will develop a DEIS to describe and analyze 
management alternatives to implement a minimum size limit on imported 
spiny lobster. The amendment will provide updates to the best available 
scientific information regarding Paniluris argus, and based on the 
information, the Councils will determine what actions and alternatives 
are necessary to protect spiny lobster throughout its range. Those 
alternatives may include, but are not limited to: a ``no action'' 
alternative regarding the fishery; alternatives to restrict the minimum 
import size based on carapace length; alternatives to restrict the 
minimum import size based on tail length; and alternatives to restrict 
the importation of meat, which is not whole lobster or tailed lobster.
    In accordance with NOAA's Administrative Order NAO 216-6, Section 
5.02(c), the Caribbean Council has identified this preliminary range of 
alternatives as a means to initiate discussion for scoping purposes 
only. This may not represent the full range of alternatives that 
eventually will be evaluated by the Caribbean Council.
    Once the Caribbean Council completes the DEIS associated with the 
amendment to the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Caribbean, it must be 
approved by a majority of the voting members, present and voting, of 
the Carribean Council. Similarly, the Gulf and South Atlantic Spiny 
Lobster FMP amendment and associated DEIS must be approved by those 
Councils. After the Councils approve this document, the DEIS will be 
submitted to NMFS for filing with the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA). The EPA will publish a notice of availability of the DEIS for 
public comment in the Federal Register. The DEIS will have a 45-day 
comment period. This procedure is pursuant to regulations issued by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 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 and the CEQ regulations.
    The Councils will consider public comments received on the DEIS in 
developing the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and before 
adopting final management measures for the amendment. The Councils will 
submit both the final joint amendment and the supporting FEIS to NMFS 
for review by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) under the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
    NMFS will announce, through a notice published in the Federal 
Register, the availability of the final joint amendment for public 
review during the Secretarial review period. During Secretarial review, 
NMFS will also file the FEIS with the EPA for a final 30-day public 
comment period. This comment period will be concurrent with the 
Secretarial review period and will end prior to final agency action to 
approve, disapprove, or partially approve the final joint amendment.
    NMFS will announce, through a notice published in the Federal 
Register, all public comment periods on the final joint amendment, its 
proposed implementing regulations, and its associated FEIS. NMFS will 
consider all public comments received during the Secretarial review 
period, whether they are on the final amendment, the proposed 
regulations, or the FEIS, prior to final agency action.

    Dated: July 20, 2007.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office Of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-14451 Filed 7-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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