Tag Archives: Public Comment

Its Deadline for Comments Day on South Fork Wind Farm Environmental Report

BOEM, which recently finished its draft environmental review of the South Fork Wind Farm, gave the public a chance to weigh in on the document at three virtual public hearings in mid-February, and is accepting further written public comment through midnight tonight… Meghan Lapp of Seafreeze Ltd. in Narragansett, Rhode Island, “Our vessels will have to fish in the area, which will be impossible if this goes through as planned,” she said, adding that the DEIS “does not contain any cumulative impact analysis” of how the offshore wind industry will affect the fishing industry. Bonnie Brady of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, based in Montauk, agreed with Ms. Lapp, adding,,, >click to read< 12:05

REMINDER: Public comment on AMENDMENT 2 of Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan

>click here< for information on Southern Flounder Amendment – >click here < to submit Public Comment on Draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 17:33

NMFS: Public Comment Period Opens – Review and Streamline Regulatory Processes and Reduce Regulatory Burden

On January 24, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13766, “Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects” (82 FR 8657, January 30, 2017). This E.O. requires infrastructure decisions to be accomplished with maximum efficiency and effectiveness, while also respecting property rights and protecting public safety. Additionally, the E.O. makes it a policy of the executive branch to “streamline and expedite, in a manner consistent with law, environmental reviews and approvals for all infrastructure projects.” click here to read the press release. click the links to comment. Let ‘er rip. This is your chance to be heard. 16:46

NMFS Seeks Public Comment for Proposed Rule to Require Turtle Excluder Device Use for Skimmer Trawls, Pusher-Head Trawls, and Wing Nets (Butterfly Trawls)

In an effort to strengthen sea turtle conservation efforts, NOAA Fisheries NMFS is seeking comments on a newly proposed rule.  The rule, if implemented, would require all skimmer trawls, pusher-head trawls, and wing nets (butterfly trawls) to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets.  A TED is a device that allows sea turtles to escape from trawl nets.  The purpose of the proposed rule is to aid in the protection and recovery of listed sea turtle populations by reducing incidental bycatch and mortality of sea turtles in the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries. We have scheduled six public hearings in January 2017 to solicit public comment on the proposed rule.  The dates, times, and locations of the hearings are as follows: Larose, LA – January 9, 2017, 4pm-6pm, Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, 307 East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373. Gretna, LA – January 10, 2017, 12pm-2pm, Belle Chasse, LA – January 10, 2017, 4pm-6pm Biloxi, MS – January 11, 2017, 4pm-6pm, Bayou La Batre, AL – January 12, 2017, 10am-12pm Morehead City, NC – January 18, 2017, 12pm-2pm Read the bulletin here 09:33

Public Comment of Stephen Taufen, founder of Groundswell Fisheries Movement – Re: C-5 Bering Sea Halibut PSC

alaska-halibut__frontMadame Secretary, Chairman Dan Hull & NPFMC members: Groundswell is a public fisheries advocacy movement that has testified before the NPFMC for the past two decades, and I am Stephen Taufen, founder.  Formerly employed in the Alaskan seafood processing sector, and managed operations for pollock weight grading and related background.  This public comment concerns the previously incontrollable excessive bycatch to which the Council now attends.  Groundswell favors:, Read the rest here 13:34

At the Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting Today, A Citizen Made a Public Comment

Sometimes I wonder why I invest time listening to Fishery Council Meetings. I listen to plenty of them. Today, I was tuned into the PFMC webinar, listening to Public Comments, and a fella named Jonathan Gonzales from Santa Barbara California made his. You’ve got to read it, and look at the presentation he put together. I listened, but didn’t see the slides he put together, but, they are in this power point. Leave a comment here. You’ll want to be ready to be impressed. I am. Read it here 22:09 On September 13, this was released by Center for Biological Diversity.  New Data Shows California Drift Gillnets Not Sustainable, Continue to Kill Marine Mammals. “Every year that drift gillnets are used off the California coast to catch swordfish, the result is that iconic whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and thousands of fish are ensnared and killed as bycatch,” said Geoff Shester, California campaign director for Oceana. “Ultimately this gear type must be fully prohibited off the West Coast so we can have a sustainable swordfish fishery.” Jeff Shester is in Jon’s power point. I wonder what he thinks of it! 22:11

ASMFC Releases Cancer Crab PID for Public Comment

Cancer Crab PID for Public Comment (public comment accepted until 5 PM EST on October 3, 2014; send comments to [email protected] – Subject line: Cancer Crab PID Read more here 10:15