Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Description and Identification of Essential Fish Habitat

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 100698A]

RIN 0648-AL40

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Description

and Identification of Essential Fish Habitat

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: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has

submitted Amendment 55 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area;

Amendment 55 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska;

Amendment 8 to the FMP for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner

Crabs; Amendment 5 to the FMP for Scallop Fisheries off Alaska; and

Amendment 5 to the FMP for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the

Coast of Alaska. These amendments would describe and identify essential

fish habitat in Alaska, and risks to that habitat, for groundfish,

scallops, salmon, and king and Tanner crabs. This action is intended to

strengthen the ability of the Council to protect and conserve habitat

used by these species at crucial stages of their life cycles.

DATES: Comments on Amendments 55/55/8/5/5 must be submitted by December

21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP amendments should be submitted to Sue

Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori

Gravel, or delivered to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street,

Juneau, AK. Copies of Amendments 55/55/8/5/5 and the Environmental

Assessment prepared for the amendments are available from the Council,

605 West 4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252;

telephone 907-271-2809. The following reports, which are referenced in

the amendments, are also available from the Council:

1. Essential Fish Habitat Report for the Groundfish Resources of

the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, April 1, 1998.

2. Essential Fish Habitat Report for the Groundfish Resources of

the Gulf of Alaska Region, April 1, 1998.

3. Essential Fish Habitat Report for the Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands King and Tanner Crabs, March 31, 1998.

4. Essential Fish Habitat Report for the Salmon Fisheries in the

Exclusive Economic Zone off the Coast of Alaska, March 31, 1998.

5. Essential Fish Habitat Report for the Scallop Fisheries off the

Coast of Alaska, March 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Hartmann, 907-586-7312

[email protected]; or Nina Mollett, 907-586-7492,

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation

and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each Regional

Fishery Management Council submit any FMP or FMP amendment it prepares

to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The

Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP,

immediately publish a notice in the Federal Register that the FMP or

amendment is available for public review and comment. Therefore, NMFS

solicits comments on the approval, disapproval, or partial approval of

these amendments.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act emphasizes the need for increased

attention to habitat considerations in conserving and managing the

Nation's fisheries. Regional Fishery Management Councils are directed

to amend their FMPs with information on EFH, which is defined as

``those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding,

feeding or growth to maturity.'' Councils must also identify potential

adverse impacts on essential fish habitat (EFH) and make suggestions

for minimizing those impacts and for conserving and enhancing EFH.

Background

The NMFS Alaska Region established a Core Team composed of NMFS

employees and one person from the Council, which in turn established

four Technical Teams (one each for salmon, crab, scallop and

groundfish), comprised of Federal and state biologists. These teams

developed habitat assessment reports for each FMP, that were

distributed for public

[[Page 56602]]

comment in December 1997, and made available in updated versions on

March 31, 1998.

In accordance with NMFS EFH guidelines at 50 CFR 600.815, NMFS

submitted draft EFH recommendations to the Council on April 3, 1998.

The public reviewed these recommendations during a special evening

meeting. The full Council and its advisory bodies also reviewed them.

NMFS accepted written comments through April 27, 1998, and submitted

final EFH recommendations to the Council in May 1998 for the Council's

consideration at its June 1998 meeting. After reviewing the NMFS

recommendations, the Council adopted Amendments 55/55/8/5/5.

The proposed amendments identify and describe EFH for each species

or species group managed under the five FMPs. The proposed amendments

classify each species at each life stage according to how much data are

available and summarize all available information with texts and

tables. The proposed amendments also describe adverse impacts to the

habitat from fishing and non-fishing activities, and make suggestions

for conservation and enhancement of the habitat, and identify research

needs and habitat areas of particular concern.

Definition of EFH

Habitat descriptions and life history information were reviewed and

the levels of information available for each life history stage were

determined. The approach set forth in regulations at 50 CFR

600.815(a)(2) for gathering and organizing the data necessary to

identify EFH was applied.

Under the proposed amendments, EFH would represent all habitat

within a general distribution for a species life stage, for all

information levels and under all stock conditions. For any species

listed under the Endangered Species Act, EFH would include all areas

identified as critical habitat.

If approved, these amendments would enable NMFS and the Council to

more actively protect habitat important to fish at different stages of

their life cycles. Coordination among NMFS, the Council, and other

Federal and state agencies engaging in activities that may adversely

affect EFH would be improved. The Council and NMFS would be in a better

position to make suggestions on how to mitigate potential habitat

damage.

NMFS will consider all public comments received during the comment

period in determining whether to approve Amendments 55/55/8/5/5. To be

considered, comments must be received before close of business on the

last day of the comment period specified in this NOA; that does not

mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.

Dated: October 15, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 98-28278 Filed 10-21-98; 8:45 am]

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