[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54122-54123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21988]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XV031
Draft Outline for a Work Plan for a Federal Aquaculture
Regulatory Task Force
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: On behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's
Subcommittee on Aquaculture, NOAA announces the availability of the
Draft Outline for a Work Plan for a Federal Aquaculture Regulatory Task
Force for public review and comment.
DATES: NOAA will consider public comments received on or before
November 8, 2019.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft Outline for a Work
Plan for a Federal Aquaculture Regulatory Task Force at: https://www.ars.usda.gov/SCA/taskforce.html.
Submitting Comments: Interested persons may submit comments by any
of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic public comments
to [email protected].
Mail: Susan Bunsick, Attn: Aquaculture Work Plan Comments,
Office of Aquaculture, F/AQ, 1315 East-West Highway, 12th Floor, Silver
Spring, MD 20910.
Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or
individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public
record and will generally be made available for public viewing upon
request. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address,
etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive
information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly
accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration--Susan Bunsick, [email protected], 301-427-8325.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The U.S. national policy on aquaculture states that (from the
National Aquaculture Act of 1980): ``Congress declares that aquaculture
has the potential for reducing the United States trade deficit in
fisheries products, for augmenting existing commercial and recreational
fisheries, and for producing other renewable resources, thereby
assisting the United States in meeting its future food needs and
contributing to the solution of world resource problems. It is,
therefore, in the national interest, and it is the national policy, to
encourage the development of aquaculture in the United States.''
The Subcommittee on Aquaculture (SCA), previously known as the
Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture (IWGA) and the Joint
Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA), is a statutory subcommittee that
operates under the Committee on Environment of the National Science and
Technology Council (NSTC) under the Office of Science and Technology
Policy in the Executive Office of the President. It is co-chaired by
the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, and the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Members include the
Department of Agriculture,
[[Page 54123]]
Department of Commerce, Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the
Interior, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency
and the Office of Management and Budget. The SCA serves as the Federal
interagency coordinating group to increase the overall effectiveness
and productivity of Federal aquaculture research, regulation,
technology transfer, and assistance programs. This interagency
coordinating group has been functioning since before the National
Aquaculture Act was signed into law in 1980.
This draft outline lays out the components of a Work Plan for a
Federal Aquaculture Regulatory Task Force. The proposed goal of this
plan is to address the Federal strategic goal of improving regulatory
efficiency and predictability for domestic freshwater and marine
aquaculture under existing laws and regulations. The plan proposes to
describe key interagency and federal-state issues raised by aquaculture
regulations relating to permitting and aquatic animal health as well as
the key science and technology needs to facilitate streamlined
regulations and timely management decisions under current regulations.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Draft Outline
for a Work Plan for a Federal Aquaculture Regulatory Task Force. After
the public comment period ends, NOAA and the SCA will consider and
address the comments received before issuing a draft work plan.
Invitation to Comment
NOAA, on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's
Subcommittee on Aquaculture, seeks public review and comment on the
Draft Outline for a Work Plan for a Federal Aquaculture Regulatory Task
Force (see ADDRESSES above). Before including your address, telephone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, please be aware that your entire comment, including your
personal identifying information, will become part of the public
record.
Authority: This outline and plan is being issued under the
following authorities: National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (Public Law
96-362, 94 Stat. 1198, 16 U.S.C. 2801, et seq.) and the National
Aquaculture Improvement Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-198, 99 Stat.
1641).
Dated: October 3, 2019.
David O'Brien,
Acting Director, Office of Aquaculture, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-21988 Filed 10-8-19; 8:45 am]
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