Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Scoping Process, 13478-13479 [2018-06314]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 61 / Thursday, March 29, 2018 / Notices
and collection of these carcasses, for
each species that may result from
capture activities. In addition, live
animals may be harassed during vessel
and aerial surveys for species counts
and observation.
Dated: March 26, 2018.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to M.
Jan Saunders at the Mid-Atlantic
Council Office (302) 526–5251 at least 5
days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: March 26, 2018.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–06376 Filed 3–28–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
[FR Doc. 2018–06311 Filed 3–28–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG062
RIN 0648–XG018
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (MAFMC); Public Meetings
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)
Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Advisory
Panel will hold a public meeting.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Friday, April 13, 2018, from 10 a.m.
until 3 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held
via internet Webinar. Detailed
connection details are available at
https://www.mafmc.org. To join the
Webinar, follow this link and enter the
online meeting room: https://
mafmc.adobeconnect.com/scoq2018ap/
Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 North State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 674–2331.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher M. Moore Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 N. State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 526–5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the meeting is to develop a
fishery performance report by the
Council’s Surfclam and Ocean Quahog
Advisory Panel. The intent of this report
is to facilitate structured input from the
Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Advisory
Panel members to the Council and its
Scientific and Statistical Committee.
Advisors will also receive an update on
the clam dredge access framework
under development by the New England
Fishery Management Council.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:09 Mar 28, 2018
Jkt 244001
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and
Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Scoping
Process
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of intent
(NOI) to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council has been
preparing an amendment to the Summer
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass
Fishery Management Plan, known as the
‘‘Comprehensive Summer Flounder
Amendment,’’ to modify aspects of the
fishery management plan related to
summer flounder commercial and
recreational management. To avoid
delaying the amendment while waiting
for updated recreational information,
the Council is now splitting several
issues within this original action,
including fishery management plan
goals and objectives, commercial
allocation, commercial moratorium
permits, and commercial framework
provisions into a separate action that
will continue to be developed as an EIS.
The Council is taking comments on this
modified action, which is now being
referred to as the ‘‘Summer Flounder
Commercial Issues Amendment.’’
Following completion of this
‘‘Commercial Issues’’ amendment, the
Council may then develop at least one
future action relating to recreational
fishery issues and commercial/
recreational allocation to incorporate
updated recreational fishery data when
it becomes available later this year. The
purpose of this notification is to alert
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
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and seek comment from the public
about the Council’s consideration of
splitting this amendment, by delaying
some issues to be pursued via later
actions.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before April 30, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• Email: nmfs.flukeamendment@
noaa.gov; Include ‘‘Summer Flounder
Amendment Scoping Comments’’ in the
subject line;
• Mail: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 800 N.
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901.
• Fax: (302) 674–5399.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, telephone: (302)
526–5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
September 16, 2014, an NOI was
published in the Federal Register (79
FR 55432) announcing the Council’s
intent to prepare an EIS for a broad
management action addressing several
categories of summer flounder issues in
the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black
Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). The Council initiated this
Comprehensive Summer Flounder
Amendment jointly with the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission to
review all aspects of the FMP related to
summer flounder. The amendment was
intended to consider updating the goals
and objectives of the FMP as related to
summer flounder, revising the
allocation between the commercial and
recreational sector, and modifying many
management strategies and
requirements for both commercial and
recreational fisheries for summer
flounder. Since publication of the
original NOI, the Council has delayed
development of recreational fishery
issues and recreational/commercial
allocation and narrowed the remaining
range of issues to a more focused list of
priority topics.
The primary driver of this proposed
split is the ongoing revisions to
recreational data by the Marine
Recreational Information Program
(MRIP), which are expected to
substantially change the current
understanding of recreational catch and
landings. Due to these changes, the
Council and Commission chose to delay
development of any issues that would
rely heavily on recreational data,
including quota allocation between the
commercial and recreational sectors, as
well as recreational management
measures and strategies. If this action
E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 61 / Thursday, March 29, 2018 / Notices
was not split, the Council and
Commission would either need to wait
for revised MRIP data to become
available to begin analysis of
recreational-related alternatives, or
begin analysis with the current data and
later revise substantial portions of the
document once new MRIP data became
available. Because substantial progress
has been made on development of
alternatives for commercial issues, the
Council and Commission have proposed
splitting the action in order to more
quickly complete the revisions to the
commercial issues and FMP objectives
without letting these issues become
delayed by recreational data revisions.
