[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 75933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27741]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Meeting of the Chairs of the National Marine Sanctuary Program's 
Sanctuary Advisory Councils

AGENCY: National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is holding a 
meeting of the Chairs of its eleven site-specific Sanctuary Advisory 
Councils (Councils). The purpose of the meeting is to obtain input on 
the following policy topics: cruise ships, marine reserves, aquaculture 
and, if time allows, bioprospecting. The NMSP will also provide updates 
to the Chairs on the following subjects: reauthorization of the 
National Marine Sanctuaries Act, NMSP Strategic Plan, NMSP policy 
topics discussed during 2004 meeting, NMSP maritime heritage 
activities, and NMSP telepresence projects. The meeting will be open to 
the public. Opportunities for public comment will be provided at 8:45 
a.m. and 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis.
    Members of the public wishing to provide comments will be asked to 
sign up upon arrival and will likely be limited in how much time they 
will be allotted for comments (depending upon the number of speakers). 
A maximum of fifteen minutes will be allotted at 8:45 a.m. and again at 
4 p.m. for public comments.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 10, 2005, from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Opportunities for public comment will be 
provided at 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at The Red Barn, Point Reyes 
National Seashore HQ/Cordell Bank NMS Office, 1 Bear Valley Road, 
Olema, CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Brubeck at (206) 842-6084 or 
[email protected]; or Elizabeth Moore at (301) 713-3125 ext. 170 
or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) 
authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish one or more Advisory 
Councils to provide advice to the Secretary regarding the designation 
and management of National Marine Sanctuaries. Eleven Councils exist, 
for the Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Florida Keys, Gray's Reef, Gulf 
of the Farallones, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale, Monterey Bay, 
Olympic Coast, Stellwagen Bank, and Thunder Bay National Marine 
Sanctuaries and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Reserve and proposed Sanctuary. Councils represent a wide variety of 
community interests and are active in various projects and issues 
affecting the management of their local Sanctuaries; Councils generally 
meet on a monthly or bimonthly basis.
    Each year, the NMSP hosts a meeting for all the Council Chairs and 
Coordinators to discuss projects and topics of mutual interest (This 
meeting will be the fifth such meeting). This year, for the third time, 
the Chairs are being asked to provide input to the national program 
leadership on policy topics important on a programmatic rather than a 
site-specific level. The purpose of the meeting is to hold discussion 
and obtain input from the Chairs on the following policy topics: cruise 
ships, marine reserves, aquaculture and, if time allows, 
bioprospecting. The Chairs will also receive updates on the following 
items: reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, NMSP 
Strategic Plan, NMSP policy topics discussed during 2004 meeting, NMSP 
maritime heritage activities, and NMSP telepresence activities. The 
meeting will be open to the public. Opportunities for public comment 
will be provided at 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve 
basis. The Chairs will provide this advice only during the meeting 
announced by this notice, and will not become a permanent national 
advisory body.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program.)

Daniel J. Basta,
Director, National Marine Sanctuary Program, National Ocean Services, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-27741 Filed 12-17-04; 8:45 am]
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