Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 30B, 39950-39951 [E8-15802]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
ordered. Reasons: The foreign
instrument is an electron microscope
and is intended for research or scientific
educational uses requiring an electron
microscope. We know of no electron
microscope, or any other instrument
suited to these purposes, which was
being manufactured in the United States
at the time of order of each instrument.
Dated: July 8, 2008.
Faye Robinson,
Director, Statutory Import Programs Staff,
Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–15832 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XI99
Endangered Species; File Nos. 13306
and 13307
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Issuance of permits.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
Karen Holloway-Adkins, East Coast
Biologists, Inc., P.O. Box 33715,
Indialantic, FL, 32903 (File No. 13306)
and Kristen Hart, 3205 College Ave.,
Davie, FL, 33314 (File No. 13307) have
been issued permits to take green
(Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta
caretta), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys
imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of
scientific research.
ADDRESSES: The permits and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; and
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th
Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701;
phone (727)824–5312; fax (727)824–
5309.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate
Swails or Patrick Opay, (301)713–2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April
2, 2008, notice was published in the
Federal Register (73 FR 17956) that a
request for scientific research permits to
take sea turtles had been submitted by
the above-named individuals. The
requested permit has been issued under
the authority of the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
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governing the taking, importing, and
exporting of endangered and threatened
species (50 CFR parts 222–226).
File No. 13306: Ms. Holloway-Adkins
will capture up to 60 green and 5
loggerhead sea turtles annually. The
turtles will be weighed, measured,
flipper tagged, Passive Integrated
Transponder (PIT) tagged, and blood
and tissue sampled. A subset of green
turtles will be lavaged. The applicant
will also conduct visual transect
surveys. This research will characterize
the turtle aggregation using the
nearshore reef system of Brevard
county, Florida as well as monitor the
impact of local beach nourishment
activities on the sea turtles and their
habitat.
File No. 13307: Dr. Hart will capture
up to 30 green, 20 hawksbill, and 20
loggerhead sea turtles annually. Turtles
will be weighed, measured, flipper
tagged, PIT tagged, blood sampled,
tissue sampled, fecal sampled, and
lavaged. A subset of turtles will be
tagged with a satellite tag or acoustic
transmitter or a combination of both.
This research will address fine-scale
temporal and spatial patterns of sea
turtle habitat use, ecology, and genetic
origin within the Dry Tortugas National
Park.
Issuance of these permits, as required
by the ESA, was based on a finding that
such permit (1) was applied for in good
faith, (2) will not operate to the
disadvantage of such endangered or
threatened species, and (3) is consistent
with the purposes and policies set forth
in section 2 of the ESA.
Dated: July 7, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief,Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8–15835 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–AV80
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico;
Environmental Impact Statement for
Amendment 30B
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Notice announcing the
preparation of an environmental impact
statement (EIS).
ACTION:
SUMMARY: NMFS, in cooperation with
the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council (Council), is preparing an EIS in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for
Amendment 30B to the Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef
Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico.
This notice is intended to inform the
public of the reconsideration from
preparing an environmental assessment
(EA) to preparing a draft EIS for
Amendment 30B.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Hood; phone: (727) 824–5305; fax:
(727) 824–5308; email:
Peter.Hood@noaa.gov.
On March
5, 2007 (72 FR 9734), NMFS and the
Council published a Notice of Intent in
the Federal Register to prepare a draft
EIS and to announce scoping meetings
regarding the actions proposed in
Amendment 30. Amendment 30 was
being developed to describe and analyze
management alternatives to manage
fishing mortality and to establish status
criteria for greater amberjack, gray
triggerfish, gag, and red grouper in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Recent stock assessments
completed under the Southeast Data,
Assessment, and Review program
indicated that management changes
were warranted for these stocks.
Based on comments received during
the scoping process and further analyses
needed for the gag and red grouper stock
assessments, Amendment 30 was split
into Amendments 30A and 30B. This
allowed proposed actions to revise the
greater amberjack rebuilding plan, end
overfishing of gray triggerfish, and
rebuild the gray triggerfish stock to
proceed in Amendment 30A while the
status of the gag and red grouper stocks
were resolved. A supplemental EIS was
prepared for Amendment 30A, in part,
due to significant increases in the stock
biomass of greater amberjack and gray
triggerfish as the two species recover
from their respective overfished states.
A Notice of Availability for the final
supplemental EIS analyzing impacts on
the human environment for Amendment
30A was published in the Federal
Register on April 18, 2008 (73 FR
21124).
Actions to be described and analyzed
in Amendment 30B include: setting gag
thresholds and benchmarks;
establishing gag and red grouper total
allowable catch (TAC), interim
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
allocations, and accountability
measures; ending overfishing of gag;
managing gag and red grouper
commercial and recreational harvests
consistent with TAC; reducing grouper
discard mortality; establishing seasonalarea closures; and requiring compliance
with Federal fishery management
regulations by federally permitted reef
fish vessels when fishing in state waters.
Based on further analysis of the
environmental impacts of actions
proposed in Amendment 30B, NMFS
and the Council did not anticipate any
significant impacts on the human
environment and published a notice on
March 7, 2008 (73 FR 12393)
announcing an EA would be the
appropriate NEPA document.
Subsequent to this evaluation, the
Council wished to examine a more
extensive seasonal area closure to
protect spawning aggregations of gag
and other reef fish species. As a result
of this and other changes, NMFS and
the Council determined actions in
Amendment 30B could be significant to
the human environment and determined
an EIS was required to further evaluate
the impacts of Amendment 30B.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 7, 2008.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8–15802 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XI31
Marine Mammals; File No. 716–1705
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit
amendment.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
Fred Sharpe, Ph.D., Alaska Whale
Foundation, 4739 University Way NE,
#1239, Seattle Washington 98105 has
been issued an amendment to scientific
research Permit No. 716–1705–00.
ADDRESSES: The amendment and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following offices:
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521;
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand
Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1,
Seattle, WA 98115–0700; phone
(206)526–6150; fax (206)526–6426; and
Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box
21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone
(907)586–7221; fax (907)586–7249.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Sloan or Carrie Hubard, (301)713–
2289.
On June 6,
2008, notice was published in the
Federal Register (73 FR 32307) that an
amendment of Permit No. 716–1705–00
had been requested by the above-named
individual. The requested amendment
has been granted under the authority of
the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et
seq.), the regulations governing the
taking and importing of marine
mammals (50 CFR part 216), the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
and the regulations governing the
taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50
CFR 222–226).
The amendment authorizes Dr.
Sharpe to use a mini-helicopter to film
lunge feeding humpback whales
(Megaptera novaeangliae) in Southeast
Alaska in July and August, 2008.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a supplemental
environmental assessment was prepared
analyzing the effects of the permitted
activities. After a Finding of No
Significant Impact, the determination
was made that it was not necessary to
prepare an environmental impact
statement.
Issuance of this permit, as required by
the ESA, was based on a finding that
such permit: (1) was applied for in good
faith; (2) will not operate to the
disadvantage of such endangered
species; and (3) is consistent with the
purposes and policies set forth in
section 2 of the ESA.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: July 7, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8–15834 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
PO 00000
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39951
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[FWS–R1–R–2008–N0040; 1265–0000–
10137–S3]
¯
¯
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument, Hawaii
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS), Interior; National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of extension of the public
comment period for the draft monument
management plan and environmental
assessment.
AGENCIES:
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public
that the public comment period has
been extended for the NOAA, FWS, and
the State of Hawaii’s Department of
Land and Natural Resources (DLNR),
and Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Draft
Monument Management Plan (MMP)
and associated environmental
assessment (EA) for the
¯
¯
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument (Monument). See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for details.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we
must receive written comments by July
23, 2008.
ADDRESSES: The Draft MMP and EA are
available on the FWS and NOAA Web
sites https://www.fws.gov/pacificislands
and https://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/, as well
as at local libraries within the State of
Hawaii. You may provide written
comments on the Draft MMP and EA by
any of the following methods:
¯
¯
U.S. Mail: Papahanaumokuakea
Marine National Monument, Attn:
Susan White, FWS Superintendent, Box
50167, Honolulu, HI 96850–5000 (must
be postmarked by July 23);
¯
¯
Hand-delivery: Papahanaumokuakea
Marine National Monument at 300 Ala
Moana Blvd., Room 5–231 in Honolulu;
or
E-mail:
PMNM_MMP_Comments@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan White, FWS Superintendent,
phone (808) 792–9480.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 75day federal public comment period for
¯
¯
the Draft Papahanaumokuakea Marine
National Monument Management Plan
(73 FR 21975, April 23, 2008) has been
extended for an additional 15 days,
until July 23, 2008. The draft plan was
released by the National Oceanic and
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 134 (Friday, July 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39950-39951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15802]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-AV80
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Environmental Impact Statement
for Amendment 30B
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice announcing the preparation of an environmental impact
statement (EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS, in cooperation with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council), is preparing an EIS in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Amendment 30B to the
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf
of Mexico. This notice is intended to inform the public of the
reconsideration from preparing an environmental assessment (EA) to
preparing a draft EIS for Amendment 30B.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood; phone: (727) 824-5305;
fax: (727) 824-5308; email: Peter.Hood@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 5, 2007 (72 FR 9734), NMFS and the
Council published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register to prepare
a draft EIS and to announce scoping meetings regarding the actions
proposed in Amendment 30. Amendment 30 was being developed to describe
and analyze management alternatives to manage fishing mortality and to
establish status criteria for greater amberjack, gray triggerfish, gag,
and red grouper in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act. Recent stock assessments completed
under the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review program indicated that
management changes were warranted for these stocks.
Based on comments received during the scoping process and further
analyses needed for the gag and red grouper stock assessments,
Amendment 30 was split into Amendments 30A and 30B. This allowed
proposed actions to revise the greater amberjack rebuilding plan, end
overfishing of gray triggerfish, and rebuild the gray triggerfish stock
to proceed in Amendment 30A while the status of the gag and red grouper
stocks were resolved. A supplemental EIS was prepared for Amendment
30A, in part, due to significant increases in the stock biomass of
greater amberjack and gray triggerfish as the two species recover from
their respective overfished states. A Notice of Availability for the
final supplemental EIS analyzing impacts on the human environment for
Amendment 30A was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2008
(73 FR 21124).
Actions to be described and analyzed in Amendment 30B include:
setting gag thresholds and benchmarks; establishing gag and red grouper
total allowable catch (TAC), interim
[[Page 39951]]
allocations, and accountability measures; ending overfishing of gag;
managing gag and red grouper commercial and recreational harvests
consistent with TAC; reducing grouper discard mortality; establishing
seasonal-area closures; and requiring compliance with Federal fishery
management regulations by federally permitted reef fish vessels when
fishing in state waters. Based on further analysis of the environmental
impacts of actions proposed in Amendment 30B, NMFS and the Council did
not anticipate any significant impacts on the human environment and
published a notice on March 7, 2008 (73 FR 12393) announcing an EA
would be the appropriate NEPA document. Subsequent to this evaluation,
the Council wished to examine a more extensive seasonal area closure to
protect spawning aggregations of gag and other reef fish species. As a
result of this and other changes, NMFS and the Council determined
actions in Amendment 30B could be significant to the human environment
and determined an EIS was required to further evaluate the impacts of
Amendment 30B.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 7, 2008.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-15802 Filed 7-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
