July 14, 2014 — Instead of issuing new rules, NMFS opted to go with an official policy, which it adopted on Feb. 19, 2013.
NMFS, part of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, is announcing in the Federal Register of Monday, July 14, 2014 that it is canceling it plan to write new rules regarding the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) concerning fishery management, as authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act. NMFS first proposed the rule back in 2008 but never finalized it.
Instead of issuing new rules, NMFS opted to go with an official policy, which it adopted on Feb. 19, 2013. The policy is known as the NEPA Compliance for Council-Initiated Fishery Management Actions under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The policy defines what NMFS and the regional fishery management councils are supposed to do. It sets out deadlines and procedures, describes what the agencies need to document and also provides guidance on how the councils and NMFS can work together to comply with NEPA.
Read the full story at Examiner.com