[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 111 (Friday, June 9, 1995)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 30769-30770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14407]




[[Page 30767]]

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Part IX





The President





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Executive Order 12962--Recreational Fisheries



Memorandum of June 6, 1995--Delegation of Certain Presidential 
Authorities Under the African Conflict Resolution Act of 1994
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  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 111 / Friday, June 9, 1995 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President  
[[Page 30769]] 
                Executive Order 12962 of June 7, 1995

                
Recreational Fisheries

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in furtherance of the purposes of the Fish 
                and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a-d, and e-j), 
                the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-
                666c), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
                (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Magnuson Fishery 
                Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801-1882), 
                and other pertinent statutes, and in order to conserve, 
                restore, and enhance aquatic systems to provide for 
                increased recreational fishing opportunities 
                nationwide, it is ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Federal Agency Duties. Federal agencies 
                shall, to the extent permitted by law and where 
                practicable, and in cooperation with States and Tribes, 
                improve the quantity, function, sustainable 
                productivity, and distribution of U.S. aquatic 
                resources for increased recreational fishing 
                opportunities by: (a) developing and encouraging 
                partnerships between governments and the private sector 
                to advance aquatic resource conservation and enhance 
                recreational fishing opportunities;

                    (b) identifying recreational fishing opportunities 
                that are limited by water quality and habitat 
                degradation and promoting restoration to support 
                viable, healthy, and, where feasible, self-sustaining 
                recreational fisheries;
                    (c) fostering sound aquatic conservation and 
                restoration endeavors to benefit recreational 
                fisheries;
                    (d) providing access to and promoting awareness of 
                opportunities for public participation and enjoyment of 
                U.S. recreational fishery resources;
                    (e) supporting outreach programs designed to 
                stimulate angler participation in the conservation and 
                restoration of aquatic systems;
                    (f) implementing laws under their purview in a 
                manner that will conserve, restore, and enhance aquatic 
                systems that support recreational fisheries;
                    (g) establishing cost-share programs, under 
                existing authorities, that match or exceed Federal 
                funds with nonfederal contributions;
                    (h) evaluating the effects of Federally funded, 
                permitted, or authorized actions on aquatic systems and 
                recreational fisheries and document those effects 
                relative to the purpose of this order; and
                    (i) assisting private landowners to conserve and 
                enhance aquatic resources on their lands.

                Sec. 2. National Recreational Fisheries Coordination 
                Council. A National Recreational Fisheries Coordination 
                Council (``Coordination Council'') is hereby 
                established. The Coordination Council shall consist of 
                seven members, one member designated by each of the 
                following Secretaries--Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, 
                Energy, Transportation, and Defense--and one by the 
                Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. 
                The Coordination Council shall: (a) ensure that the 
                social and economic values of healthy aquatic systems 
                that support recreational fisheries are considered by 
                Federal agencies in the course of their actions;

                    (b) reduce duplicative and cost-inefficient 
                programs among Federal agencies involved in conserving 
                or managing recreational fisheries;
                    (c) share the latest resource information and 
                management technologies to assist in the conservation 
                and management of recreational fisheries; 
                [[Page 30770]] 
                    (d) assess the implementation of the Conservation 
                Plan required under section 3 of this order; and
                    (e) develop a biennial report of accomplishments of 
                the Conservation Plan.

                The representatives designated by the Secretaries of 
                Commerce and the Interior shall cochair the 
                Coordination Council.

                Sec. 3. Recreational Fishery Resources Conservation 
                Plan. (a) Within 12 months of the date of this order, 
                the Coordination Council, in cooperation with Federal 
                agencies, States, and Tribes, and after consulting with 
                the Federally chartered Sport Fishing and Boating 
                Partnership Council, shall develop a comprehensive 
                Recreational Fishery Resources Conservation Plan 
                (``Conservation Plan'').

                    (b) The Conservation Plan will set forth a 5-year 
                agenda for Federal agencies identified by the 
                Coordination Council. In so doing, the Conservation 
                Plan will establish, to the extent permitted by law and 
                where practicable; (1) measurable objectives to 
                conserve and restore aquatic systems that support 
                viable and healthy recreational fishery resources, (2) 
                actions to be taken by the identified Federal agencies, 
                (3) a method of ensuring the accountability of such 
                Federal agencies, and (4) a comprehensive mechanism to 
                evaluate achievements. The Conservation Plan will, to 
                the extent practicable, be integrated with existing 
                plans and programs, reduce duplication, and will 
                include recommended actions for cooperation with 
                States, Tribes, conservation groups, and the 
                recreational fisheries community.

                Sec. 4. Joint Policy for Administering the Endangered 
                Species Act of 1973. All Federal agencies will 
                aggressively work to identify and minimize conflicts 
                between recreational fisheries and their respective 
                responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act of 
                1973 (``ESA'') (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Within 6 
                months of the date of this order, the Fish and Wildlife 
                Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service will 
                promote compatibility and reduce conflicts between the 
                administration of the ESA and recreational fisheries by 
                developing a joint agency policy that will; (1) ensure 
                consistency in the administration of the ESA between 
                and within the two agencies, (2) promote collaboration 
                with other Federal, State, and Tribal fisheries 
                managers, and (3) improve and increase efforts to 
                inform nonfederal entities of the requirements of the 
                ESA.

                Sec. 5. Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council. 
                To assist in the implementation of this order, the 
                Secretary of the Interior shall expand the role of the 
                Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council to: (a) 
                monitor specific Federal activities affecting aquatic 
                systems and the recreational fisheries they support;

                    (b) review and evaluate the relation of Federal 
                policies and activities to the status and conditions of 
                recreational fishery resources; and
                    (c) prepare an annual report of its activities, 
                findings, and recommendations for submission to the 
                Coordination Council.

                Sec. 6. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to 
                improve the internal management of the executive branch 
                and it is not intended to create any right, benefit or 
                trust responsibility, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or equity by a party against the 
                United States, its agencies, its officers, or any other 
                person.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    June 7, 1995.

[FR Doc. 95-14407
Filed 6-8-95; 10:50 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P