13294 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 43 / Monday, March 5, 2001 / Notices

developed RMP for Puget Sound

chinook. The RMP encompasses

fisheries within the range of the Puget

Sound chinook salmon ESU, as well as

the western Strait of Juan de Fuca,

which is not within the ESU. Harvest

objectives specified in the RMP account

for fisheries-related mortality

throughout the migratory range of Puget

Sound chinook from Oregon and

Washington to Southeast Alaska. The

RMP also includes implementation,

monitoring and evaluation procedures

designed to ensure fisheries are

consistent with these objectives.

As required by § 223.203 (b)(6) of the

ESA 4(d) rule, the Secretary must

determine pursuant to 50 CFR 223.209

and pursuant to the government to

government processes therein whether

the RMP for Puget Sound chinook

would appreciably reduce the

likelihood of survival and recovery of

the Puget Sound chinook and other

affected threatened ESUs. The Secretary

must take comments on how the RMP

addresses the criteria in § 223.203(b)(4)

in making that determination.

Authority

Under section 4 of the ESA, the

Secretary is required to adopt such

regulations as he deems necessary and

advisable for the conservation of the

species listed as threatened. The ESA

salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR

42422, July 10, 2000) specifies

categories of activities that contribute to

the conservation of listed salmonids and

sets out the criteria for such activities.

The rule further provides that the

prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the rule

do not apply to actions undertaken in

compliance with a RMP developed

jointly by the State of Washington and

the Tribes (joint plan) and determined

by the Secretary to be in accordance

with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule

(65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000).

Dated: February 27, 2001.

Phil Williams,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–5259 Filed 3–2–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 021601B]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone off Alaska; Prohibited Species

Donation Progran

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Authorization and Renewal.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the renewal

of Northwest Food Strategies’ (NFS)

authorization to donate Pacific halibut

to economically disadvantaged

individuals under the Prohibited

Species Donation (PSD) program. This

action is necessary to comply with

provisions of the PSD program

implemented at 50 CFR part 679.

DATES: January 1, 2001, through

December 31, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the PSD Permit

may be obtained from the Sustainable

Fisheries Division, NMFS, Alaska

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

99802–21668, Attn: Lori Gravel. Copies

of Amendments 50 to the groundfish

FMPs and of the Environmental

Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review

(EA/RIR) prepared for the amendments

may be obtained from the North Pacific

Fishery Management Council, 605 West

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK

99510–2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nina Mollett, 907–586–7462.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The domestic groundfish fisheries in

the exclusive economic zone of the Gulf

of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands Management Area are managed

by NMFS according to 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 FMPs were

prepared by the North Pacific Fishery

Management Council under the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

(Magnuson-Stevens Act). Regulations

governing the Alaska groundfish

fisheries appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and

679. Fishing for Pacific halibut in waters

in and off Alaska is governed by the

Convention between the United States

and Canada for the Preservation of the

Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific

Ocean and Bering Sea and by

regulations adopted by the International

Pacific Halibut Commission and

approved by the Secretary of State of the

United States pursuant to section 4 of

the Northern Pacific Halibut Act (16

U.S.C. 773–773k).

Amendments 50/50 to the FMPs,

which authorize the PSD program, were

published in the Federal Register on

June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32144). These

amendments expanded the existing

Salmon Donation Program by creating a

program that includes Pacific halibut as

well. The regulations authorize the

voluntary distribution of Pacific halibut,

taken incidentally in groundfish trawl

fisheries off Alaska and landed at

shoreside processing plants, to needy

individuals by tax-exempt

organizations, through an authorized

distributor.

The Regional Administrator, Alaska

Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator)

selected NFS, 600 Erickson Avenue,

Suite 395, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

to be an authorized distributor, as

defined by 50 CFR 679.2, based on

information submitted by NFS as

required under § 679.26. The selection

was announced in the Federal Register

(63 FR 43380, August 13, 1998) and a

permit was issued to NFS. A PSD permit

issued to an authorized distributor may

be renewed following application

procedures at § 679.26(b).

The PSD program was scheduled to

expire on December 31, 2000. This

sunset provision was established to

allow time for agency evaluation before

Council action was taken to make it a

permanent program. Following

evaluation, NMFS permanently

extended the PSD program on January 1,

2001 (65 FR 78119, December 14, 2000).

NFS had been authorized to distribute

Pacific halibut under the PSD program

from August 13, 1998, through

December 31. 2000. During this period,

NFS effectively coordinated the

distribution of prohibited halibut

bycatch for 3 years. NFS employed an

independent seafood laboratory to

ensure product quality and received

support from cold storage facilities and

common carriers servicing the areas

where Pacific halibut donation would

take place. The company worked with

three shoreside processors located in

Dutch Harbor, AK. Approximately 6 to

10 metric tons were landed and donated

annually. NFS anticipates that this

amount could increase.

NFS has submitted an application to

renew its status as an authorized

distributor. NMFS has reviewed NFS’

application, and, on the basis of

information submitted in the

application, selects NFS as an

authorized distributor. This document

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 43 / Monday, March 5, 2001 / Notices 13295

announces NFS’ selection and the

renewal of NFS’ permit through

December 31, 2003.

The PSD permit may not be

transferred and will be in effect for a 3-

year period unless suspended or

revoked. Suspension, modification, or

revocation could occur under 15 CFR

part 904, for noncompliance with terms

and conditions specified in the permit

or for a violation of this section or other

regulations in 50 CFR part 679.

