AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; announcement of public scoping period; request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS is gathering information necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for future management actions for the U.S. purse seine fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). This notice of intent to prepare an EIS represents the beginning of the public scoping process and invites interested parties to provide comments on alternatives to be considered in an EIS and to identify potential issues, concerns, and any reasonable additional alternatives that should be considered.

DATES: To ensure consideration during the development of this EIS, written comments on the scope and alternatives to be considered in the EIS must be submitted no later than October 8, 2018. Public comments will also be accepted during two webinars scheduled for 9:30–11:30 a.m. September 11, 2018 and 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., September 14, 2018. Both webinars are scheduled in Hawaii Standard Time (HST; UTC–10:00).

Please notify David O’Brien (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, below) by August 31, 2018, if you plan to attend either or both webinars. Instructions for connecting or calling in to the webinars will be emailed to meeting participants. Accommodations for persons with disabilities are available; accommodation requests should be directed to David O’Brien at least 10 working days prior to the webinar.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the scope of this EIS by either of the following methods:

• Electronic submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
  1. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0062,
  2. Click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and
  3. Enter or attach your comments.
  —OR—
• Mail: Submit written comments to Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period might not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name and address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

Copies of this document can be obtained from Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS PIRO (see address above) and are available at www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0062.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David O’Brien, NMFS PIRO, at David.S.OBrien@noaa.gov, or at (808) 725-5038.

Click here for complete FR Notice.