[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 125 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34427-34428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16286]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061901C]


International Whaling Commission; Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: NOAA makes use of a public Interagency Committee to assist in 
preparing for meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). 
This notice defines guidelines for participating on the Committee and 
provides a tentative schedule of meetings and of important dates.

DATES: The July 6, 2001, Interagency Meeting will be held at 2 p.m. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the schedule for the 2001 IWC annual 
meeting.

ADDRESSES: The July 6, 2001, meeting will be held in Room B841-A, 
Herbert C. Hoover Building, Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathy Campbell, (301) 713-2322 
Extension 141.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the July 6, 2001, Interagency 
Committee meeting is to review recent events relating to the IWC and to

[[Page 34428]]

discuss U.S. positions for the 2001 IWC annual meeting.
    The Secretary of Commerce is charged with the responsibility of 
discharging the obligations of the United States under the 
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, 1946. The U.S. 
Commissioner to the IWC has primary responsibility for the preparation 
and negotiation of U.S. positions on international issues concerning 
whaling and for all matters involving the IWC. He is staffed by the 
Department of Commerce and assisted by the Department of State, the 
Department of the Interior, the Marine Mammal Commission, and by other 
interested agencies.
    Each year, NOAA conducts meetings and other activities to prepare 
for the annual meeting of the IWC. The major purpose of the preparatory 
meetings is to provide input in the development of policy by 
individuals and non-governmental organizations interested in whale 
conservation. NOAA believes that this participation is important for 
the effective development and implementation of U.S. policy concerning 
whaling. Any person with an identifiable interest in whale conservation 
policies may participate in the meetings, but NOAA reserves the 
authority to inquire about the interest of any person who appears at a 
meeting and to determine the appropriateness of that person's 
participation. Foreign nationals and persons who represent foreign 
governments may not attend. These stringent measures are necessary to 
promote the candid exchange of information and to establish the 
necessary basis for the relatively open process of preparing for IWC 
meetings that characterizes current practices.

Tentative Meeting Schedule

    The schedule for the 2001 IWC annual meeting is as follows:
    July 3-4, 2001 (London, UK): IWC Scientific Committee Working 
Groups and Sub-committees.
    July 4-16, 2001 (London, UK): IWC Scientific Committee.
    July 18-21, 2001 (London, UK): IWC Commission Committees, Sub-
committees and Working Groups.
    July 23-27, 2001 (London, UK): IWC 53rd Annual Meeting.

Special Accommodations

    Department of Commerce meetings are physically accessible to people 
with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Cathy Campbell (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: June 22, 2001.
Don Knowles,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-16286 Filed 6-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S