| NOAA NMFS 2001-09AKR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Carol Tocco 2/15//01 |
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NOAA Fisheries will be holding five public meetings to provide information and solicit comments on the Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands groundfish fishery management plans. The schedule of meetings is available on the Internet at: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov The SEIS performs several important functions: (1) It is a planning and reference document to describe the current management regime for groundfish fisheries in Alaska; (2) it describes and analyzes current knowledge about the physical, biological, and human environment in order to assess impacts caused by past and current fishery activities; (3) it provides the environmental baseline that will be used to shape future management policy and a future range of potential management actions; (4) it examines the effects of the current groundfish fishery management regime, as well as selected alternative management regimes, on the human environment to assess whether a different management regime should be implemented. The public meetings will begin with an "open house" style meeting followed by a formal public hearing. During the public hearing portion of the meeting, individuals will be heard one at a time and their comments will be recorded and incorporated into the body of comments that will be considered when preparing the final SEIS. "The open house portion of the meeting will give members of the public the opportunity to ask questions of team members and view project displays and information," said Steve Davis, SEIS team leader for NOAA Fisheries. The meeting schedule is as follows:
NOAA Fisheries conducts scientific research and provides
services and products to support domestic and international fisheries
management, fisheries development, trade and industry assistance,
enforcement, and protected species and habitat conservation programs. |