Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the South Atlantic States; Regulatory Amendment 14, 46925 [2013-18673]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 149 / Friday, August 2, 2013 / Notices
amendment, the proposed regulations,
or the FEIS, prior to final agency action.
Public Hearings, Times, and Locations
The Council will hold public hearings
to discuss the actions included in
Amendment 22. Exact dates, times, and
locations will be announced by the
Council. The public will be informed,
via a notification in the Federal
Register, of the exact times, dates, and
locations of future scoping meetings and
public hearings for Amendment 22.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 29, 2013.
Emily H. Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–18676 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–BD07
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Fishery off the South Atlantic
States; Regulatory Amendment 14
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice announcing the
preparation of an environmental
assessment (EA).
AGENCY:
NMFS, in cooperation with
the South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (Council), is preparing an EA in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for
Regulatory Amendment 14 to the
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
Atlantic Region (Regulatory
Amendment 14). This notice is intended
to inform the public of the change from
the preparation of a draft environmental
impact statement (EIS) to an EA for
Regulatory Amendment 14.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nikhil Mehta, Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, or
email: nikhil.mehta@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April
17, 2013, NMFS and the Council
published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the
Federal Register (78 FR 22846), to
prepare a draft EIS for Regulatory
Amendment 14. Regulatory Amendment
14 was being developed to address
management measures to modify the
fishing year for greater amberjack; revise
the minimum size limit measurement
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:55 Aug 01, 2013
Jkt 229001
for gray triggerfish; increase the
minimum size limit for hogfish; adjust
the commercial fishing season for
vermilion snapper; modify the aggregate
grouper bag limit; and revise the
accountability measures (AMs) for gag
and vermilion snapper. Regulatory
Amendment 14 was also being
developed to modify the commercial
and recreational fishing years for black
sea bass, and the alternatives considered
could have resulted in black sea bass
pots being fished during large whale
migration and the right whale calving
season.
Subsequent to the publication of the
NOI, the Council modified the
amendment by removing actions
regarding gray triggerfish, hogfish, and
grouper aggregate recreational bag
limits, due to on-going and anticipated
stock assessments for these species.
Furthermore, on May 13, 2013, the
Council approved Regulatory
Amendment 19 to the FMP. In this
amendment, the Council approved an
action to implement a seasonal closure
(November 1 through April 30) for the
commercial black sea bass pot
component of the snapper-grouper
fishery. The seasonal closure would
address potential gear interactions with
large whale migration and right whales
during calving season. If NMFS decides
to publish a final rule to implement
Regulatory Amendment 19, that final
rule would likely become effective in
2013. It is anticipated that rulemaking to
implement Regulatory Amendment 14
would occur in 2014, and therefore,
alternatives in Regulatory Amendment
14 that would modify the commercial
fishing year for black sea bass would no
longer be a concern for protected
species.
Actions in the EA for Regulatory
Amendment 14 would now modify the
commercial and recreational fishing
year for greater amberjack; modify the
commercial and recreational fishing
years for black sea bass; change the
commercial fishing season for vermilion
snapper; modify trip limits for gag; and
revise the recreational AMs for black sea
bass and vermilion snapper. These
actions would ensure fishing
opportunities are extended during
optimal times of the year, while
ensuring that overfishing does not
occur, in accordance with the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.
Consequently, NMFS and the Council
are initially preparing an EA rather than
proceeding with the development of a
draft EIS. If the EA results in a Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI), the
EA and FONSI will be the final
environmental documents required by
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
46925
NEPA. If the EA reveals that significant
environmental impacts may be
reasonably expected to result from the
proposed actions, NMFS and the
Council will develop a draft EIS to
further evaluate those impacts.
The Council will hold public hearings
to discuss the actions included in
Regulatory Amendment 14. Exact dates,
times, and locations will be announced
by the Council. The public will be
informed, via a notification in the
Federal Register, of the exact times,
dates, and locations of future public
hearings for Regulatory Amendment 14.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 29, 2013.
