Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment on the Effects of Issuing an Incidental Take Permit No. 18102

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NMFS announces the availability of the "Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Effects of Issuing an Incidental Take Permit (No. 18102) to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries for the Incidental Take of Atlantic Sturgeon Distinct Population Segments in the North Carolina Inshore Gillnet Fishery." Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period for this draft EA. Per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the purpose of the draft EA is to evaluate the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts caused by the issuance of Permit No. 18102 to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) for the incidental take of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Chesapeake, Carolina, and South Atlantic Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) associated with the otherwise lawful commercial and recreational fisheries operating in estuarine waters and deploying anchored gill nets (i.e., passive gill net sets deployed with an anchor or stake at one or both ends of the nets). All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review. An electronic copy of the revised