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Public Comment on a Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEI
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Opportunity for Public Comment on a Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Amendment 16
Comment Period Ends September 15, 2008
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) is seeking public comment on a SDEIS for Amendment 16, which includes four new management measure alternatives for gag and vermilion snapper recommended by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council at its June 2008 meeting. Those alternatives include: Trip limits for gag and vermilion snapper, a possible change to the fishing year start date for gag and vermillion snapper, and a prohibition on fishing for and/or possession of several shallow water snapper grouper species from June 1 through December 31 in areas south of the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line.
To View the Entire PDF Release, Click HERE.
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REMINDER
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REMINDER The Recreational Red Snapper Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico Closes 12:01 a.m. Local Time August 5, 2008
To View the PDF Bulletin, Click HERE. |
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SHRIMP FISHERY TO RE-OPEN OFF TEXAS ON JULY 15, 2008
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SHRIMP FISHERY TO RE-OPEN OFF TEXAS ON JULY 15, 2008
NOAA Fisheries Service announces federal waters from 9 to 200 nautical miles off Texas will open to shrimp trawling at 30 minutes after official sunset, local time, on July 15, 2008, corresponding to the time Texas opens its waters to shrimp trawling.
To View the Entire PDF Bulletin, Click HERE.
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Spiny Lobster Minimum Import Size: Seeking Public Comment
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Spiny Lobster Minimum Import Size: Seeking Public Comment
Comment Period Ends August 11, 2008
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries Service) is seeking public comment
on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS)/Amendment 4 to the Spiny Lobster Fishery
Management Plan of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands and Amendment 8 to the Spiny Lobster Fishery
Management Plan of the Gulf of Mexico and South
Atlantic to evaluate the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and
South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils’ proposal
to establish a regulatory program to protect spiny lobster
(Panulirus argus) and enhance enforcement of that
program. The Environmental Protection Agency
announced the availability of the DEIS on June 27, 2008
(73 FR 36504).
This action would prohibit any person in the United
States from importing spiny lobster:
• Less than 5-ounces tail weight (5 ounces is
defined as a tail that weighs 4.2–5.4 ounces), or
compliance may be demonstrated by meeting the
greater than 3-inch carapace length or 5.5-inch
tail length;
• Or if imported into Puerto Rico or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, less than 6.0-ounces tail weight
(6 ounces is defined as a tail that weighs 5.9–6.4
ounces), or compliance may be demonstrated by
meeting the 3.5-inch carapace length or 6.2-inch
tail length.
• Additionally, the importation of lobster tail meat
without the exoskeleton (shell) attached, eggbearing
female lobsters, or tails stripped of eggs
would be prohibited.
The Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils, in cooperation with
NOAA Fisheries Service, developed the amendment.
Request for Comments
Written comments on this DEIS must be received no
later than August 11, 2008, in order to be considered by
NOAA Fisheries Service. See the Addresses section for
information on where and how to submit comments.
Addresses
Electronic copies of the DEIS may be obtained from the
NOAA Fisheries Service Web site at
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/SpinyLobsterAmendment.htm
or for a hard (paper) copy contact:
Sustainable Fisheries Division
Southeast Regional Office
NOAA Fisheries Service
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
You may submit comments by any of the following
methods:
• Electronic submissions: e-mail: 0648-
AV61.DEIS@noaa.gov
• Fax: (727) 824-5308
• Mail: Jason Rueter
Sustainable Fisheries Division
Southeast Regional Office
NOAA Fisheries Service
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5505
When submitting fax or e-mail comments, include the
following document identifier in the comment subject
line: 0648-AV61. All comments received are a part of
the public record and will be posted to
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal
identifying information (for example, name, address,
etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be
publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential
information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information. Anonymous comments will be accepted.
Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file
formats only.
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NOAA FISHERIES SERVICE ANNOUNCES THE PUBLICATION OF A NEW RULE
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NOAA FISHERIES SERVICE ANNOUNCES THE PUBLICATION OF A NEW RULE
TO END OVERFISHING AND REBUILD GREATER AMBERJACK AND GRAY
TRIGGERFISH STOCKS
Small Entity Compliance Guide
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries Service) published a final rule implementing
the approved regulatory actions to end overfishing and
rebuild greater amberjack and gray triggerfish in the
Gulf of Mexico. The rule becomes effective August 4,
2008.
The most recent assessments for these species indicate
reductions in harvest are needed to end overfishing and
allow the stocks to recover within each species’
respective rebuilding schedule. For 2008, the overall
harvest of greater amberjack needs to be reduced by 32
percent, and for gray triggerfish, reduced by at least 49
percent. To ensure these targets are met, the rule
includes annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability
measures (AMs) for these species. These measures are
outlined in Amendment 30A to the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of
Mexico (Amendment 30A) submitted by the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council. The final rule
was published in the Federal Register on July 3, 2008.
Elements of the Rule
For greater amberjack, the rule:
• Establishes ACLs and AMs that can use
inseason adjustments for the recreational and
commercial sectors.
• Increases the recreational minimum size limit to
30 inches fork length (FL).
• Sets the bag limit for captain(s) and crew of forhire
vessels at zero.
• Establishes a greater amberjack commercial
fishery quota of 0.503 million pounds (mp) and
a recreational fishery quota of 1.368 mp.
For gray triggerfish, the rule:
• Establishes ACLs and AMs that use average
annual landings for the recreational sector and
inseason adjustments for the commercial sector.
