[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 789-790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-131]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Availability of Seats for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral 
Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council

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

ACTION: Notice and request for applications.

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SUMMARY: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve 
(Reserve) is seeking applicants for the following vacant seats on its 
Reserve Advisory Council (Council): (3) Native Hawaiian, (2) 
Conservation, (1) Research and (1) Commercial Fishing. Applicants are 
chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation 
to

[[Page 790]]

the seat for which they are applying; community and professional 
affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of 
marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area 
affected by the Reserve. Applicants who are chosen as members should 
expect to serve 3-year terms, pursuant to the Council's Charter.

DATES: Applications are due by January 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Application kits may be obtained from Moani Pai, 6600 
Kalaniana'ole Hwy. Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825, (808) 397-2660 or 
online at http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov. Completed applications should be 
sent to the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aulani Wilhelm, 6600 Kalaniana'ole 
Hwy. Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825, (808) 397-2660, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve is a 
new marine protected area designed to conserve and protect the coral 
reef ecosytem and related natural and cultural resources of the area. 
The Reserve was established by Executive Order pursuant to the National 
Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-513). The NWHI 
Reserve was established by Executive Order 13178 (12/00), as finalized 
by Executive Order 13196 (1/01).
    The Reserve encompasses an area of the marine waters and submerged 
lands of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, extending approximately 
1200 nautical miles long and 100 nautical miles wide. The Reserve is 
adjacent to and seaward of the seaward boundary of Hawaii State waters 
and submerged lands and the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, and 
includes the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge to the extent 
that any such refuge waters extends beyond Hawaii State waters and 
submerged lands. The Reserve is managed by the Secretary of Commerce 
pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Executive 
Orders. The Secretary has also initiated the process to designate the 
Reserve as a National Marine Sanctuary. The management principles and 
implementation strategy and requirements for the Reserve are found in 
the enabling Executive Orders, which are part of the application kit 
and can be found on the website listed above.
    In designating the Reserve, the Secretary of Commerce was directed 
to establish a Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, pursuant 
to section 315 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, to provide 
advice and recommendations on the development of the Reserve Operations 
Plan and the proposal to designate and manage a Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands National Marine Sanctuary by the Secretary.
    The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) has established the 
Reserve Advisory Council and is now accepting applications from 
interested individuals for Council Members and Alternates for each of 
the following citizen/constituent positions on the Council.
    1. Three (3) representatives from the Native Hawaiian community 
with experience or knowledge regarding Native Hawaiian subsistence, 
cultural, religious, or other activities in the northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands.
    2. Two (2) representatives from non-governmental wildlife/marine 
life, environmental, and/or conservation organizations.
    3. One (1) representative from the commercial fishing industry that 
conducts activities in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
    4. One representative from the non-Federal science community with 
experience specific to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and with 
expertise in at least one of the following areas:
    (A) Marine mammal science.
    (B) Coral reef ecology.
    (C) Native marine flora and fauna of the Hawaiian Islands.
    (D) Oceanography.
    (E) Any other scientific discipline the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate.
    The Council consists of 25 members, 14 of which are non-government 
voting members (the State of Hawaii representative is a voting member) 
and 10 of which are government non-voting members. The voting members 
are representatives of the following constituencies: Conservation, 
Citizen-At-Large, Ocean-Related Tourism, Recreational Fishing, 
Research, Commercial Fishing, Education, State of Hawaii and Native 
Hawaiian. The government non-voting seats are represented by the 
following agencies: Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, 
Department of State, Marine Mammal Commission, NOAA's Hawaiian Islands 
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA's National Marine 
Fisheries Service, National Science Foundation, U.S. Coast Guard, 
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, and NOAA's 
National Ocean Service.

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

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)

    Dated: December 21, 2004.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, National Marine Sanctuary Program, National Ocean Services, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-131 Filed 1-4-05; 8:45 am]
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