[Federal Register: June 17, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 116)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 32734]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 600
[I.D. 120996A]
Magnuson Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat (EFH); Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will hold a public meeting in San Francisco, CA, to provide an additional opportunity on the west coast for public input on the proposed rule to implement the essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions of the Magnuson Act.
DATES: The meeting is scheduled to be held on July 2, 1997, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn North, 275 South Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to Office of Habitat Conservation, Attention: EFH, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282; telephone: 301/713-2325.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee Crockett, NMFS, 301/713-2325.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS issued proposed regulations containing guidelines for the description and identification of EFH in fishery management plans, adverse impacts on EFH, and actions to conserve and enhance EFH on April 23, 1997 (62 FR 19723). Notices to extend the comment period were published in the Federal Register on May 19, 1997, (62 FR 27214) and again on June 12, 1997 (62 FR 32071). The regulations would also provide a process for NMFS to coordinate and consult with Federal and state agencies on activities that may adversely affect EFH. The guidelines are required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The purpose of the rule is to assist fishery management councils in fulfilling the requirements set forth by the Magnuson-Stevens Act to amend their FMPs to describe and identify EFH, minimize adverse effects on EFH, and identify other actions to conserve and enhance EFH. The purpose of the coordination and consultation provisions is to specify procedures for adequate consultation with NMFS on activities that may adversely affect EFH.
Special Accommodations
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Lee Crockett (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 12, 1997.
James P. Burgess,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15873 Filed 6-16-97; 8:45 am]
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