• Increases the gray triggerfish recreational and
commercial size limit to 14 inches FL.
• Establishes a gray triggerfish commercial quota
of 80,000 pounds for 2008, 93,000 pounds for
2009, and 106,000 pounds for 2010.
Accountability Measures and Annual Catch Limits
The rule addresses the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act requirements that
ACLs and AMs be in place by 2010 for stocks
undergoing overfishing. ACLs and AMs work together
as a system to ensure that overfishing will not occur.
The ACL must be set ‘‘at a level such that overfishing
does not occur in the fishery.’’ AMs are management
measures established with ACLs to end and prevent
overfishing.
Accountability measures for both species give the
NOAA Fisheries Service Assistant Administrator (AA)
the authority to shorten the fishing season for a sector
should landings go over the ACLs. For greater
amberjack, the AA has the authority to shorten the
season within the fishing year and in the following year
if ACLs are exceeded or are projected to be exceeded.
For gray triggerfish, the recreational AM provides the
AA the authority to shorten the fishing year in the
following year if the ACL is exceeded, while the
commercial AM gives the AA the authority to shorten
the fishing season within the fishing year and in the
following year if the commercial ACL is exceeded.
Gray triggerfish ACLs are defined as multi-year running
average landings, with exception of the first year which
would use only 2008 landings.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the
information about the rule. Discrepancies between this
bulletin and the rule as published in the Federal Register
will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
Copies of the final rule are available by contacting
NOAA Fisheries Service’s Southeast Regional Office at
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701.
The final rule can be obtained in electronic form from
the Federal Register Web site:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html (use advanced
search for final rules using “AV34” as a keyword).
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Extended Comment Period on Shrimp Bycatch Reduction Device Proposed Rule
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Extended Comment Period on Shrimp Bycatch Reduction Device Proposed Rule
On June 3, 2008, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries
Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) began accepting
public comment on proposed changes regarding the use
of bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) in the Gulf of
Mexico shrimp fishery.
In summary, NOAA Fisheries
Service proposes to:
• Decertify the Expanded Mesh BRD.
• Decertify the Gulf Fisheye BRD.
• Establish a more restrictive placement for the
Fisheye BRD.
The intent of this proposed rule is to improve bycatch
reduction in the shrimp fishery and better meet the
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.
At the request of the shrimp industry, the comment
period for this proposed rule has been extended through
August 6, 2008.
Dates and Addresses
Written comments on these proposed changes must be
received no later than 5 p.m., Eastern time, August 6,
2008. You may submit comments, identified by 0648-
AV14, by any one of the following methods:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic
public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov
• Fax: 727-824-5308, Attn: Steve Branstetter
• Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office,
NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida
33701.
Instructions: All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted to
http://www.regulations.gov without change. All
Personal Identifying Information (for example, name,
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter
may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NOAA Fisheries Service will accept
anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
The proposed rule is available via the Internet at
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html (do an
advanced search under proposed rules for “page 31669”
or “0648-AV14”). Printed or electronic copies of the
rule can be obtained from the Southeast Regional Office
by contacting Steve Branstetter (see address above).
Comments received by August 6, 2008, will be
considered by NOAA Fisheries Service in its decision to
approve, disapprove, or partially approve the proposed
actions. Comments received after that date will not be
considered by NOAA Fisheries Service in this decision.
All comments received by NOAA Fisheries Service will
be addressed in the final rule.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the
information regarding the proposed rule. Any
discrepancies between this bulletin and the proposed rule
published in the Federal Register will be resolved in
favor of the Federal Register.
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Gulf of Mexico Commercial Grouper/Tilefish IFQ Program: Seeking Public Comment
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Gulf of Mexico Commercial Grouper/Tilefish IFQ Program: Seeking Public Comment
Comment Period Ends August 18, 2008
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries Service) is seeking public comment on the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)/Amendment 29
to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The DEIS evaluates the
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's (Council)
proposal to establish a regulatory program to reduce
overcapacity and effort in the commercial grouper and
tilefish fisheries. The Environmental Protection Agency
announced the availability of the DEIS on July 3, 2008
(73 FR 38204).
Proposed management measures evaluated in the DEIS
include implementing an individual fishing quota (IFQ)
program or endorsement program. The Council's preferred
alternative is to establish an IFQ program for these
fisheries. IFQ program components are evaluated in the
DEIS and include, but are not limited to: Initial eligibility,
transferability, ownership caps, appeals, cost recovery
plan, and enforcement measures. Details of the proposed
IFQ program can be found in the DEIS.
Request for Comments
Written comments on this DEIS must be received no later
than August 18, 2008, in order to be considered by NOAA
Fisheries Service. See the Addresses section for
information on where and how to submit comments.
Addresses
Electronic copies of the DEIS may be obtained from the
NOAA Fisheries Service Web site at
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov, the Council's Web site at
http://www.gulfcouncil.org, or for a paper copy contact:
Sustainable Fisheries Division
Southeast Regional Office
NOAA Fisheries Service
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
You may submit comments by any of the following
methods:
• Electronic submissions: e-mail: 0648-
AW85.DEIS@noaa.gov
• Fax: (727) 824-5308
• Mail: Sarah DeVido at address above
When submitting fax or e-mail comments, include the
following document identifier in the comment subject
line: 0648-AW85. All comments received are a part of
the public record and will be posted to
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal
identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.)
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly
accessible. Do not submit confidential information or
otherwise sensitive or protected information. Anonymous
comments will be accepted. Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
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