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.