Emily H. Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–18673 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC790
Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meetings
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
This notice advises the public
that the Western Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
convene meetings of the Northern
Mariana Islands Regional Ecosystem
Advisory Committee (REAC) in Saipan,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands.
DATES: The REAC meeting will be held
Thursday, August 22, 2013. For the
specific dates, times, and agendas for
the meetings see SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
SUMMARY:
The meetings of the CNMI
REAC will be held at the Multipurpose
Center, Susupe, CNMI.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director;
telephone: (808)522–8220.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
Schedule and Agenda for CNMI REAC
Meeting
9 a.m.–3 p.m. Thursday, August 22,
2013
1. Welcome and Introduction
E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM
02AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 46925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18673]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-BD07
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the South Atlantic States; Regulatory
Amendment 14
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice announcing the preparation of an environmental
assessment (EA).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS, in cooperation with the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council), is preparing an EA in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Regulatory Amendment 14 to
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of
the South Atlantic Region (Regulatory Amendment 14). This notice is
intended to inform the public of the change from the preparation of a
draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to an EA for Regulatory
Amendment 14.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nikhil Mehta, Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: nikhil.mehta@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 17, 2013, NMFS and the Council
published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register (78 FR
22846), to prepare a draft EIS for Regulatory Amendment 14. Regulatory
Amendment 14 was being developed to address management measures to
modify the fishing year for greater amberjack; revise the minimum size
limit measurement for gray triggerfish; increase the minimum size limit
for hogfish; adjust the commercial fishing season for vermilion
snapper; modify the aggregate grouper bag limit; and revise the
accountability measures (AMs) for gag and vermilion snapper. Regulatory
Amendment 14 was also being developed to modify the commercial and
recreational fishing years for black sea bass, and the alternatives
considered could have resulted in black sea bass pots being fished
during large whale migration and the right whale calving season.
Subsequent to the publication of the NOI, the Council modified the
amendment by removing actions regarding gray triggerfish, hogfish, and
grouper aggregate recreational bag limits, due to on-going and
anticipated stock assessments for these species. Furthermore, on May
13, 2013, the Council approved Regulatory Amendment 19 to the FMP. In
this amendment, the Council approved an action to implement a seasonal
closure (November 1 through April 30) for the commercial black sea bass
pot component of the snapper-grouper fishery. The seasonal closure
would address potential gear interactions with large whale migration
and right whales during calving season. If NMFS decides to publish a
final rule to implement Regulatory Amendment 19, that final rule would
likely become effective in 2013. It is anticipated that rulemaking to
implement Regulatory Amendment 14 would occur in 2014, and therefore,
alternatives in Regulatory Amendment 14 that would modify the
commercial fishing year for black sea bass would no longer be a concern
for protected species.
Actions in the EA for Regulatory Amendment 14 would now modify the
commercial and recreational fishing year for greater amberjack; modify
the commercial and recreational fishing years for black sea bass;
change the commercial fishing season for vermilion snapper; modify trip
limits for gag; and revise the recreational AMs for black sea bass and
vermilion snapper. These actions would ensure fishing opportunities are
extended during optimal times of the year, while ensuring that
overfishing does not occur, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Consequently, NMFS and the Council are initially preparing an EA
rather than proceeding with the development of a draft EIS. If the EA
results in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), the EA and FONSI
will be the final environmental documents required by NEPA. If the EA
reveals that significant environmental impacts may be reasonably
expected to result from the proposed actions, NMFS and the Council will
develop a draft EIS to further evaluate those impacts.
The Council will hold public hearings to discuss the actions
included in Regulatory Amendment 14. Exact dates, times, and locations
will be announced by the Council. The public will be informed, via a
notification in the Federal Register, of the exact times, dates, and
locations of future public hearings for Regulatory Amendment 14.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 29, 2013.
Emily H. Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-18673 Filed 8-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
