[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 11981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05079]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD671


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Essential Fish Habitat 5-Year 
Review

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the Draft Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species (HMS) Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-Year Review. The 
purpose of Atlantic HMS EFH 5-Year Review is to gather relevant new 
information and determine whether modifications to existing EFH 
descriptions and designations are warranted, in compliance with the 
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act and implementing regulations. If EFH modifications are 
warranted, an amendment to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) may be initiated.

DATES: Written comments must be received by April 6, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Draft Atlantic HMS EFH 5-Year 
Review may also be obtained on the internet at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/documents/2015_draft_efh_review.pdf.
    You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-
2015-0037, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0037, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Submit written comments to Peter Cooper, NMFS/SF1, 
1315 East-West Highway, National Marine Fisheries Service, SSMC3, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Cooper by phone at (301) 427-
8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) includes provisions 
concerning the identification and conservation of essential fish 
habitat (EFH) (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). EFH is defined in 50 CFR 600.10 
as ``those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, 
breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity.'' NMFS must identify and 
describe EFH, minimize to the extent practicable the adverse effects of 
fishing on EFH, and identify other actions to encourage the 
conservation and enhancement of EFH (Sec.  600.815(a). EFH maps are 
presented online in the NMFS EFH Mapper (http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/protection/efh/habitatmapper.html). Federal agencies that authorize, 
fund, or undertake actions that may adversely affect EFH must consult 
with NMFS, and NMFS must provide conservation recommendations to 
Federal and state agencies regarding any such actions (Sec.  
600.815(a)(9)).
    In addition to identifying and describing EFH for managed fish 
species, a review of EFH must be completed every 5 years, and EFH 
provisions must be revised or amended, as warranted, based on the best 
available scientific information. The EFH 5-year review should evaluate 
published scientific literature, unpublished scientific reports, 
information solicited from interested parties, and previously 
unavailable or inaccessible data. NMFS announced the initiation of this 
review and solicited information for this review from the public in a 
Federal Register notice on March 24, 2014 (79 FR 15959). The initial 
public review/submission period ended on May 23, 2014.
    This document is a draft 5-year review of EFH for Atlantic HMS, 
which include tunas (bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and 
skipjack), oceanic sharks, swordfish, and billfishes (blue marlin, 
white marlin, sailfish, roundscale spearfish, and longbill spearfish). 
The HMS EFH 5-year review considers data available regarding Atlantic 
HMS and their habitats that have become available since 2009 that were 
not included in Final Amendment 1 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS 
(June 1, 2010, 75 FR 30484); Final Environmental Impact Statement for 
Amendment 3 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (June 1, 2010, 75 FR 
30484); and the interpretive rule that described EFH for roundscale 
spearfish (September 22, 2010, 75 FR 57698), which are the most recent 
documents that described EFH for Atlantic HMS species. Upon completion 
of the HMS EFH 5-year Review, NMFS will analyze the information 
gathered through the EFH review process and determine if subsequent 
revision or amendment of EFH if warranted.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq., and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: March 2, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-05079 Filed 3-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P