Fishery conservation and management: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska groundfish,

[Federal Register: December 26, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 247)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 66390-66391]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr26de01-34]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 121701D]

Groundfish Fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

and the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of meeting to review proposed work plan for preparing a

revised Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Draft Programmatic Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and to discuss draft multi-

objective policy alternatives.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On November 27, 2001, NMFS announced its intent to revise the

Alaska Groundfish Fisheries draft Programmatic SEIS. After reviewing

more than 21,000 comment letters received on the draft Programmatic

SEIS, NMFS determined that revisions to the draft Programmatic SEIS are

[[Page 66391]]

appropriate and necessary. NMFS also determined that these revisions

will require the release of a revised draft Programmatic SEIS. Based on

these decisions, NMFS announced a new series of dates for preparing the

revised draft, preparing the final programmatic SEIS, and issuing the

Record of Decision.

This document announces that NMFS will hold three public meetings

in Seattle, WA, and in Anchorage and Bethel, AK in January 2002 for the

purpose of presenting a work plan, answering questions concerning the

new work plan, and schedule, and soliciting public input on new, multi-

objective policy alternatives.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading ``Meeting Dates

and Addresses'' for the dates of the public meetings.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading ``Meeting

Dates and Addresses'' for meeting addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven K. Davis, Programmatic SEIS

Coordinator, Anchorage, AK, (907) 271-3523.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 27, 2001, NMFS issued a notice

informing the public of its decision to prepare a revised draft

Programmatic SEIS and release that draft for public comment prior to

preparing a final Programmatic SEIS. This decision was based on the

agency's review and preliminary analysis of the comments received on

the draft Programmatic SEIS.

NMFS has scheduled two public meetings and is planning a third

meeting in January 2002. The purpose of these meetings is to present a

work plan for preparing the revised draft programmatic SEIS, answering

questions concerning the work plan and schedule, and soliciting

suggestions for draft multi-objective policy alternatives. The

development of these new alternatives will be based on comments

received on the January 2001 draft Programmatic SEIS, input received

from the public at these January meetings, and on recommendations from

the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council). The final suite

of multi-objective policy alternatives will serve as the focus of the

revised draft Programmatic SEIS.

Information on these meetings can also be found in the Council's

December 2001 newsletter. A meeting announcement will also be mailed to

the Programmatic SEIS mailing list. Additional information concerning

the meeting agenda and draft multi-objective policy alternatives will

be posted on the NMFS Alaska Region's website at http://

www.fakr.noaa.gov and at the Council's website at http://

www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc prior to the meetings.

Meeting Dates and Addresses

1. January 22, 2002, 9 a.m. Pacific standard time - Alaska

   Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 9, Room A/

   B, Seattle, WA.

2. January 24, 2002, 9 a.m. Alaska local time - Federal Courthouse,

   222 West 9th Avenue, Room 154, Anchorage, AK.

3. Bethel, AK. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Alaska local time.

   The location and date to be announced (see websites for information).

   Special Accommodations

   The meetings will be physically accessible to people with

   disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other

   auxiliary aids should be directed to Steven K. Davis (see FOR FURTHER

   INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

   Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

   Dated: December 19, 2001.

   Jonathan M. Kurland,

   Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

   Fisheries Service.

   [FR Doc. 01-31659 Filed 12-21-01; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 3510-22-S