National Marine Fisheries Service
Alaska Region
NEWS RELEASE

NOAA FISHERIES HOSTS PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS FOR ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ANALYSIS

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency of the Commerce Department, invites the public to participate in the development of essential fish habitat (EFH) components of the following fishery management plans (FMPs): Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs; Scallop Fishery Off Alaska; and Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone Off the Coast of Alaska. Comments received will be used in an analysis to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS).

The proposed action to be addressed in the SEIS is the development of the mandatory EFH provisions of the FMPs. The scope of the analysis will cover all of the required EFH components of the FMPs as described in section 303(a)(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

NOAA Fisheries will hold public scoping meetings and accept written comments to determine the issues of concern and the appropriate range of management alternatives to be addressed in the SEIS to describe and identify EFH and potential Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) designations, to minimize to the extent practicable the adverse effects of fishing on EFH, and to identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH.

Written comments will be accepted through July 21, 2001. Send written comments to Administrator Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99801. For additional information, contact Cindy Hartmann, (907) 586-7235