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ATLANTIC LARGE WHALE TAKE REDUCTION PLAN

2011 ALWTRP Scoping Meetings for Development of the Vertical Line Rule

 

NMFS is holding 15 public scoping meetings during July and August (76 FR 34654). The scoping meetings are an opportunity for public to get involved in the development of conservation measures intended to reduce the risk of serious injury and mortality of large whales due to entanglements in vertical lines. NMFS is committed to publishing a final rule to address vertical line entanglement by 2014.

Using fishing gear characterization data and whale sightings per unit effort (SPUE), NMFS developed a model to determine the co-occurrence of fishing gear density and whale density to serve as a proxy for finer-scale high risk areas.

NMFS is accepting comments from the public on management options. Additionally, NMFS is seeking information on the range of impacts that should be considered for the various options identified to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury of right, humpback and finback whales incidentally taken in commercial trap/pot and gillnet fisheries.

Schedule of scoping meetings:

Date/Time	Location	Address	Meeting Summary
July 11th from 6-9pm	East Machias, ME	Washington Academy 66 High Street	Northeast Meeting 1
July 12th from 6-9pm	Ellsworth, ME	Ellsworth City Hall Auditorium 1 City Hall Plaza	Northeast Meeting 2
July 13th from 6-9pm	Rockland, ME	Rockland District High School Auditorium 400 Broadway	Northeast Meeting 3
July 14th from 6-9pm	Portland, ME	Portland City Hall State of Maine Room 389 Congress Street	Northeast Meeting 4
July 18th from 5:30- 8:30pm	Providence, RI	Providence Public Library 150 Empire Street	Northeast Meeting 5
July 19th from 6-9pm	Plymouth, MA	Plymouth Public Library Otto Fehlow Room 132 South Street	Northeast Meeting 6
July 20th from 6-9pm	Chatham, MA	Chatham Community Center Large Meeting Room 702 Main Street	Northeast Meeting 7
July 21st from 6-9pm	Gloucester, MA	NMFS Regional Office Hearing Rooms A&B 55 Great Republic Drive	Northeast Meeting 8
July 22nd from 6-9pm	Portsmouth, NH	Comfort Inn 1190 Lafayette Road	Northeast Meeting 9*
July 26th from 6-9pm	Morehead City, NC	NCDMF District Office 5285 Highway 70 West	Mid-Atlantic Meeting 1
July 27th from 6-9pm	Virginia Beach, VA	Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library Folio Meeting Room 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd.	Mid-Atlantic Meeting 2
July 28th from 6-9pm	Ocean View, DE	Ocean View Town Hall 32 West Ave.	Mid-Atlantic Meeting 3
July 29th from 6-9pm	Manahawkin, NJ	Stafford Township Municipal Building Council Meeting Room 260 Bay Avenue	Mid-Atlantic Meeting 4
August 22nd from 5-8pm	Cape Canaveral, FL	Cape Canaveral Public Library 201 Polk Avenue	Southeast Meeting 1
August 23rd from 6-9 pm	Jacksonville, FL	Jacksonville Port Authority Board Room 2831 Talleyrand Avenue	Southeast Meeting 2
August 24th from 6-9pm	Garden City, GA	Garden City City Hall 100 Central Avenue	Southeast Meeting 3

* The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department held a scoping meeting that was attended by NMFS staff.

Key Issues

• Scoping Meetings
  1. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic
  2. Southeast
• Public Comments

Public Comments Received

• State and Federal Government
  1. The Marine Mammal Commission
  2. Senator Olympia Snowe
  3. Maryland Department of Natural Resources
  4. Maine Department of Marine Resources
     • Ex-Commissioner comments
     • Acting Commissioner comments
• Fishing Industry Groups
  1. Cape Cod Fishermen's Hook Association
  2. Georges Bank Fixed Gear Sector
  3. Viking Village (NJ) Fishermen
  4. Maine Lobstermen's Association

• Conservation Groups
  1. The Humane Society of the US/Center for Biological Diversity/Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society/Defenders of Wildlife

• Education/Scientific Groups
  1. Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Foundation

• Members of the Public

Scoping Materials

• Scoping Document
  1. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Informational Sheet
  2. Co-occurrence model charts
     1. Northeast Region
     2. Mid-Atlantic Region
     3. Southeast Region
  3. Vertical Line Risk Reduction Proposal Criteria
• TRT Member Roster
• Permit Holder Letter

How do I comment?

1. Provide verbal comments at one of the scoping meetings in your area.
2. Provide written comments via-
   1. fax: (978) 281-9394; or
   2. mail to:

      Mary Colligan, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources
      National Marine Fisheries Service
      55 Great Republic Drive
      Gloucester, MA 01930
      Attn: ALWTRP Scoping

   3. email: ALWTRPScoping.Comments@noaa.gov

For more information on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, please contact
the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office's Protected Resources Division at 978-281-9328

Last Updated: September 15, 2011