Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Fisheries Research Conducted and Funded by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 27719-27720 [2020-09942]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 91 (Monday, May 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27719-27720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09942]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA089]


Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for 
Fisheries Research Conducted and Funded by the Southwest Fisheries 
Science Center

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Draft Supplemental Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Supplemental 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA) for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center.'' 
Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period 
for this SPEA. The purpose of this Draft SPEA is to evaluate potential 
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of unforeseen changes in 
research that were not analyzed in the 2015 SWFSC Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA), or new research activities along the 
U.S. West Coast, throughout the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, and in 
the Scotia Sea area off Antarctica. Where necessary, updates to certain 
information on species, stock status or other components of the 
affected environment that may result in different conclusions from the 
2015 PEA are presented in this analysis.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than June 10, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft SPEA should be addressed to Elise 
Kohli, Environmental Compliance Specialist, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, 
La Jolla, CA 92307. The mailbox address for providing email comments 
is: [email protected]. NMFS is not responsible for email 
comments sent to addresses other than the one provided here. Comments 
sent via email, including all attachments, must not exceed a 10-
megabyte file size. A copy of the Draft SPEA may be obtained by writing 
to the address specified above, telephoning the contact listed below 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), or visiting the internet at: 
fisheries.noaa.gov. Documents cited in this notice may also be viewed, 
by appointment, during regular business hours at the aforementioned 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elise Kohli, email: 
[email protected], phone: (858) 334-2863.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SWFSC is the research arm of NMFS in the 
Southwest Region. The purpose of SWFSC fisheries research is to produce 
scientific information necessary for the management and conservation of 
living marine resources along the U.S. West Coast in the California 
Current Ecosystem (CCE), throughout the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) 
Ocean, and in the Scotia Sea area off Antarctica. SWFSC's research is 
needed to promote both the long-term sustainability of the resource and 
the recovery of certain species, while generating social and economic 
opportunities and benefits from their use. Primary research activities 
include: Mid-water trawl surveys to support assessments of coastal 
pelagic species, salmon and groundfish in the CCE; longline surveys for 
life history studies in the CCE and highly migratory species tagging in 
the CCE; deep-set buoy surveys for tagging highly migratory species in 
the CCE; ecosystem surveys using active acoustic systems, other 
oceanographic equipment in the CCE and ETP; and surveys using unmanned 
systems in the Antarctic Research Area (ARA) and CCE.
    NMFS has prepared the Draft SPEA under NEPA to evaluate several 
alternatives for conducting and funding fisheries and ecosystem 
research activities as the primary federal action. Additionally in the 
Draft SPEA, NMFS evaluates a related action--also called a ``connected 
action'' under 40 CFR 1508.25 of the Council on Environmental Quality's 
regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)--which is the proposed promulgation of regulations 
and authorization of the take of marine mammals incidental to the 
fisheries research under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). 
Additionally, because the proposed research activities occur in areas 
inhabited by species of marine mammals, birds, sea turtles and fish 
listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened or 
endangered, this Draft SPEA evaluates activities that could result in 
unintentional takes of ESA-listed marine species.
    The following (2) alternatives are currently evaluated in the Draft 
SPEA:

 No-Action/Status Quo Alternative--Conduct Federal Fisheries 
and Ecosystem Research with Scope and Protocols Similar to Past Efforts
 Preferred Alternative--Conduct Federal Fisheries and Ecosystem

[[Page 27720]]

Research (New or Modified Research) with Mitigation for MMPA and ESA 
Compliance

    The alternatives include a program of fisheries and ecosystem 
research projects conducted or funded by the SWFSC as the primary 
federal action. Because this primary action is connected to a secondary 
federal action (also called a connected action under NEPA), to consider 
authorizing incidental take of marine mammals under the MMPA, NMFS must 
identify as part of this evaluation ``(t)he means of effecting the 
least practicable adverse impact on the species or stock and its 
habitat.'' (Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA [16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.]) 
NMFS must therefore identify and evaluate a reasonable range of 
mitigation measures to minimize impacts to protected species that occur 
in SWFSC research areas. These mitigation measures are considered as 
part of the identified alternatives in order to evaluate their 
effectiveness to minimize potential adverse environmental impacts. The 
three action alternatives also include mitigation measures intended to 
minimize potentially adverse interaction with other protected species 
that occur within the action area. Protected species include all marine 
mammals, which are covered under the MMPA, all species listed under the 
ESA, and bird species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
    Potential direct and indirect effects on the environment are 
evaluated under each alternative in the Draft SPEA. The environmental 
effects on the following resources are considered: Physical 
environment, special resource areas, fish, marine mammals, birds, sea 
turtles, invertebrates, and the social and economic environment. 
Cumulative effects of external actions and the contribution of 
fisheries research activities to the overall cumulative impact on the 
aforementioned resources is also evaluated in the Draft SPEA for the 
three main geographic regions in which SWFSC surveys are conducted.
    NMFS requests comments on the Draft SPEA for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Please include, with your comments, 
any supporting data or literature citations that may be informative in 
substantiating your comment.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.

    Dated: May 5, 2020.
Kristen Koch,
Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-09942 Filed 5-8-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P