Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico, 28897-28898 [2014-11606]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 97 / Tuesday, May 20, 2014 / Notices
Regulations at 50 CFR 660.704 require
that all vessels with permits issued
under authority of the National Marine
Fishery Service’s (NMFS) Fishery
Management Plan for United States
(U.S.) West Coast Highly Migratory
Species Fisheries display the vessel’s
official number. The numbers must be
of a specific size and format and located
at specified locations. The display of the
identifying number aids in fishery law
enforcement.
II. Method of Collection
The vessels’ official numbers are
displayed on the vessels.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0648–0361.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
2,000.
Estimated Time per Response: 45
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1,500.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $20,000.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
IV. Request for Comments
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: May 14, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–11531 Filed 5–19–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Jkt 232001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RIN 0648–BD68]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Amendment 28 to the Fishery
Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Supplemental Notice of Intent
(NOI) to prepare a draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS); request for
comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS, Southeast Region, in
collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council (Council)
intends to prepare a DEIS to describe
and analyze management alternatives to
be included in Amendment 28 to the
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the
Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of
Mexico (Amendment 28). Actions
considered in Amendment 28 were
initially limited to alternatives to
reallocate Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) red
snapper resources between the
commercial and recreational sectors.
However, NMFS and the Council have
since modified the scope of Amendment
28 to consider actions that would revise
the recreational accountability measures
(AMs) for Gulf red snapper. These
actions would establish an annual catch
target (ACT) by applying a buffer to the
recreational quota and establish
recreational quota overage adjustment
provisions (paybacks). These additional
actions will support management efforts
to maintain landings within the
recreational quota and mitigate
recreational quota overages should they
occur. The purpose of this NOI is to
solicit public comments on the modified
scope of issues to be addressed in the
DEIS.
SUMMARY:
Written comments on the scope
of issues to be addressed in the DEIS
must be received by NMFS by June 19,
2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on Amendment 28 identified by
‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2013–0146’’ by any of
the following methods:
• Electronic submissions: Submit
electronic comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Go to
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20130146, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00016
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28897
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
• Mail: Submit written comments to
Peter Hood, Southeast Regional Office,
NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St.
Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or
individual, or received after the end of
the comment period, may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments
received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.),
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/
A’’ in the required fields if you wish to
remain anonymous). Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF
file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Hood, Southeast Regional Office,
telephone: (727) 824–5305; or email:
peter.hood@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An NOI to
prepare a DEIS for Amendment 28 was
published in the Federal Register on
November 7, 2013 (78 FR 66900) and
requested public comment through
December 9, 2013. Management
alternatives initially considered in
Amendment 28 were to reallocate red
snapper resources between the
commercial and recreational sectors
with the purpose of increasing the net
benefits and the stability of the red
snapper component of the reef fish
fishery.
In September 2013, individual
commercial fishermen and two
commercial fishing interest groups filed
a lawsuit challenging the rules that
implemented the red snapper quotas for
the 2013 fishing year and set the 2013
recreational red snapper fishing season.
In March 2014, the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia (Court) in
Guindon v. Pritzker, 2014 WL 1274076
(D.D.C. Mar. 26, 2014) ruled in favor of
the plaintiffs, finding, in relevant part,
that NMFS failed to require adequate
AMs for the recreational sector, failed to
prohibit the retention of fish after the
recreational quota had been harvested,
and failed to use the best scientific
information available when determining
if the quota had been met.
The Council reviewed the Court’s
opinion and determined further AMs
were needed to improve red snapper
management and reduce the probability
of exceeding the recreational quota. The
E:\FR\FM\20MYN1.SGM
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28898
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 97 / Tuesday, May 20, 2014 / Notices
Council decided to add AM actions to
Amendment 28, including an ACT and
quota overage adjustments, but could
also consider other AM alternatives.
Although the red snapper stock is not
undergoing overfishing, it is considered
overfished and under a rebuilding plan.
