Composite Training Unit Exercises and Joint Task ... - Govsupport.us

COMPTUEX/JTFEX COASTAL CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION 25 OCTOBER 2006SCI and the Banks appears to peak during lobster season (October-March). Most boat tripsoriginate from marinas and harbors along the Southern California coast.Recreational spear fishing also is popular off of Point Loma. The International Artificial Reef,located in approximately 165 ft (50 m) of water to the southwest of the Imperial Beach Pier, is apopular destination. The proximity of rocky and sedimentary habitats to the major recreationalfishing centers in San Diego Bay makes this area particularly popular with sport fishers. Kelpbass, sheephead, sculpin, and rockfish are popular recreational speciesPotential effects of the Proposed Action on economic, commercial, and recreational fishing havebeen evaluated by the Navy. COMPTUEX/JTFEX activities do not have the potential to result inpermanent modifications of the marine environment within the CZ. Elements of the ProposedAction that require exclusive use of an ocean area (e.g., those operations in which weapons arefired) have the potential to affect commercial and recreational fishing operations during theactual operation. Short-term adverse effects on individual commercial fishermen may resultfrom temporary closures of specific ocean areas, but the economic importance of the regionalcommercial fishing industry would be unchanged.Prior to these events, NOTMARs and NOTAMs are issued, providing the public and commercialfishermen with notice of upcoming location and timing restrictions in specific training areas. Inaddition, the Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE) maintains a public website depictingupcoming restrictions in designated Danger Zones around SCI. These notices detail date, timeduration, and location of restricted access, so that commercial and private fishermen and diverscan plan their activities accordingly. The restricted times only extend through the duration of thetraining activity; thereby allowing the public to shift their activities to alternate areas duringtemporary closures. Thus, the Proposed Action would be consistent with Section 30234.5 to themaximum extent practicable.3.4 ARTICLE 5–LAND RESOURCES3.4.1 Section 30244 – Archaeological or Paleontological ResourcesCalifornia PolicyWhere development would adversely impact archaeological or paleontological resources asidentified by the State Historic Preservation Officer, reasonable mitigation measures shall berequired.Coastal Zone EffectsPaleontological resources of significance have not been identified in the CZ portions of theSOCAL OPAREA. Archaeological resources in the CZ consist primarily of historic shipwrecks.Shipwrecks are found throughout the SOCAL OPAREA along the coast, around the ChannelIslands, and around the offshore banks. Over 1,400 shipwrecks are known to be within theSOCAL OPAREA (Veridian Corporation 2001, and National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration [NOAA] 2005).Shipwrecks are documented from the period of Spanish exploration in the fifteenth centurythrough the modern period (twentieth century), although only shipwrecks older than 50 yearsare considered to be historic. The locations of many earlier shipwrecks are unknown due to theimprecise documentation. The best-known historic shipwrecks are those from the 1800's to the1900's. Submerged cultural resources such as shipwrecks are affected primarily byPAGE 23