[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 62019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25173]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081902B]


Draft Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the U. S. 
Exclusive Economic Zone

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

ACTION: Reopening of comment period; schedule change.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the 
reopening of the public comment period on a draft Code of Conduct for 
Responsible Aquaculture in the U. S. Exclusive Economic Zone (Code of 
Conduct). NMFS also announces a schedule change for the publication of 
a final Code of Conduct.

DATES: NMFS will accept written comments on the draft Code of Conduct 
at the appropriate address or fax number until 5 p.m. on October 31, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: The draft Code of Conduct and the Federal Register Notice 
dated August 23, 2002 announcing its availability for public comment 
(67 FR 54644) are available on the NMFS Web site: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture.htm. These documents will also be provided in hard copy 
upon request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Comments on the 
Code of Conduct may be sent to Colin Nash, NMFS/WASC, P.O. Box 130, 
Manchester, WA 98353 or by fax to 206-842-8364. Comments may also be 
hand-delivered during business hours to: NMFS Manchester Research 
Station, 7305 Beach Drive East, Port Orchard, WA 98366-8204. Comments 
will not be accepted via telephone, e-mail, or internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Bunsick, 301-713-2334 Extension 
102, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. You may also fax your request to 301-713-0596 or send 
an e-mail to: [email protected]. Comments on the Code of Conduct 
will not be accepted at these contact points.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The draft Code of Conduct was released for public comment via 
Federal Register notice dated August 23, 2002 (67 FR 54644), with a 30-
day comment period. NMFS is extending the comment period in response to 
numerous requests from the public indicating that a 30-day comment 
period does not allow sufficient time for stakeholders to provide their 
input into the preparation of the final document. The previous Federal 
Register notice provided a tentative time frame for the production of a 
Code of Conduct. To accommodate the longer comment period, the time 
frame for production of a final Code of Conduct has been revised as 
provided here.

Time Frame

    August 23, 2002: Release draft Code of Conduct for public comment 
via posting of the document on the NMFS Web site (www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture.htm). The document will also be provided in hard copy upon 
request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    October 31, 2002: Public comment period on draft Code of Conduct 
ends.December 2002: Release final Code of Conduct via a Federal 
Register notice of availability and posting on the NMFS Web site 
(www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture.htm). The document will also be provided 
in hard copy upon request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

    Dated: September 27, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-25173 Filed 10-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S