[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 210 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64682-64683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27824]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102400A]


Development of a Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in 
the United States Exclusive Economic Zone; Additional Public Workshops

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public workshops.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes information regarding stakeholder input to the 
development of a Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the 
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (Code of Conduct). It is the purpose of 
such a Code of Conduct to provide general guidance for siting and 
operating aquaculture facilities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 
seaward of coastal state boundaries and authorities. NMFS held 
stakeholder workshops in Seattle, WA, Danvers, MA and Galveston, TX in 
September, 2000 to gather information for use in developing a draft 
Code of Conduct. Based on stakeholder interest in other geographic 
regions, NMFS is conducting three additional workshops. The workshops 
are open to the public.

[[Page 64683]]


DATES: The meeting dates are:
    1. Honolulu, HI, November 14, 2000, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
    2. Miami, FL, November 16, 2000, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
    3. Silver Spring, MD; November 20, 2000, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES:  The workshop locations are:
    1. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, Hawaii Imin International 
Conference Center, Jefferson Hall, Pacific Room, East West Center Road, 
Honolulu, HI 96822.
    2. Miami: Rosenstiel School Auditorium, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, 
Miami, FL 33149.
    3. Silver Spring: NOAA Auditorium, 1301 East West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD. 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin Rhodes at (301) 713-2334 or 
Colin Nash at (360) 871 8309. For specific workshop information 
contact: Honolulu, HI, Wende Goo (808) 983 5303; Miami, FL, Daniel 
Benetti (305) 361 4889 or Kim Newlin (305) 361 4464; Silver Spring, MD, 
Edwin Rhodes, (301) 713 2334.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS has Federal responsibility for the living marine resources of 
the United States. Under authorities of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, NMFS has responsibility for federally 
managed species and for the conservation and enhancement of essential 
fish habitat in the zone seaward of coastal state boundaries to the 200 
nautical mile limit of the EEZ. NMFS has additional responsibilities 
for threatened and endangered species and for marine mammals under 
authorities of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act. NMFS anticipates increasing aquaculture activity in the 
EEZ. In order to provide guidance to potential users of the U.S. EEZ 
for aquaculture, NMFS, with broad stakeholder input, will produce a 
Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the United States 
Exclusive Economic Zone. It is the purpose of such a Code of Conduct to 
provide general guidance to the aquaculture industry for siting and 
operating aquaculture facilities in this zone, and to provide NMFS with 
a framework that can be used to ensure a more consistent review of 
aquaculture projects that require agency actions. NMFS may also use the 
Code of Conduct as a starting point for the development of regulatory 
standards in the future.
    The United States was an active participant in the 1993-1995 
consultations that led to the adoption by the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) of the Code of Conduct for 
Responsible Fisheries (FAO Code). While the FAO Code is a voluntary and 
non-binding instrument, the United States has consistently supported 
its usefulness as an internationally agreed upon statement of 
principles that should govern the policies of FAO members in all 
sectors of the fishing industry, including aquaculture, which is 
addressed in Article 9 of the FAO Code. Although the Code of Conduct 
being developed for the U.S. EEZ does not have to follow the FAO model, 
the FAO Code is an important reference instrument. A copy of the 
aquaculture section (Article 9) of the FAO Code can be obtained from 
the contact persons listed here, and can be found on the internet at 
http://www.fao.org/fi/agreem/codecond/ficonde.asp
    NMFS will develop the Code of Conduct in steps. The first step is 
to get stakeholder input through workshops to assist in Code of Conduct 
development. NMFS, in consultation with other Federal agencies with 
authorities in Federal waters, will consider this stakeholder input in 
producing a draft Code of Conduct, which will be made available for 
public comment through a Federal Register notice early in 2001. Public 
comments will be addressed in formulating a final Code of Conduct, 
which will be published in the Federal Register before January, 2002.

Regional Workshops

    NMFS held three workshops in September, 2000, and will hold three 
more regional workshops to receive additional stakeholder input for 
development of the Code of Conduct. NMFS seeks input on the scope, 
content, specificity and use of a Code of Conduct that can be used to 
help guide aquaculture development in the EEZ. Areas for discussion 
include, but are not limited to, species choices, siting, transboundary 
considerations, design and construction of facilities, disease 
prevention and control, feeds and feeding protocols, effluents and 
pollution,interactions with wild species and protected resources, 
general operations, stock enhancement, use conflict resolution, and on-
shore impacts. The workshops are open to all interested persons.

Special Accommodations

    The workshops will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Edwin Rhodes at least 5 days prior 
to the meeting date.

    Dated: October 24, 2000.
Clarence G. Pautzke,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
FR Doc. 00-27824 File 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S