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Peer Review Plans |
Title and Description:
Bering Sea Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management Environmental Impact Statement/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act (EIS/RIR/IRFA)
NOAA Fisheries, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, is preparing an EIS/RIR/IRFA on Chinook salmon bycatch reduction measures in the Bering Sea, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, EO12866, and Regulatory Flexibility Act. The EIS/RIR/IRFA analyzes the impacts on the human environment of the proposed action to replace the current Chinook Salmon Savings Areas in the Bering Sea with new regulatory closures, salmon bycatch limits, or a combination of both.
ID: 118 Info. Type: ISI
Estimated Dissemination Date: 6/30/2009
Contact Person: Rebecca Rootes NOAA Locator
Date First Posted in Peer Review Agenda: 06/16/08
Estimated Peer Review Start Date: 12/5/2008
Review type: individual letters
Expected number of peer reviewers: more than 10
Peer reviewers will be selected by: the agency
Will the public, including scientific or professional societies, be asked to nominate potential peer reviewers? no
Will there be opportunities for the public to comment on the work product to be peer reviewed? yes
How? This information will be reviewed by the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), the NPFMC, NOAA Fisheries, and the public. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the fishery management council process emphasizes constituent and stakeholder participation in the development of fishery management plans and includes a rigorous scientific review of the information supporting proposed fishery management actions. Meetings of the NPFMC, including meetings of the SSC, are open to the public, meeting announcements are published in the Federal Register and public testimony is accepted. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the EIS/RIR/IRFA will be published and distributed for a formal 60-day public comment period during which NOAA Fisheries will accept written public comment on the Draft EIS/RIR/IRFA. Public comment received on the Draft EIS/RIR/IRFA will be incorporated in to the Final EIS/RIR/IRFA which will also be published and distributed to the public. The public can commend on the Final EIS/RIR/IRFA during a 30-day wait period. The final agency action will be described in a record of decision and any comments on the Final EIS/RIR/IRFA will be incorporated into the record of decision. Each document will be available to the public on the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region website.
When? Three stage of review (1) prior to and during the June 2008 NPFMC meeting, (2) during the public comment period from 12-05-08 to 02-03-09, and (3) during the April 2009 NPFMC meeting.
Will the agency provide significant and relevant public comments to the peer reviewers before they conduct their review? yes
Primary disciplines or expertise needed in the review:
a. Fisheries methodology and management: an understanding of how the various fisheries addressed in this action are prosecuted, seasonal and annual variation in fishery effort, possible economic ramifications of proposed management strategies, and the management mechanism in place for the region under consideration including - the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the NPFMC, the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) process and the recent history of prior actions on BS/GOA/AI area FMPs and any subsequent implementing NMFS regulations designed to manage such fisheries consistent with the management needs pertaining to the subject species.
b. Fishery stock assessment (use research surveys, fishery data, etc., to understand past and project trends in the population), biology, ecology, population dynamics, modeling (use of mathematical models to describe the population dynamics of actual stocks).
Comments on Peer Review:
Charge statement: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm
Peer review report: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm
Draft assessment: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm