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SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL <br />4055 FABER PLACE DRIVE, SUITE 201 <br />NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29405 <br />TEL 843/571-4366 FAX 843/769-4520 <br />Toll Free 1-866-SAFMC-10 <br />Email: safmc@safmc.net web page: www.safmc.net <br />Ben Hartig, Chair Robert K. Mahood, Executive Director <br />Dr. Michelle Duval, Vice Chair Gregg T. Waugh, Deputy Executive Director <br />April 30, 2015 <br />Gary D. Goeke <br />Chief, Regional Assessment Section <br />Office of Environment (GM23E) <br />Bureau of Ocean Energy Management <br />Gulf of Mexico OCS Region <br />1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard <br />New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 <br />Dear Mr. Goeke, <br />The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is providing the following comments <br />concerning the potential environmental effects of conducting seismic surveys in the South <br />Atlantic Region. The Council, pursuant to authority granted by the Magnuson -Steven Act, is <br />charged with conservation of fish stocks and fish habitat and management of recreational and <br />commercial fisheries dependent on those resources in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 <br />miles) off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the East Coast of Florida through the <br />Florida Keys. <br />The Council has a standing Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Policy Statement on Energy, <br />Exploration, Development, and Transportation (see included Policy Statement). The present <br />policy statement is clear that seismic testing will directly impact benthic ecosystems, essential <br />fish habitat, managed species, and the fisheries which depend on them. Therefore, the Council <br />recommends that seismic surveys not be conducted in areas that will impact EFH and especially <br />areas designated as EFH- Habitat Areas of Particular Concern including but not limited to <br />deepwater snapper grouper Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Special Management Zones, tilefish <br />EFH- HAPC, other snapper Grouper EFH-HAPCS including but not limited to (the Georgetown <br />Hole EFH-HAPC, Hoyt Hills EFH-HAPC, Deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern <br />(CHAPCs), and the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern which encompasses the <br />Oculina Experimental Closed Area (see chart included). <br />The Council appreciates BOEMs willingness to provide input on all related Energy activities in <br />the region but is concerned about the impact of potentially multiple independent surveys being <br />conducted on hard live bottom habitat essential to species in our snapper grouper complex. <br />Exhibit 7 <br />1%15'e•5 <br />