[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12701]



[[Page 26570]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[I.D. 030398C]


Magnuson Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat

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

ACTION: Proposed recommendations for Essential Fish Habitat for Pacific 
coast salmon, groundfish, and coastal pelagics; reopening of comment 
period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS requests public comments on proposed recommendations for 
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) to the Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) for its Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for salmon, 
groundfish, and coastal pelagics. To provide greater opportunity for 
public comment, the comment period on proposed EFH recommendations for 
these FMPs is reopened until May 22, 1998.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until May 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments or requests for copies of the proposed EFH 
recommendations for the salmon and groundfish FMPs to Northwest Region, 
Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, 
WA 98115. Send comments or requests for a copy of the proposed EFH 
recommendations for the coastal pelagics FMP to Southwest Region, 
Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, 
Long Beach, CA 90802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Scordino, NMFS Northwest Region, 
206-526-6143, on salmon EFH; Yvonne deReynier, NMFS Northwest Region, 
206-526-6120, on groundfish EFH; and Mark Helvey, NMFS Southwest 
Region, 707-575-7585, on coastal pelagics EFH.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Councils are required to amend their FMPs by 
October 11, 1998, by describing and identifying EFH for each managed 
fishery by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). NMFS promulgated an 
interim final rule on December 19, 1997 (62 FR 66531-66559), providing 
guidelines to assist the Councils in describing and identifying EFH in 
FMPs (including adverse impacts on EFH) and in consideration of actions 
to ensure the conservation and enhancement of EFH. The Magnuson-Stevens 
Act also requires NMFS to provide each Council with recommendations and 
information regarding EFH for each fishery under that Council's 
authority.
    NMFS announced the availability of its proposed EFH recommendations 
for the Pacific Council's FMPs for salmon, groundfish, and coastal 
pelagics and a series of public meetings to receive public comments on 
March 9, 1998 (63 FR 11402 - 11403). For copies of the proposed EFH 
recommendations, see ADDRESSES. Public comments are requested by May 
22, 1998.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 8, 1998.
James P. Burgess,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-12701 Filed 5-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F