Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the U.S. Purse Seine Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

NOAA Fisheries is intending to develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to meet requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act for the continued authorization of the U.S. purse seine fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean under existing and reasonably foreseeable future management measures.  Given the wide range of potential future management approaches in this fishery, NOAA Fisheries is proposing action alternatives that span the broad range of management measures foreseeable under U.S. regulations to implement relevant international agreements and other U.S. law.

This notice of intent to prepare an EIS represents the beginning of the public scoping process. During this public scoping process, interested parties are invited  to provide comments on alternatives to be considered in an EIS and to identify potential issues, concerns, and any reasonable additional alternatives that should be considered.

The comment deadline has been extended. Submit comments by October 31, 2018 at 11:59 PM ET.