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Draft Environmental Assessment U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE Pacific Islands Regional Office 1845 Wasp Blvd. Bldg.176 Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 (808) 725-5000 • Fax (808) 725-5215 Draft Environmental Assessment Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits for Pelagic Longline Fisheries in U.S. Pacific Island Territories (RIN 0648-XG925) May 20, 2019 Note: If you need assistance with the document, please call (808) 725-5000. Responsible Federal Agency: Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Responsible Official: Michael D. Tosatto Regional Administrator, PIRO 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176 Honolulu, HI 96818 Tel (808) 725-5000 Fax (808) 725-5215 Responsible Council: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400 Honolulu, HI 96813 Tel (808) 522-8220 Fax (808) 522-8226 Abstract The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) propose to establish bigeye tuna territorial catch and allocation limits for each U.S. participating territory in the western and central Pacific Ocean, as recommended annually by the Council, for years 2019-2023, pursuant to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pacific Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (Pelagics FEP). NMFS would authorize each U.S. territory to allocate and transfer bigeye tuna limits to a U.S. longline fishing vessel(s) permitted under the Pelagics FEP and identified in a specified fishing agreement applicable to the territory. Criteria for a specified fishing agreement and the process for attributing longline- caught bigeye tuna made by vessels of the U.S. participating territories and U.S. vessels identified in an approved specified fishing agreement are codified in 50 CFR 665.819. If approved, the catch and allocation limits would be in effect until the end of the relevant fishing year. Draft Environmental Assessment Territorial Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits This environmental assessment (EA) considers the following alternatives for catch and allocation limit specifications in detail: • Alternative 1: NMFS would not specify annual territorial bigeye tuna catch or allocation limits (No Action). • Alternative 2: NMFS would specify, for each territory, an annual 2,000 metric ton (t) catch limit and 1,000 t allocation limit (Preferred/Status Quo). • Alternative 3: NMFS would specify, for each territory, an annual 2,000 t catch limit and up to a 2,000 t allocation limit. The alternatives are identical to those analyzed in the EA supporting the 2018 Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits for Pelagic Longline Fisheries in the U.S. Pacific Island Territories (NMFS 2018g). The analysis in this EA indicates that none of the three action alternatives for catch and allocation limits and accountability measures are expected to result in adverse effects on the long-term sustainability of bigeye tuna, other non-target species, bycatch species, protected species, or adversely affect marine habitats, or result in large changes to any western Pacific longline fishery in a given year from 2019 through 2023. At its 176th meeting, from March 19-21, 2019, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Council recommended a 2,000 t bigeye tuna catch limit and 1,000 t allocation limit for fishing year 2019, which is NMFS’ preferred alternative in this EA. The Western Pacific longline fisheries have operated under this preferred alternative since 2014. NMFS’ issuance of any future territorial bigeye tuna catch and allocation limits will be based on Council recommendations, which will in turn be based on the best available scientific information relevant to management objectives. Future proposed catch and allocation limits will be subject to additional review by NMFS and opportunities for public comment. How to Comment Instructions on how to comment on this document and the associated proposed rule can be found by searching on RIN 0648-XG925 at www.regulations.gov or by contacting the responsible official or Council at the above address. Comments are due on the date specified in the instructions. ii Draft Environmental Assessment Territorial Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits ABBREVIATIONS ANE Adult nesting equivalency APA Administrative Procedure Act B Biomass BE biological evaluation BET bigeye tuna BiOp Biological Opinion CMM Conservation and management measure CNMI Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands CNP Central North Pacific CPUE Catch per unit of effort Convention Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean Council Western Pacific Fishery Management Council DSLL deep-set longline DPS Distinct population segment EA Environmental assessment EEZ Exclusive economic zone EFH Essential fish habitat EPO Eastern Pacific Ocean ESA Endangered Species Act F Fishing mortality FAD Fish aggregation device FEP Fishery ecosystem plan FMP Fishery management plan FR Federal Register HAPC Habitat areas of particular concern HI Hawaii HMS highly migratory species IATTC Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission IFKW insular false killer whale ISC International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean ITS Incidental take statement lb Pound(s) LRP Limit reference point LVPA large vessel prohibited area M Natural mortality rate Magnuson-Stevens Act Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act MCP Marine Conservation Plan MHI Main Hawaiian Islands MFMT Maximum fishing mortality threshold MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act MPA marine protected area MSST Minimum stock size threshold MSY Maximum sustainable yield iii Draft Environmental Assessment Territorial Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits MUS Management unit species M&SI Mortalities or serious injuries NAO NOAA Administrative Order NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NEPO northeast Pacific Ocean nm Nautical mile(s) NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPO North Pacific Ocean NS National Standard NWHI Northwestern Hawaiian Islands OLE Office of Law Enforcement Pelagics FEP Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region PBR Potential biological removal PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIRO Pacific Islands Regional Office PRIA Pacific Remote Island Areas PT Participating Territory RA Regional Administrator RFMOs regional fishery management organizations SAR stock assessment report SB spawning biomass SC Scientific Committee of the WCPFC SDC status determination criteria SEZ southern exclusion zone SIDS Small Island Developing States SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community SPO South Pacific Ocean SPTT South Pacific Tuna Treaty t Metric ton(s) USCG U.S. Coast Guard U.S. FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WCNPO Western and central North Pacific Ocean WCPFC Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission WCPO Western and central Pacific Ocean WP SFF Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund WPFMC Western Pacific Fishery Management Council iv Draft Environmental Assessment Territorial Bigeye Tuna Catch and Allocation Limits TABLE OF CONTENT 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 10 1.1 Overview of Bigeye Tuna Management in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean ........ 10 1.2 Overview of Catch and Allocation Limit Specification Process ...................................... 11 1.3 Proposed Federal Action ................................................................................................... 12 1.4 Purpose and Need for Action ............................................................................................ 13 1.5 Action Area ....................................................................................................................... 14 1.6 Decision(s) to be Made ..................................................................................................... 14 1.7 Scope of this Analysis ....................................................................................................... 14 1.8 List of Preparers ................................................................................................................ 15 1.9 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................... 15 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES ................................................................... 15 2.1 Development of the Alternatives ...................................................................................... 16 2.2 Description of the Alternatives ......................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Alternative 1: No specification of territorial catch or allocation limits (No Action) .... 17 2.2.2 Alternative 2: Specify for each U.S. participating territory a 2,000 t bigeye catch limit and 1,000 t bigeye allocation limit (Preferred/Status Quo) ...................................................... 18 2.2.3 Alternative 3: Specify for each U.S. participating territory, a 2,000 t catch limit and that each territory can allocate up to 2,000 t of the catch limit ................................................. 20 2.3 Comparison of Features of the Alternatives ..................................................................... 22 2.4 Alternatives Considered, but Rejected from Further Analysis
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