Quoted from the email we received this morning:
On September 19,2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a Notice of Availability (NOA) ofDraft Amendment 1 Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) to the Consolidated HMS FMP. The.:DraftAmendment considers alternatives to update Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) EFH, designate a new Habitat Area of ParticularConcern(HAPC)forbluefintunaspawningareas inthe Gulf ofMexico, and analyzes fishing impacts on EFH. Based on the September 19,2008 notice, the comment period was scheduled to end on November 18, 2008. NMFS is extending the comment period until’December 12, 2008. Comments received by NMFS on the Draft EFH Amendment 1 will be used in the development of Final EFH Amendment 1 to the Consolidated HMS FMP.
Due to the timing of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) meeting at the beginnipg ofDecember, NMFS is extending the comment period to provide additional opportunity for the SAFMC, and other interested parties to comment on Draft Amendment 1. These comments will assist NMFS in developing the Final Amendment, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP.
The cOnlment period for Draft EFH Amendment 1 has been extended to 5 p.m. on December 12,2008. Comments maybe submitted to Chris Rilling, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the envelope “Comments onEFH Amendment to the Consolidated HMS FMP.” Comments can also be submitted via e-mail at HMSEFH@noaa.gov, orvia FAX at (301) 713-1917.
This notice is a courtesy to Atlantic HMS fishery interests to keep you informed about the fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such a notice with the Office ofthe Federal Register., For further information, contact Chris Rilling or Sari Kiraly at (301) 713-2347.
You can download a pdf of the Federal Register entry from here.