This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

65679

Vol. 66, No. 245

Thursday, December 20, 2001

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. 01–082–1]

Declaration of Emergency Because of

Infectious Salmon Anemia

Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is a

foreign animal disease of Atlantic

salmon caused by an orthomyxovirus.

While this virus appears to only cause

disease in Atlantic salmon, both wild

and farmed, sea run brown trout,

rainbow trout, and other wild fish such

as herring may act as carriers or

reservoirs of the virus. Since its first

isolation in Norway in 1984, it has also

been found in Canada and Scotland. ISA

may also be called hemorrhagic kidney

syndrome (HKS) in Atlantic salmon.

The first case of ISA in the United States

was confirmed on February 15, 2001. As

of June 25, 2001, eight cases have been

confirmed in Maine.

Clinical signs of ISA generally appear

within 2 to 4 weeks after infection and

include lethargy, swelling and

hemorrhaging of the kidneys and other

organs, protruding eyes, pale gills,

darkening of the posterior gut, and

swelling of the spleen. Mortality is

highly variable and can range from 3

percent to over 50 percent over one

production cycle, depending on a

number of factors.

Transmission occurs by direct

contact, through parts from infected fish

(mucus, blood, viscera, trimmings,

feces), contact with equipment

contaminated with parts from infected

fish, people who handled infected fish,

and sea lice. Salmon pens within 3

miles of infected farms or processing

plants handling infected fish without

adequate waste treatment have up to 13

times greater risk of becoming infected

with ISA.

The State of Maine has taken steps to

prevent further spread of ISA; however,

the State lacks sufficient funding and

personnel to effectively control this

disease, which poses a potentially

serious threat to animal health and the

U.S. economy. Therefore, State officials

have asked the United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to

assist with epidemiology, surveillance,

and indemnification programs. Our goal

is to control and contain the disease

through rapid detection and

depopulation of salmon that have been

infected with or exposed to ISA.

We believe the virus can be controlled

and contained within high-risk zones

through surveillance, vaccination, and

best management practices. Control of

ISA requires depopulation of all pens

holding infected fish, but the risk of loss

of stock without indemnification makes

it less likely that farmers will report

outbreaks, and currently, farmers are

under no obligation to report the

occurrence of fish disease to the Animal

and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS) of the USDA. Indemnification

is necessary to provide an incentive for

farmers to report diseased fish and to

continue testing.

Vaccination appears to be a

potentially effective means of

controlling ISA. If vaccines now being

tested prove to be efficacious, restocking

affected zones with vaccinated smolts

could reduce the incidence and spread

of ISA. APHIS could be instrumental in

vaccine development and providing

permits for vaccine distribution.

Successful control of ISA also

requires extensive surveillance. Current

surveillance in the high-risk zones of

Maine’s Cobscook and Passamaquoddy

Bays has been limited to once per

month because of that State’s budgetary

and personnel considerations.

Elsewhere, surveillance has been

limited to a quarterly basis. To control

ISA, it is vital that all sites, both highand low-risk, undergo monthly

surveillance.

Canada has been seriously affected by

ISA. Fish farmers in that country have

lost $70 million (in U.S. dollars) as a

result of the virus, and Canada’s Federal

and Provincial governments have

contributed over $29.5 million (in U.S.

dollars) to compensate salmon farmers.

As a result of a comprehensive ISA

program that includes indemnification,

Canada has reduced the incidence of

ISA from 18 infected sites in 1998 to 4

infected sites in 2001.

In addition to posing a significant

worldwide risk to the economic

viability and sustainability of salmon

aquaculture, ISA poses a specific threat

to the United States. Salmon production

in Maine exceeds 36.2 million pounds

annually, with a value of $101 million.

Outbreaks of ISA in Maine have already

cost that State’s salmonid industry

approximately $11 million due to the

depopulation of infected or exposed

salmon. This loss is greater when capital

expenditures such as labor costs and

equipment are considered.

These lost revenues have more

significant effects. Resulting budgetary

effects have compromised efforts by the

State of Maine and by the salmonid

industry to control ISA. Additionally,

the devastating effects of the virus reach

the economies of other States and have

serious ramifications for international

trade. For example, when ISA emerged

in Maine, Chile and the European Union

prohibited the importation of trout and

salmon eggs from the States of

Washington, Maine, and Idaho. The

resulting trade loss is estimated at $2

million for 2001.

Therefore, in order to address the ISA

threat to the U.S. salmonid industry,

APHIS has determined that additional

funds are needed for an ISA control

program. In addition to the payment of

indemnity, these funds will be used for

program activities such as depopulation

and disposal, clean-up and disinfection,

establishment of surveillance programs,

epidemiology and diagnostic support,

and training for producers and

veterinarians. These activities will

reduce the spread of ISA and should

save the Federal Government and

salmonid industry from having to deal

with a more costly and widespread

problem in the future.

