South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Amendment 15B

Opportunity for Public Comment on a Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Amendment 15B

Comment Period Ends June 9, 2008

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) is seeking public comment on a supplement to a draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) for Amendment 15B, which updates economic analysis for the measures addressing the sale of bag limit harvest fish. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of the SDEIS on April 25, 2008 (73 FR 22365). The Notice of Availability for the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) was published on November 9, 2007, with a comment period ending January 11, 2008 (72 FR 63579).

Other actions contained within the DEIS include: Define interim allocations for snowy grouper and red porgy; update management reference points for golden tilefish including Maximum Sustainable Yield, Optimum Yield, Minimum Stock Size Threshold (overfished threshold), Maximum Fishing Mortality Threshold (overfishing threshold); implement a plan to monitor and assess bycatch; implement measures to minimize the impacts of incidental take on sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish; and modify permit renewal and transferability requirements.

Request for Comments

Written comments on this SDEIS must be received no later than June 9, 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 SDEIS or DEIS may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries Service Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov , the e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov , the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Web site at

http://www.safmc.net , or:

NOAA Fisheries Service

Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13 th Avenue South

St. Petersburg , Florida 33701

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Electronic Submissions: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . All comments received are part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://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 business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA Fisheries Service will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

• Mail: Jack McGovern

NOAA Fisheries Service

Southeast Regional Office

Sustainable Fisheries Division

263 13 th Avenue South

St. Petersburg , Florida 33701

• Fax: 727-824-5308, Attention: Jack McGovern