Page updated on 11/29/07
 

Essential Fish Habitat Amendment
Public Scope Hearings
 

     The New England Fishery Management Council conducted a scoping hearing to solicit comments on the Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Amendment (Amendment 14 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, Amendment 11 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP, Amendment 3 to the Monkfish FMP, Amendment 2 to The Herring FMP, Amendment 1 to the Skate FMP, Amendment 1 to The Red Crab FMP and Amendment 2 to the Atlantic Salmon FMP).  The Omnibus Amendment will review the EFH components of all the Council’s Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) as required in 50 CFR 600.815, consider Dedicated Habitat Research Areas (DHRA) and integrate alternatives to minimize any adverse effects of fishing on EFH across all FMPs principally managed by the Council.  The Council formally initiated a public process to determine the scope of alternatives to be addressed in the amendments and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The purpose of this notification was to alert the interested public of the commencement of the scoping process and to provide for public participation in compliance with environmental documentation requirements.  The Council invited everyone to attend this hearing to provide input.