National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 19, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is requesting public comments on its initiation of a Secretarial Amendment to implement annual catch limits (ACLs) and measures to ensure accountability (AMs) in the small-mesh multispecies fishery. NMFS is initiating the Secretarial Amendment because the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is not able to develop and submit Amendment 19 to establish ACLs and AMs for the small-mesh multispecies fishery as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), until well past the statutory deadline of 2011. As required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is announcing four public meetings to allow interested parties the opportunity to provide input on the action.

NOAA announces the public release of the Draft SEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, and NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act. Since completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) in April of 2009, substantial changes to the proposed action are being considered by NOAA within portions of the project area containing the 2.5-acre property currently occupied by Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and managed by NOAA under long-term lease from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP). These newly proposed actions were not previously analyzed in the Final EIS/EIR and involve additional demolition activities, substantial excavation and grading, installation of a geohazard soil stabilization system, structural upgrade to remaining structures, and other site alterations. These proposed actions were deemed necessary by NOAA based on additional geotechnical information and design recommendations received since approval of the Final EIS/EIR. The SEIS evaluates each environmental topic addressed in the Final EIS/EIR, and focuses on the newly proposed action and its potential effects to the human environment. The No-Action Alternative was analyzed and assumes the newly proposed actions would not be implemented.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will hold meetings of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Socio-Economic Sub-Panel (SEP) to review fishery management plan (FMP) amendments under development, ABC control rule approaches, stock assessments of black sea bass and golden tilefish, planning for future assessments of Spanish mackerel and cobia, and the National SSC workshop. The meetings will be held in Charleston, SC. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.