05-131. Availability of Seats for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council

AGENCY:

National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION:

Notice and request for applications.

SUMMARY:

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve (Reserve) is seeking applicants for the following vacant seats on its Reserve Advisory Council (Council): (3) Native Hawaiian, (2) Conservation, (1) Research and (1) Commercial Fishing. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the Reserve. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve 3-year terms, pursuant to the Council's Charter.

DATES:

Applications are due by January 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Application kits may be obtained from Moani Pai, 6600 Kalaniana'ole Hwy. Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825, [phone] or online at http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov. Completed applications should be sent to the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Aulani Wilhelm, 6600 Kalaniana'ole Hwy. Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825, [phone], [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve is a new marine protected area designed to conserve and protect the coral reef ecosytem and related natural and cultural resources of the area. The Reserve was established by Executive Order pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-513). The NWHI Reserve was established by Executive Order 13178 (12/00), as finalized by Executive Order 13196 (1/01).

The Reserve encompasses an area of the marine waters and submerged lands of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, extending approximately 1200 nautical miles long and 100 nautical miles wide. The Reserve is adjacent to and seaward of the seaward boundary of Hawaii State waters and submerged lands and the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, and includes the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge to the extent that any such refuge waters extends beyond Hawaii State waters and submerged lands. The Reserve is managed by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Executive Orders. The Secretary has also initiated the process to designate the Reserve as a National Marine Sanctuary. The management principles and implementation strategy and requirements for the Reserve are found in the enabling Executive Orders, which are part of the application kit and can be found on the website listed above.

In designating the Reserve, the Secretary of Commerce was directed to establish a Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, pursuant to section 315 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, to provide advice and recommendations on the development of the Reserve Operations Plan and the proposal to designate and manage a Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary by the Secretary.

The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) has established the Reserve Advisory Council and is now accepting applications from interested individuals for Council Members and Alternates for each of the following citizen/constituent positions on the Council.

1. Three (3) representatives from the Native Hawaiian community with experience or knowledge regarding Native Hawaiian subsistence, cultural, religious, or other activities in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

2. Two (2) representatives from non-governmental wildlife/marine life, environmental, and/or conservation organizations.

3. One (1) representative from the commercial fishing industry that conducts activities in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

4. One representative from the non-Federal science community with experience specific to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and with expertise in at least one of the following areas:

(A) Marine mammal science.

(B) Coral reef ecology.

(C) Native marine flora and fauna of the Hawaiian Islands.

(D) Oceanography.

(E) Any other scientific discipline the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

The Council consists of 25 members, 14 of which are non-government voting members (the State of Hawaii representative is a voting member) and 10 of which are government non-voting members. The voting members are representatives of the following constituencies: Conservation, Citizen-At-Large, Ocean-Related Tourism, Recreational Fishing, Research, Commercial Fishing, Education, State of Hawaii and Native Hawaiian. The government non-voting seats are represented by the following agencies: Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, Department of State, Marine Mammal Commission, NOAA's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, National Science Foundation, U.S. Coast Guard, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, and NOAA's National Ocean Service.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431, et seq.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program)

Dated: December 21, 2004.

Daniel J. Basta,

Director, National Marine Sanctuary Program, National Ocean Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.