Therefore, in accordance with the

provisions of the Act of September 25,

1981, as amended (7 U.S.C. 147b), I

declare that there is an emergency that

threatens the livestock industry of this

country and hereby authorize the

transfer and use of such funds as may

be necessary from appropriations or

other funds available to the agencies or

corporations of the United States

Department of Agriculture to establish

an ISA control program in the United

States.

65680 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 245 / Thursday, December 20, 2001 / Notices

EFFECTIVE DATE: This declaration of

emergency shall become effective

December 13, 2001.

Ann M. Veneman,

Secretary of Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 01–31365 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Hood/Willamette Resource Advisory

Committee (RAC); Meeting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Meeting.

SUMMARY: The Hood/Willamette

Resource Advisory Committee (RAC)

will meet on Thursday and Friday,

January 24–25, 2001. The meeting is

scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on

Thursday and 8 a.m. on Friday, and will

conclude at approximately 5 p.m. on

Thursday and 12 p.m. on Friday. The

meeting will be held at the Linn County

Fair and Expo Center; 3700 Knox Butte

Road; Albany, Oregon; (541) 926–4314.

The tentative agenda includes: (1)

Training on Federal Advisory

Committee Act regulations; (2)

Orientation on operation, roles, and

responsibilities of the RAC; (3) Project

submission and approval process; (4)

Public Forum; (5) Training on

collaboration; (6) Election of RAC

chairperson.

The Public Forum is tentatively

scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. on

Thursday. Time allotted for individual

presentations will be limited to 3–4

minutes. Written comments are

encouraged, particularly if the material

cannot be presented within the time

limits for the Public Forum. Written

comments may be submitted prior to the

January 24th meeting by sending them

to Designated Federal Official Donna

Short at the address given below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

more information regarding this

meeting, contact Designated Federal

Official Donna Short; Sweet Home

Ranger District; 3225 Highway 20;

Sweet Home, Oregon 97386; (541) 367–

9220.

Dated: December 14, 2001.

Y. Robert Iwamoto,

Acting Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 01–31324 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Madera and Fresno County Resource

Advisory Committees; Meeting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Resource Advisory

Committee meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authorities in

the Federal Advisory Committee Act of

1972 (Pub. L. 92–463) and under the

Secure Rural Schools and Community

Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Public

Law 106–393) the Sierra National

Forest’s Resource Advisory Committees

(RAC) for Madera and Fresno Counties

will meet on January 12, 2002. The

Madera Resource Advisory Committee

will meet at the Mariposa/Minarets

Ranger Station in North Fork, CA. The

Fresno County Resource Advisory

Committee will meet at the Pineridge/

Kings River Ranger Station in Prather,

CA. The purpose of the meetings is to

provide an overview of Resource

Advisory Committee roles and

responsibilities and to determine how

the RAC will conduct business for

future meetings.

DATES: Both the Madera and the Fresno

meetings will be held on January 12,

2002. The meetings will be held from 8

a.m. To 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Madera County RAC

meeting will be held at the Mariposa/

Minarets Ranger Station, 57003 Road

225, North Fork CA. The Fresno County

RAC meeting will be held at the

Pineridge/Kings River Ranger Station,

29688 Auberry Road, Prather CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue

Exline, USDA, Sierra National Forest,

1600 Tollhouse Road, Clovis, CA 93611

(559) 297–0706 ext. 4804 e-MAIL

skexline@fs.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda

items to be covered include: (1) Roles

and responsibility of Advisory

Committee; (2) Flow of work; (3) Project

process, submission forms and

deadlines; (4) Election of RAC

chairperson; (5) Public comment. The

meeting is open to the public. Public

input opportunity will be provided and

individuals will have the opportunity to

address the Committee at that time.

Dated: December 14, 2001.

James L. Boynton,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 01–31323 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 121401D]

Proposed Information Collection;

Comment Request; Alaska Region

Logbook Family of Forms

AGENCY: National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.

L. 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before February 19,

2002.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Madeleine Clayton, Departmental

Paperwork Clearance Officer,

Department of Commerce, Room 6086,

14th and Constitution Avenue NW,

Washington DC 20230 (or via Internet at

MClayton@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, F/

AKR2, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK

99802–1668 (telephone 907–586–7008).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

NMFS manages the U.S. groundfish

fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone (EEZ) off Alaska under the Fishery

Management Plan for Groundfish of the

Gulf of Alaska and the Fishery

Management Plan for the Groundfish

Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands Area (FMPs). The North Pacific

Fishery Management Council prepared

the FMPs pursuant to the MagnusonStevens Act. Regulations implementing

the FMPs are at 50 CFR part 679.

The recordkeeping and reporting

requirements at 50 CFR part 679.5 form

the basis for this collection of

information. The National Marine

Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska Region

requests information from participating

groundfish fishermen which, upon

receipt, results in an increasingly more

efficient and accurate database. The

collection is necessary for the

management and monitoring of the

groundfish fisheries of the EEZ off