Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 150 / Tuesday, August 5, 1997 / Proposed Rules 42093

Pursuant to a court order, the proposed

rule is based only on the 1994

administrative record. All available

information, including current data, will

be considered prior to taking final

action on the listing proposal. If, after

consideration of all available data, this

proposal is made final, it would extend

protection of the Act to these two bull

trout population segments. Written comments may now be

submitted until October 17, 1997, to the

Service Office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author: The primary author of this

notice is Steve Duke (see ADDRESSES

section).

Authority

The authority for this action is the

Endangered Species Act, as amended

(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

Dated: July 28, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 97–20540 Filed 8–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 23

Proposed Revision of Regulations

Implementing the Endangered Species

Convention (Convention on

International Trade in Endangered

Species of Wild Fauna and Flora;

CITES)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to propose

rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This document requests

suggestions and recommendations from

the public for revisions to certain

Federal regulations which implement

the Convention on International Trade

in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna

and Flora (CITES) in the United States;

50 CFR part 23 subparts A, B, C, and D.

These regulations, which the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service (Service) plans to

update and modify, include provisions

concerned with the import, export, reexport, and introduction from the sea of

CITES-listed wildlife and plants to and

from the United States, as well as those

regulations which cover public

participation in the development of U.S.

negotiating positions for meetings of the

CITES Conference of the Parties (COP).

DATES: Comments and other information

received through September 30, 1997,

will be considered by the Service in

developing proposed amendments to 50

CFR part 23.

ADDRESSES: Comments and other

information should be sent to Kenneth

Stansell, Chief, Office of Management

Authority, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room

430, Arlington, VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bruce J. Weissgold or Susan S.

Lieberman, Office of Management

Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service: telephone 703/358–2093; fax

703/358–2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

Comments and other information can

also be sent via electronic mail (E-mail)

to: r9omalcites@fws.gov.

Background

The Service is planning to revise

regulations covering the implementation

of CITES in the United States (50 CFR

part 23) in order to provide the public

with a more transparent and open

explanation of Service procedures with

regard to the implementation of CITES

wildlife and plant international trade

control provisions. The Service is

considering revising and reorganizing

subparts A , B, C, and D of 50 CFR part

23. These regulations were last revised

in 1977 and 1980 (depending on which

subpart is considered); and since that

time, the Service has developed and

modified procedures to adjust to the

changing circumstances and conditions

necessary for effective CITES

implementation in the United States.

At each of the ten CITES COPs

convened since the treaty went into

force in 1975, including COP10 which

was held in Harare, Zimbabwe in June

1997, interpretive resolutions to the

Convention have been adopted by the

Parties. The Service has determined that

some of these interpretive CITES

resolutions, as they relate directly to

implementation and enforcement of the

Convention, need to be implemented

through the promulgation of regulations.

In addition, the Service has developed

procedures through the statutory

authority granted by Congress in the

Endangered Species Act but has not yet

updated Part 23 to incorporate those

procedures. The proposed revision of 50

CFR part 23 will address those

procedures and interpretive resolutions.

Furthermore, it is the intent of the

Service to find ways to improve and

enhance the opportunities which the

public has to participate in the

development of policy positions for

meetings of the CITES Conference of the

Parties (COP). The Service intends to

continue to fully consider public input

on the development of U.S. policy

positions, and invites comments as to

how the Service can most effectively

receive information from the public on

CITES COP policy position formulation.

The Service will consider all comments

regarding revisions to subparts A, B, C,

and D of 50 CFR part 23, as well as

comments on specific procedures

related to these regulations. The Service

is not requesting comments which are

unrelated to 50 CFR part 23 revisions,

such as CITES species listing positions,

policy positions related to the CITES

Conference of the Parties (COP), or any

other wildlife trade issue which is not

directly related to 50 CFR part 23

revisions.

Interested organizations and

individuals are invited to comment on

the planned revision of 50 CFR part 23

and on public participation in the

development of Service policy positions

for CITES COPs. The Service will

consider all comments received during

the comment period in drafting a

proposed rule.

Author: This notice was prepared by Bruce

J. Weissgold, Office of Management

Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

under the authority of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C.

1531 et seq.).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 23

Endangered and threatened species,

Exports, Imports, Treaties.

Dated: July 23, 1997.

John G. Rogers,

Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–20594 Filed 8–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 970527125–7125–01; I.D.

032797B]

RIN 0648–AJ95

Magnuson Act Provisions;

Appointment of Regional Fishery

Management Council Members;

Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of

comment period.

SUMMARY: At the request of a tribal

representative, NMFS is extending the

public comment period on a proposed

rule to amend the regulations governing

the nomination and appointment of