Therefore, constraining recreational
landings within the recreational quota
and mitigating quota overages will aid
in the stock recovery.
NMFS, in collaboration with the
Council, will develop a DEIS to describe
and analyze alternatives to address the
management needs described above
including the ‘‘no action’’ alternative. In
accordance with NOAA’s
Administrative Order 216–6, Section
5.02(c), Scoping Process, NMFS, in
collaboration with the Council, has
identified preliminary environmental
issues as a means to initiate discussion
for scoping purposes only. The public is
invited to provide written comments on
the preliminary issues, which are
identified as actions and alternatives in
the Amendment 28 draft options paper
and action guide. These preliminary
issues may not represent the full range
of issues that eventually will be
evaluated in the DEIS. A copy of the
Amendment 28 action guide is available
at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/
sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/
reef_fish/.
After the DEIS associated with
Amendment 28 is completed, it will be
filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). After filing, 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 Council and NMFS will consider
public comments received on the DEIS
in developing the final environmental
impact statement (FEIS), and before
voting to submit the final amendment to
NMFS for Secretarial review, approval,
and implementation. NMFS will
announce in the Federal Register the
availability of the final amendment and
FEIS for public review during the
Secretarial review period, and will
consider all public comments prior to
final agency action to approve,
disapprove, or partially approve the
final amendment.
NMFS will announce, through a
document published in the Federal
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:09 May 19, 2014
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Register, all public comment periods on
the final amendment, its proposed
implementing regulations, and the
availability of 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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 15, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–11606 Filed 5–19–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Pacific Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Pacific Council)
Highly Migratory Species Advisory
Subpanel (HMSAS) will hold a webinar,
which is open to the public.
DATES: The HMSAS will hold the
webinar on Wednesday, June 4, 2014,
from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: To attend the webinar, visit
https://www.joinwebinar.com. Enter the
webinar ID, which is 825–962–039, and
your name and email address (required).
Once you have joined the webinar,
choose either your computer’s audio or
select ‘‘Use Telephone.’’ If you do not
select ‘‘Use Telephone’’ you will be
connected to audio using your
computer’s microphone and speakers
(VolP). It is recommended that you use
a computer headset as GoToMeeting
allows you to listen to the meeting using
your computer headset and speakers. If
you do not have a headset and speakers,
you may use your telephone for the
audio portion of the meeting by dialing
this TOLL number 1–702–489–0008 (not
a toll-free number); phone audio access
code 686–529–816; audio phone pin
shown after joining the webinar. System
Requirements for PC-based attendees:
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, or XP; for
Mac®-based attendees: Required: Mac
OS® X 10.5 or newer; and for mobile
attendees: iPhone®, iPad®, AndroidTM
phone or Android tablet (See the
GoToMeeting Webinar Apps). You may
SUMMARY:
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also send an email to Mr. Kris
Kleinschmidt or contact him at 503–
820–2280 for technical assistance. A
listening station will also be provided at
the Pacific Council office.
Council address: Pacific Council,
7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101,
Portland, OR 97220–1384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Kit Dahl, Pacific Council; telephone:
(503) 820–2280.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
HMSAS will discuss items on the
Pacific Council’s June meeting agenda.
These are: Update on Regulations and
International Activities, Drift Gillnet
Transition Issues, Exempted Fishing
Permit Process Confirmation, Initial
Scoping of Biennial Specifications and
Management Measures. Public
comments during the webinar will be
received from attendees at the discretion
of the HMSAS Chair.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in the meeting agenda may be
discussed, those issues may not be the
subject of formal action during this
meeting. Action will be restricted to
those issues specifically listed in this
document and any issues arising after
publication of this document that
require emergency action under section
305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the intent to take final action to address
the emergency.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr.
