[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50451-50452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24651]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Dry Tortugas National Park, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision for the Final 
General Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement, Dry 
Tortugas National Park, Florida.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service 
has signed a Record of Decision (July 27, 2001) for the Final General 
Management Plan Amendment for Dry Tortugas National Park. The plan is 
designed to afford a high level of protection to park resources and 
provide for appropriate types and levels of high quality visitor 
experiences. This will be accomplished through management zoning, 
establishing visitor carrying capacity, using commercial services to 
direct and structure visitor use, and instituting a permit system for 
private boaters. A wide range of recreational and educational 
opportunities will be available to visitors. Visitor experiences will 
be enhanced due to expanded access throughout the park and higher 
quality resources to enjoy.
    Management zones will provide guidance for managing specific areas 
for desired resource condition and visitor experiences. The Historic/
Adaptive Use zone (where Ft. Jefferson is located) will be the focus of 
the greatest visitor activities including guided tours, historical 
interpretation, bird watching, photography, picnicking, boating, 
snorkeling, scuba diving and recreational fishing. The Natural/Cultural 
zone will be managed to improve natural resource quality and allow 
visitors to experience remoteness and solitude with opportunities for 
swimming, scuba diving, recreational fishing and viewing wildlife. 
Visitors could enjoy natural resources with almost no facilities or 
services and experience the ``vast expanse of sea and sky'' 
characteristic of this remote National Park. The Research Natural Area 
zone will allow for protection of outstanding marine and terrestrial 
habitats, spawning fish species and pristine coral reefs. The use of 
anchors

[[Page 50452]]

will not be permitted and scientific research and other educational 
activities consistent with the management of this zone would require 
advance permits from the National Park Service. No fishing will be 
allowed in the Research Natural Area in order to protect and build up 
important fish nursery and spawning areas that will produce greater 
abundance and diversity of fish in other important recreational and 
commercial fisheries. This will also meet the park's legislative 
mandate to protect a pristine sub-tropical marine ecosystem and unique 
and outstanding cultural resources. Wildlife viewing, snorkeling, 
diving, boating and sightseeing would primarily be done using 
commercial tour guides. Special Protection zones will be established in 
areas requiring protection from human impact, such as sea turtle and 
bird nesting areas, shallow or sensitive corals and significant 
submerged cultural resources. Boundaries of the Special Protection 
zones could be adjusted to protect areas at certain critical periods of 
the year.
    Commercial transportation operators will continue to transport 
visitors to the park by self-contained ferry and seaplane operations. 
One concession contract will be issued for a single seaplane operator 
who will be authorized to carry up to 60 people per day. A second 
concession contract will be for a ferry operator who will be authorized 
to carry up to 150 people per day. The role of the ferry operator will 
be expanded to provide water-based transportation from Garden Key to 
other park locations, thereby increasing the range of opportunities for 
visitors throughout the park. Other appropriate commercial services in 
the park, such as guided fishing, sailing and diving trips will be 
authorized by Commercial Use Authorizations.
    An initial visitor carrying capacity for Garden Key (Ft. Jefferson) 
will allow for a maximum total of 330 people per day. Twenty-four 
people per day will be permitted to visit Loggerhead Key. Monitoring 
will determine if these numbers are achieving desired visitor 
experience and resource conditions; if not the numbers may be adjusted. 
A park entrance fee will be instituted and private boaters will be 
required to obtain a permit to navigate park waters. Fifty-four percent 
of the park will remain open for recreational fishing. Commercial 
fishing activities, spear fishing and the harvest of lobster and conch 
are banned in park waters.
    Implementation of this plan will be coordinated with the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Tortugas Ecological Reserve in 
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary adjoining the park. The 
combined action will result in comprehensive protection for nationally 
significant coral reef habitats and communities extending from shallow 
park waters into the sanctuary's deep waters.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Dry Tortugas National 
Park, (305) 242-7800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A copy of the Record of Decision on the 
Final General Management Plan Amendment for Dry Tortugas National Park 
can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the National Park Service 
web site at 
http://www.nps.gov/planning or by calling (305) 242-7700.

    Dated: August 16, 2001.
Val Knight,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 01-24651 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M