[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 151 (Thursday, August 6, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41995-41996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21069]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 600
[I.D. 120996A]
Magnuson Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Alaska Region of the NMFS will hold an essential fish
habitat (EFH) core team meeting to discuss the following items:
strategic investment framework, EFH proposal process, habitat areas of
particular concern (HAPC) proposals, EFH research needs,
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integrating EFH information and research findings into the plan team
process, and the role and responsibilities of the EFH core team.
DATES: The Alaska Region core EFH team will meet Monday September 14,
1998, and Tuesday, September 15, 1998, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
ADDRESSES: The EFH core team will meet in Seattle, Washington, at the
NOAA, NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, in
Building Four, Room 2039. Questions should be addressed to Habitat
Conservation Division, ATTN: Cindy Hartmann, 709 W. 9th , Suite 461,
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; telephone: (907) 586-7585.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Hartmann, NMFS, (907) 586-7585,
e-mail: Cindy.Hartmann@noaa.gov; or Dave Witherell, North Pacific
Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), (907) 271-2809, e-mail:
David.Witherell@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The NMFS Alaska Region core EFH team was formally established in
April, 1997, to implement the EFH provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The
Magnuson-Stevens Act defined EFH as ``those waters and substrate
necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to
maturity.'' In June 1998, the NPFMC adopted plan amendments for five
fish management plans (FMPs) to incorporate EFH provisions. These
provisions included identification and description of EFH including
HAPC, identification of research and information needs, and
identification of potential adverse effects on EFH due to fishing and
non-fishing activities. The NPFMC is accepting proposals to identify
HAPC, and to establish conservation measures to minimize, to the extent
practicable, adverse impacts from fishing on HAPC. Proposals are due by
Monday, August 17, 1998. Additional details and guidelines for HAPC
proposals are available from the NPFMC office. At the September 14,
1998, meeting the EFH core team will be making recommendations on HAPC
proposals and developing their own proposals. This meeting is open to
the public.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Cindy Hartmann, (907) 586-7235, at least 5
working days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 31, 1998.
Joseph R. Blum,
Acting Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-21069 Filed 8-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