The purpose of this revised
amendment is to consider revisions to
the current qualification criteria for
Federal moratorium permit holders, the
current allocation of commercial quota,
and the current list of frameworkable
items in the FMP (i.e., including a
provision for commercial landings
flexibility). In addition, the purpose of
the action is to revise the FMP goals and
objectives for summer flounder only. An
EIS will be prepared for this action. The
Council believes that the measures have
separate utility, a clearly unique
purpose and need, and are not directly
linked to the remaining measures from
the original amendment proposed to be
pursued in a future action.
The Council and Commission intend
to initiate a separate action or actions
once revised MRIP data become
available. This future action is expected
to consider revisions to the allocation
between the commercial and
recreational sectors for summer
flounder, as well as several recreational
fishery issues. General categories of
recreational issues previously identified
for evaluation include: Recreational
process, conservation equivalency
framework, and recreational allocations;
recreational sector separation (for-hire
and/or private mode); alternative
recreational strategies (allow for
alternatives to minimum size, bag limit,
and season restrictions; e.g., slot limits);
recreational gear requirements or
restrictions; and recreational data
collection requirements and protocols.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 23, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–06314 Filed 3–28–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:09 Mar 28, 2018
Jkt 244001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG112
Gulf of Mexico 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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold a five-day meeting to consider
actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Monday, April 16 through Friday, April
20, 2018.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place
at the Marriott Courtyard hotel, located
at 1600 E. Beach Boulevard, Gulfport,
MS 39501; telephone: (228) 864–4310.
Council address: Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council, 2203 N.
Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL
33607; telephone: (813) 348–1630.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Douglas Gregory, Executive Director,
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council; telephone: (813) 348–1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Agenda
Monday, April 16, 2018; 8 a.m.–5:30
p.m.; Closed Session
The meeting will begin in a Closed
Session of the Full Council all day to
hold applicant interviews, select the
2017 Law Enforcement Officer of the
Year, and to select members to the
Shrimp and Reef Fish Advisory Panels.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018; 8:30 a.m.–5:45
p.m.
The Coral Committee will meet briefly
to review a public hearing draft for
Coral Amendment 9. The Shrimp
Committee will review updated stock
assessments, biological review of the
Texas closure, and receive a summary
from the Shrimp Advisory Panel
Meeting. The Mackerel Committee will
review and discuss the South Atlantic
Council’s Amendment 31: Atlantic
Cobia Management. The
Administrative/Budget Committee will
review the grant expenditures, and
anticipated budget activities and
funding. The Sustainable Fisheries
Committee will review a revised policy
statement on the use of descending tools
and venting devices and a 5-year review
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13479
on inclusion/exclusion of species and
species groupings in fishery
management plans; and hold a
discussion on historical captain permits.
After lunch, the Reef Fish Management
Committee will review the Reef Fish
Landings; receive an update on state
management of recreational Red
Snapper Exempted Fishing Permits
(EFPs); review a public hearing draft for
Joint Reef Fish Amendment 48 and Red
Drum Amendment 4—Status
Determination Criteria and Optimum
Yield; and discuss the State
Management Program for Recreational
Red Snapper.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018; 8 a.m.–5:30
p.m.
The Reef Fish Management
Committee will reconvene and receive a
presentation on recreational data
challenges and potential South Atlantic
Council responses; discuss the
Commercial Individual Fishing Quotas
(IFQ) Programs; and, review an options
paper on framework action Greater
Amberjack Recreational Bag Limits,
Seasonal Quotas and Commercial Trip
Limits. After lunch, the Committee will
review the decision tools and
amendments for Amendment 42—Reef
Fish Management for Headboat Survey
and Amendment 41—Allocation-based
Management for Federally Permitted
Charters Vessels; and, receive a
summary from the Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC) meeting.
Thursday, April 19, 2018; 8:30 a.m.–
4:45 p.m.
The Full Council will reconvene with
a Call to Order, Announcements, and
Introductions; Adoption of Agenda and
Approval of Minutes. The Council will
receive a presentation from Mississippi
Law Enforcement; a summary from the
Law Enforcement Technical Committee
meeting; a regulatory review; and, a
presentation on Highly Migratory
Species on Shortfin Mako. The Council
will review Exempted Fishing Permit
(EFPs) Applications and public
comments on EFP applications, if any.