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR

679.26.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et

seq., and 3631 et seq.

Dated: February 27, 2001.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–5263 Filed 3–2–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[Docket No. 990125030–1039–02]

RIN 0648–ZA56

National Oyster Disease Research

Program and Gulf Oyster Industry

Initiative: Request for Proposals

AGENCY: National Sea Grant College

Program, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration,

Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to advise the public that the National

Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant)

is entertaining grant proposals to

participate in innovative research,

outreach and demonstration in two

separate competitions: one to continue

the National Oyster Disease Research

Program (ODRP) and one to continue

the Gulf Oyster Industry Program

(GOIP). Approximately $1.85 million is

available for the Oyster Disease

Research Program and $.9 million for

the Gulf Oyster Program in FY–2001

and a similar amount is expected for

FY–2002. Therefore, two year proposals

are being accepted. The National Oyster

Disease Research Program focuses on

diseases that are impacting the oyster

populations of the US and the Gulf

Oyster Industry Program focuses on the

oyster industry problems of the Gulf

Coast with special emphasis on the

human health considerations within

that industry.

DATES: Preliminary proposals must be

received at the individual state Sea

Grant Programs by 5:00 p.m. (local time)

on April 4, 2001 and at the National Sea

Grant Office by 5:00 pm (EST) April 9,

2001. After evaluation at the National

Sea Grant Office (NSGO), some

proposers will be encouraged to prepare

full proposals, and those comments will

be made available by April 23, 2001.

Full proposals must be received at

individual Sea Grant Programs by 5:00

p.m. (local time), May 28, 2001 and

copies to the National Sea Grant Office

by 5:00 pm (EDT) May 31, 2001. Written

peer reviews from state Sea Grant

programs must be at the National Sea

Grant Office by 5:00 pm (EDT) on July

11, 2001. It is anticipated that full

proposal funding decisions will be

made by July 20, 2001. State Program

Directors should allow enough time in

their process to pass the proposals and

other materials to the National Sea

Grant Office by the dates indicated

above. Please see list of state program

addresses and phone numbers below.

ADDRESSES: For those applicants living

in Sea Grant States, the preliminary

proposals and full proposals must go to

state Sea Grant programs at the

addresses obtainable at the web address

below. If the applicant is not from a Sea

Grant state they should submit directly

to: National Sea Grant College Program,

R/SG, Attn: Oyster Disease and Gulf

Oyster Industry Competition, Room

11838, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway,

Silver Spring, MD 20910, by the dates

listed for submission to the National Sea

Grant Office.

Electronic Addresses:

Sea Grant Directors—

http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org/

SGDirectors.html;

Sea Grant Forms—

www.nsgo.seagrant.org/research/rfp/

index.html#3

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James P. McVey, Program Director for

Aquaculture, or Mary Robinson,

Secretary, National Sea Grant Office,

301–713–2451, facsimile 301–713–0799,

e-mail-Jim.McVey@NOAA.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Program Authority

33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.

Catalog of Federal Assistance Numbers:

11.417. Sea Grant Support.

II. Program Description

Background

National Oyster Disease Research

Program: For more than two decades,

oyster populations in the Chesapeake

Bay and mid-Atlantic area have been

increasingly battered by Dermo and

MSX, two parasitic diseases for which

there is no known remedy. In the

Northeast, a new and as yet unidentified

pathogen, called Juvenile Oyster Disease

(JOD), has been taking a toll in

hatcheries. On the West Coast, the

Pacific Oyster has been subjected to

puzzling summer mortalities.

The continuing decline of oyster

stocks has been a catalyst for federal

support of the Oyster Disease Research

Program, a far-reaching effort by the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration to support innovative

research that will lead to improved

techniques for combating oyster disease.

The Program began in 1990 with

oversight by the NOAA National Marine

Fisheries Service and its Chesapeake

Bay Office, and is now administered by

the National Sea Grant College Program.

The Oyster Disease Research Program

is supporting efforts to reduce the

impacts of oyster disease on oyster

populations through a competitive

research program coupled with outreach

and management efforts. The ODRP is

committed to the restoration of healthy

populations of oysters in the nation’s

coastal waters.

Gulf Oyster Industry Program: The

Gulf Oyster Industry Program is a long

term, research-based program aimed at

assisting the oyster industry in states

adjoining the Gulf of Mexico to achieve

full economic recovery and sustainable

oyster production. This program will

foster the participation of highly

qualified academic researchers with

industry and management agency

personnel in an organized,

comprehensive search for practical

solutions to the most pressing problems

of the Gulf oyster industry, including

those relating to Vibrio vulnificus, a

human pathogen, and other human

health risks associated with raw

molluscan shellfish.

Funding Availability and Priorities

Approximately $1.85 million in FY–

2001 funding is available for the Oyster

Disease competition and approximately

$900,000 is available for the Gulf Oyster

Industry competition. A similar amount

is expected but not assured for both

competitions in FY–2002, therefore,

two-year projects will be considered.

Funding will be on an annual basis,

with grant renewal depending upon

satisfactory demonstration of progress

and availability of funds. Any two-year

grant awards that are funded annually

must have scopes of work that can be

easily separated into annual increments

of meaningful work that represents solid

accomplishments if prospective funding

is not made available to the applicant