Kris Kleinschmidt at (503) 820–2425 at
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: May 15, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–11630 Filed 5–19–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council’s (Council) River
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28897-28898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11606]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RIN 0648-BD68]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources
of the Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Supplemental Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a draft
environmental impact statement (DEIS); request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS, Southeast Region, in collaboration with the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) intends to prepare a DEIS
to describe and analyze management alternatives to be included in
Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 28). Actions considered in
Amendment 28 were initially limited to alternatives to reallocate Gulf
of Mexico (Gulf) red snapper resources between the commercial and
recreational sectors. However, NMFS and the Council have since modified
the scope of Amendment 28 to consider actions that would revise the
recreational accountability measures (AMs) for Gulf red snapper. These
actions would establish an annual catch target (ACT) by applying a
buffer to the recreational quota and establish recreational quota
overage adjustment provisions (paybacks). These additional actions will
support management efforts to maintain landings within the recreational
quota and mitigate recreational quota overages should they occur. The
purpose of this NOI is to solicit public comments on the modified 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 NMFS by June 19, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on Amendment 28 identified by
``NOAA-NMFS-2013-0146'' by any of the following methods:
Electronic submissions: Submit electronic comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0146, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Peter Hood, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood, Southeast Regional Office,
telephone: (727) 824-5305; or email: peter.hood@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An NOI to prepare a DEIS for Amendment 28
was published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2013 (78 FR 66900)
and requested public comment through December 9, 2013. Management
alternatives initially considered in Amendment 28 were to reallocate
red snapper resources between the commercial and recreational sectors
with the purpose of increasing the net benefits and the stability of
the red snapper component of the reef fish fishery.
In September 2013, individual commercial fishermen and two
commercial fishing interest groups filed a lawsuit challenging the
rules that implemented the red snapper quotas for the 2013 fishing year
and set the 2013 recreational red snapper fishing season. In March
2014, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Court) in
Guindon v. Pritzker, 2014 WL 1274076 (D.D.C. Mar. 26, 2014) ruled in
favor of the plaintiffs, finding, in relevant part, that NMFS failed to
require adequate AMs for the recreational sector, failed to prohibit
the retention of fish after the recreational quota had been harvested,
and failed to use the best scientific information available when
determining if the quota had been met.
The Council reviewed the Court's opinion and determined further AMs
were needed to improve red snapper management and reduce the
probability of exceeding the recreational quota. The
[[Page 28898]]
Council decided to add AM actions to Amendment 28, including an ACT and
quota overage adjustments, but could also consider other AM
alternatives. Although the red snapper stock is not undergoing
overfishing, it is considered overfished and under a rebuilding plan.
Therefore, constraining recreational landings within the recreational
quota and mitigating quota overages will aid in the stock recovery.
NMFS, in collaboration with the Council, will develop a DEIS to
describe and analyze alternatives to address the management needs
described above including the ``no action'' alternative. In accordance
with NOAA's Administrative Order 216-6, Section 5.02(c), Scoping
Process, NMFS, in collaboration with the Council, has identified
preliminary environmental issues as a means to initiate discussion for
scoping purposes only. The public is invited to provide written
comments on the preliminary issues, which are identified as actions and
alternatives in the Amendment 28 draft options paper and action guide.
These preliminary issues may not represent the full range of issues
that eventually will be evaluated in the DEIS. A copy of the Amendment
28 action guide is available at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/.
After the DEIS associated with Amendment 28 is completed, it will
be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After filing,
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 Council and NMFS will consider public comments received on the
DEIS in developing the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), and
before voting to submit the final amendment to NMFS for Secretarial
review, approval, and implementation. NMFS will announce in the Federal
Register the availability of the final amendment and FEIS for public
review during the Secretarial review period, and will consider all
public comments prior to final agency action to approve, disapprove, or
partially approve the final amendment.
NMFS will announce, through a document published in the Federal
Register, all public comment periods on the final amendment, its
proposed implementing regulations, and the availability of 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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 15, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-11606 Filed 5-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
