[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50451-50452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24651]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Dry Tortugas National Park, FL
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision for the Final
General Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement, Dry
Tortugas National Park, Florida.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service
has signed a Record of Decision (July 27, 2001) for the Final General
Management Plan Amendment for Dry Tortugas National Park. The plan is
designed to afford a high level of protection to park resources and
provide for appropriate types and levels of high quality visitor
experiences. This will be accomplished through management zoning,
establishing visitor carrying capacity, using commercial services to
direct and structure visitor use, and instituting a permit system for
private boaters. A wide range of recreational and educational
opportunities will be available to visitors. Visitor experiences will
be enhanced due to expanded access throughout the park and higher
quality resources to enjoy.
Management zones will provide guidance for managing specific areas
for desired resource condition and visitor experiences. The Historic/
Adaptive Use zone (where Ft. Jefferson is located) will be the focus of
the greatest visitor activities including guided tours, historical
interpretation, bird watching, photography, picnicking, boating,
snorkeling, scuba diving and recreational fishing. The Natural/Cultural
zone will be managed to improve natural resource quality and allow
visitors to experience remoteness and solitude with opportunities for
swimming, scuba diving, recreational fishing and viewing wildlife.
Visitors could enjoy natural resources with almost no facilities or
services and experience the ``vast expanse of sea and sky''
characteristic of this remote National Park. The Research Natural Area
zone will allow for protection of outstanding marine and terrestrial
habitats, spawning fish species and pristine coral reefs. The use of
anchors
[[Page 50452]]
will not be permitted and scientific research and other educational
activities consistent with the management of this zone would require
advance permits from the National Park Service. No fishing will be
allowed in the Research Natural Area in order to protect and build up
important fish nursery and spawning areas that will produce greater
abundance and diversity of fish in other important recreational and
commercial fisheries. This will also meet the park's legislative
mandate to protect a pristine sub-tropical marine ecosystem and unique
and outstanding cultural resources. Wildlife viewing, snorkeling,
diving, boating and sightseeing would primarily be done using
commercial tour guides. Special Protection zones will be established in
areas requiring protection from human impact, such as sea turtle and
bird nesting areas, shallow or sensitive corals and significant
submerged cultural resources. Boundaries of the Special Protection
zones could be adjusted to protect areas at certain critical periods of
the year.
Commercial transportation operators will continue to transport
visitors to the park by self-contained ferry and seaplane operations.
One concession contract will be issued for a single seaplane operator
who will be authorized to carry up to 60 people per day. A second
concession contract will be for a ferry operator who will be authorized
to carry up to 150 people per day. The role of the ferry operator will
be expanded to provide water-based transportation from Garden Key to
other park locations, thereby increasing the range of opportunities for
visitors throughout the park. Other appropriate commercial services in
the park, such as guided fishing, sailing and diving trips will be
authorized by Commercial Use Authorizations.
An initial visitor carrying capacity for Garden Key (Ft. Jefferson)
will allow for a maximum total of 330 people per day. Twenty-four
people per day will be permitted to visit Loggerhead Key. Monitoring
will determine if these numbers are achieving desired visitor
experience and resource conditions; if not the numbers may be adjusted.
A park entrance fee will be instituted and private boaters will be
required to obtain a permit to navigate park waters. Fifty-four percent
of the park will remain open for recreational fishing. Commercial
fishing activities, spear fishing and the harvest of lobster and conch
are banned in park waters.
Implementation of this plan will be coordinated with the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Tortugas Ecological Reserve in
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary adjoining the park. The
combined action will result in comprehensive protection for nationally
significant coral reef habitats and communities extending from shallow
park waters into the sanctuary's deep waters.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Dry Tortugas National
Park, (305) 242-7800.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A copy of the Record of Decision on the
Final General Management Plan Amendment for Dry Tortugas National Park
can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the National Park Service
web site at
http://www.nps.gov/planning or by calling (305) 242-7700.
Dated: August 16, 2001.
Val Knight,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 01-24651 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M
