[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 60107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24156]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Estuarine Research Reserve System

AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Approval of the Rookery Bay, Florida and Kachemak 
Bay, Alaska National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan 
Revisions.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division, 
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce approves the Rookery Bay, Florida and the 
Kachemak Bay, Alaska National Estuarine Research Reserve Management 
Plan Revisions. The revised management plans outline the administrative 
structure; the research, education, training, and stewardship goals of 
the reserve; and the plans for future land acquisition and facility 
development to support reserve operations.
    The Rookery Bay Reserve takes an integrated approach to management, 
linking research, education, training and stewardship functions to 
address high priority issues within the 110,000 acre Reserve including 
land use changes affecting freshwater inflow, loss of native 
biodiversity, lack of public awareness and community involvement in 
stewardship, incompatible use by visitors, and ecological impacts of 
catastrophic change events. The Reserve's Environmental Learning Center 
provides excellent visitor education experiences and a connecting 
pedestrian bridge connects visitors to a boardwalk and interpretive 
trails.
    The Kachemak Bay Reserve takes an integrated approach to management 
by linking research, education, and training functions within the 
372,000 acre Reserve to address high priority issues including climate 
change and harvested species, such as salmon and shellfish. The Reserve 
will continue research on coastal dynamics, monitoring of invasive 
species and harmful algal blooms, and will transfer information to 
coastal decision makers.
    The Rookery Bay, Florida Reserve Management Plan can be found at 
www.floridadep.org/rookery/management/plan.htm and the Kachemak Bay, 
Alaska Reserve Management Plan can be found at www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=kbrr_resources.management.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Seiden at (301) 563-1172 or 
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563-1158 of NOAA's National Ocean Service, 
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th 
floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

    Dated: September 13, 2012.
Margaret Davidson,
Acting Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-24156 Filed 10-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-M