After lunch, the Council will receive
open public testimony from 12:30 p.m.
until 3:30 p.m. on Fishery Issues or
Concerns. Anyone wishing to speak
during public comment should sign in
at the registration station located at the
entrance to the meeting room.
After public testimony, the Full
Council will receive committee reports
from the Coral, Shrimp, Mackerel and
Administrative/Budget Management
Committees.
E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM
29MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13478-13479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06314]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG018
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder,
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Scoping Process
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has been preparing
an amendment to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery
Management Plan, known as the ``Comprehensive Summer Flounder
Amendment,'' to modify aspects of the fishery management plan related
to summer flounder commercial and recreational management. To avoid
delaying the amendment while waiting for updated recreational
information, the Council is now splitting several issues within this
original action, including fishery management plan goals and
objectives, commercial allocation, commercial moratorium permits, and
commercial framework provisions into a separate action that will
continue to be developed as an EIS. The Council is taking comments on
this modified action, which is now being referred to as the ``Summer
Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment.'' Following completion of this
``Commercial Issues'' amendment, the Council may then develop at least
one future action relating to recreational fishery issues and
commercial/recreational allocation to incorporate updated recreational
fishery data when it becomes available later this year. The purpose of
this notification is to alert and seek comment from the public about
the Council's consideration of splitting this amendment, by delaying
some issues to be pursued via later actions.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 30, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]; Include ``Summer
Flounder Amendment Scoping Comments'' in the subject line;
Mail: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director,
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. State Street, Suite
201, Dover, DE 19901.
Fax: (302) 674-5399.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302)
526-5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 16, 2014, an NOI was published
in the Federal Register (79 FR 55432) announcing the Council's intent
to prepare an EIS for a broad management action addressing several
categories of summer flounder issues in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and
Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council initiated
this Comprehensive Summer Flounder Amendment jointly with the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission to review all aspects of the FMP
related to summer flounder. The amendment was intended to consider
updating the goals and objectives of the FMP as related to summer
flounder, revising the allocation between the commercial and
recreational sector, and modifying many management strategies and
requirements for both commercial and recreational fisheries for summer
flounder. Since publication of the original NOI, the Council has
delayed development of recreational fishery issues and recreational/
commercial allocation and narrowed the remaining range of issues to a
more focused list of priority topics.
The primary driver of this proposed split is the ongoing revisions
to recreational data by the Marine Recreational Information Program
(MRIP), which are expected to substantially change the current
understanding of recreational catch and landings. Due to these changes,
the Council and Commission chose to delay development of any issues
that would rely heavily on recreational data, including quota
allocation between the commercial and recreational sectors, as well as
recreational management measures and strategies. If this action
[[Page 13479]]
was not split, the Council and Commission would either need to wait for
revised MRIP data to become available to begin analysis of
recreational-related alternatives, or begin analysis with the current
data and later revise substantial portions of the document once new
MRIP data became available. Because substantial progress has been made
on development of alternatives for commercial issues, the Council and
Commission have proposed splitting the action in order to more quickly
complete the revisions to the commercial issues and FMP objectives
without letting these issues become delayed by recreational data
revisions.
The purpose of this revised amendment is to consider revisions to
the current qualification criteria for Federal moratorium permit
holders, the current allocation of commercial quota, and the current
list of frameworkable items in the FMP (i.e., including a provision for
commercial landings flexibility). In addition, the purpose of the
action is to revise the FMP goals and objectives for summer flounder
only. An EIS will be prepared for this action. The Council believes
that the measures have separate utility, a clearly unique purpose and
need, and are not directly linked to the remaining measures from the
original amendment proposed to be pursued in a future action.
The Council and Commission intend to initiate a separate action or
actions once revised MRIP data become available. This future action is
expected to consider revisions to the allocation between the commercial
and recreational sectors for summer flounder, as well as several
recreational fishery issues. General categories of recreational issues
previously identified for evaluation include: Recreational process,
conservation equivalency framework, and recreational allocations;
recreational sector separation (for-hire and/or private mode);
alternative recreational strategies (allow for alternatives to minimum
size, bag limit, and season restrictions; e.g., slot limits);
recreational gear requirements or restrictions; and recreational data
collection requirements and protocols.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 23, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-06314 Filed 3-28-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
