Fishery conservation and management: Stevens Act provisions— Essential fish habitat,

[Federal Register: August 6, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 151)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 41995-41996]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr06au98-15]

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.

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. 98-21069Filed8-5-98; 8:45 am]

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