National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) announces its intention to prepare, in cooperation with NMFS, an EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to assess potential effects on the human environment of alternative measures for managing the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council intends to develop Amendment 15 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to address several issues regarding the subject fisheries (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). This notice announces a public process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to the management of summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The intended effect of this notice is to alert the interested public of the scoping process, the development of the Draft EIS, and to provide for public participation.