[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 62393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29607]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 112795B]


International Whaling Commission; Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of meetings; request for comments.

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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 sets forth guidelines for participating on the Committee 
and a tentative schedule of meetings and other important dates.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before February 15, 1996. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates of scheduled meetings.

ADDRESSES: Recommendations to the U.S. Commissioner to the IWC and 
nominations to the U.S. Delegation to the IWC should be sent to: Dr. D. 
James Baker, Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of 
Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street and Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C. 20230, with a copy sent to Kevin Chu, 
Office of International Affairs, Room 14247, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Chu or Kim Blankenbeker, Office 
of International Affairs, (301) 713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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. 
This authority has been delegated to the Under Secretary for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, who, as 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 other interested agencies.
    Each year, NOAA conducts a series of meetings and other actions to 
prepare for the annual meeting of the IWC, which is usually held in the 
spring or summer. The major purpose of the preparatory meetings is to 
provide for input in the development of policy by members of the public 
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 U.S. whale conservation policy 
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. Such measures are a necessary basis for the 
relatively open process of preparing for IWC meetings that 
characterizes current practice.
    The tentative schedule of meetings, including those of the IWC, and 
deadlines for the preparation of position papers for the 1996 Annual 
Meeting of the IWC is as follows:
    December 13, 1995, 1 p.m.--Room 6009, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
Washington, D.C.--Meeting of the Interagency Committee to review past 
events and to begin preparation for the 1996 Annual Meeting of the IWC. 
As with all such meetings, interested persons who are unable to attend 
are welcome to submit comments. Recommendations to the U.S. 
Commissioner should be sent to the Under Secretary for Oceans and 
Atmosphere (see ADDRESSES).
    February 15, 1995--Nominations for the U.S. Delegation to the 
Annual Meeting of the IWC are due to the U.S. Commissioner, with a copy 
to Kevin Chu (see ADDRESSES). All persons wishing to be considered 
pursuant to the U.S. Commissioner's recommendation to the Department of 
State concerning the composition of the delegation should ensure that 
nominations are received by this date. Prospective Congressional 
advisors to the delegation should contact the Department of State 
directly.
    March 21, 1996, 2 p.m.--Room 6009, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
Washington, D.C.--Tentative Interagency Committee meeting date to 
review draft agenda of the IWC Annual Meeting and consider U.S. 
positions under those agenda items.
    May 16, 1996, 2 p.m.--Room 6009, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
Washington, D.C.--Tentative Interagency Committee meeting date for 
finalizing preparations for 1996 IWC meetings.
    June 24-June 28, 1996--Aberdeen, United Kingdom--48th Annual 
Meeting of the International Whaling Commission.

    Dated: November 30, 1995.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-29607 Filed 12-5-95; 8:45 am]
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