[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 165 (Thursday, August 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51591-51592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21678]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081700A]


Development of a Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in 
the United States Exclusive Economic Zone; Public Workshops

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshops.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes information regarding stakeholder input to the 
development of a Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the 
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (Code of Conduct). It is the purpose of 
such a Code of Conduct to provide general guidance for siting and 
operating aquaculture facilities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 
seaward of coastal state boundaries and authorities. NMFS is holding 
three workshops to gather information that will be used to develop a 
draft Code of Conduct. The workshops are open to the public.

DATES: The meeting dates are:
    1. Seattle, WA, September 7, 2000, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
    2. Danvers, MA, September 14, 2000, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
    3. Galveston, TX; September 20, 2000, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop locations are:
    1. Seattle: National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS, Northwest 
Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, WA. 
98112.
    2. Danvers: King's Grant Inn, Route 128 at Trask Lane, Danvers, MA 
01923
    3. Galveston: National Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston 
Laboratory, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin Rhodes at (301) 713-2334 or 
Colin Nash at (360) 871-8309. For specific workshop information 
contact: Seattle, WA, Colin Nash, (360) 871-8309; Danvers, MA, Harry 
Mears, (978) 281-9243; Galveston, TX, Roger Zimmerman, (409) 766-3500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS has Federal responsibility for the living marine resources of 
the United States. Under authorities of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, NMFS has responsibility for Federally 
managed species and for the conservation and enhancement of essential 
fish habitat in the zone seaward of coastal state boundaries to the 200 
nautical mile limit of the EEZ. NMFS has additional responsibilities 
for threatened and endangered species and for marine mammals under 
authorities of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act. NMFS anticipates increasing aquaculture activity in the 
EEZ. In order to provide guidance to potential users of the U.S. EEZ 
for aquaculture, NMFS, with broad stakeholder input, will produce a 
Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the United States 
Exclusive Economic Zone. It is the purpose of such a Code of Conduct to 
provide general guidance to the aquaculture industry for siting and 
operating aquaculture facilities in this zone, and to provide NMFS with 
a framework that can be used to ensure a more consistent review of 
aquaculture projects that require agency actions. NMFS may also use the 
Code of Conduct as a starting point for the development of regulatory 
standards in the future.
    The United States was an active participant in the 1993-1995 
consultations that led to the adoption by the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) of the Code of Conduct for 
Responsible Fisheries (FAO Code). While the FAO Code is a voluntary and 
non-binding instrument, the United States has consistently supported 
its usefulness as an internationally agreed upon statement of 
principles that should govern the policies of FAO members in all 
sectors of the fishing industry, including aquaculture, which is 
addressed in Article 9 of the FAO Code. Although the Code of Conduct 
being developed for the U.S. EEZ does not have to follow the FAO model, 
the FAO Code is an important reference instrument. A copy of the 
aquaculture section (Article 9) of the FAO Code can be obtained from 
the contact persons listed here, and can be found on the internet at 
http://www.fao.org/fi/agreem/codecond/ficonde.asp
    NMFS will develop the Code of Conduct in steps. The first step is 
to get stakeholder input in September, 2000, to assist in Code of 
Conduct development. NMFS, in consultation with other Federal agencies 
with authorities in Federal waters, will consider this stakeholder 
input in producing a draft Code of Conduct, which will be made 
available for public comment through a Federal Register notice early in 
2001. Public comments will be addressed in formulating a final Code of 
Conduct, which will be published in the Federal Register before 
January, 2002.

Regional Workshops

    NMFS will hold three regional workshops to receive stakeholder 
input for development of the Code of Conduct. NMFS seeks input on the 
scope, content, specificity and use of a Code of Conduct that can be 
used to help guide aquaculture development in the EEZ. Areas for 
discussion include, but are not limited to, species choices, siting, 
transboundary considerations, design and construction of facilities, 
disease prevention and control, feeds and feeding protocols, effluents 
and pollution,interactions with wild species and protected resources, 
general operations, stock enhancement, use conflict resolution, and on-
shore impacts. The workshops are open to all interested persons.

[[Page 51592]]

Special Accommodations

    The workshops will by physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Edwin Rhodes at least 5 days prior 
to the meeting date.

    Dated: August 21, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-21678 Filed 8-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F