The EIS will address the information needs for species conservation, including the types of research activities available for collecting samples and data, and the appropriate levels of research intensity, including temporal and geographic extent of activities, sample sizes, and frequency of sampling.  The EIS will also address appropriate mitigation measures and potential cumulative impacts of research activities on right whales and the environment.

As an initial step in the EIS process, NMFS is hosting a series of public scoping meetings.  NMFS invites the public, including permit holders, researchers and scientists from all disciplines, elected officials, regulatory agencies, environmental groups, and other interested parties, to attend the scoping meetings and to provide input on the range of actions, alternatives, and impacts that should be considered in the EIS.

The first scoping meeting was held in New Bedford, MA, in association with the North Atlantic Right Whale Research Consortium meeting.  Additional scoping meetings will be held in December 2005 and January 2006 at the following locations and dates:

San Diego, CA
(Note: this meeting will be held the weekend before, and at the same venue as the 16th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals)
December 10, 2005
6:30-9:30 pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Douglas Pavilion D
One Market Place

Silver Spring, MD
January 19, 2006
1:00-4:00 pm
NOAA Science Center (SSMC IV)
1301 East-West Highway

In addition, comments may be submitted in writing through January 31, 2006 in one of the following ways:

Email: rweis.comments@noaa.gov

Fax: 301-427-2582

Mail to: Mr. Steve Leathery
Office of Protected Resources
Permits, Conservation, and Education Division (F/PR1)
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705
Silver Spring, MD 20910

For additional information about the EIS, please visit our website
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/rightwhale.htm

or one of the established information repositories below:

New Bedford Library
613 Pleasant Street
New Bedford, MA 02740

La Jolla/Riford Branch Library
7555 Draper Avenue
San Diego, CA  92037

NOAA Central Library
1315 East-West Highway
2nd Floor, SSMC3
Silver Spring, MD  20910