Development
of a Code of Conduct for
Responsible Aquaculture in the United States
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); Public Workshops
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Development of a Code of Conduct for Responsible
Aquaculture in the United States Exclusive
Economic Zone; Additional Public Workshops
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
SUMMARY: NMFS publishes information regarding
stakeholder input to the development of a
Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone (Code of Conduct). It is the purpose of such
a Code of Conduct to provide general guidance for siting and
operating aquaculture facilities in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) seaward of coastal
state boundaries and authorities. NMFS held stakeholder
workshops in Seattle, WA, Danvers, MA and Galveston, TX in September,
2000 to gather information for use in developing a draft Code
of Conduct. Based on stakeholder interest in other geographic regions,
NMFS is conducting three additional workshops. The workshops are
open to the public.
DATES: The meeting dates are:
1. Honolulu, HI, November 14,
2000, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
2. Miami, FL, November 16,
2000, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
3. Silver Spring, MD; November
20, 2000, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The workshop locations are:
1. Honolulu: University of
Hawaii, Hawaii Imin International
Conference Center, Jefferson Hall, Pacific Room,
East West Center Road,
Honolulu, HI 96822.
2. Miami: Rosenstiel School
Auditorium, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway,
Miami, FL 33149.
3. Silver Spring: NOAA
Auditorium, 1301 East West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD. 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin Rhodes at
(301) 713-2334 or Colin Nash at (360) 871
8309. For specific workshop information contact:
Honolulu, HI, Wende Goo (808) 983 5303; Miami, FL, Daniel Benetti
(305) 361 4889 or Kim Newlin (305) 361 4464; Silver Spring, MD,
Edwin Rhodes, (301) 713 2334.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS has Federal responsibility
for the living marine resources of the
United States. Under authorities of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act, NMFS has responsibility for federally managed
species and for the conservation and enhancement of essential fish
habitat in the zone seaward of coastal state boundaries to the 200 nautical
mile limit of the EEZ. NMFS has additional responsibilities for
threatened and endangered species and for marine mammals under authorities
of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal
Protection Act. NMFS anticipates increasing
aquaculture activity in the EEZ. In order
to provide guidance to potential users of the U.S. EEZ for
aquaculture, NMFS, with broad stakeholder input, will produce a Code
of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the United States Exclusive
Economic Zone. It is the purpose of such a Code of Conduct to provide
general guidance to the aquaculture industry for siting and operating
aquaculture facilities in this zone, and to provide NMFS with a
framework that can be used to ensure a more consistent review of aquaculture
projects that require agency actions. NMFS may also use the Code
of Conduct as a starting point for the development of regulatory standards
in the future.
The United States was an active
participant in the 1993-1995 consultations
that led to the adoption by the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) of the Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries (FAO Code). While the FAO Code is a voluntary and non-binding
instrument, the United States has consistently supported its
usefulness as an internationally agreed upon statement of principles
that should govern the policies of FAO members in all sectors
of the fishing industry, including aquaculture, which is addressed
in Article 9 of the FAO Code. Although the Code of Conduct being
developed for the U.S. EEZ does not have to follow the FAO model, the
FAO Code is an important reference instrument. A copy of the aquaculture
section (Article 9) of the FAO Code can be obtained from the
contact persons listed here, and can be found on the internet at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.htm
l&log=linklog&to=http://www.fao.org/fi/agreem/codecond/ficonde.asp
NMFS will develop the Code of
Conduct in steps. The first step is to
get stakeholder input through workshops to assist in Code of Conduct development.
NMFS, in consultation with other Federal agencies with authorities
in Federal waters, will consider this stakeholder input in producing
a draft Code of Conduct, which will be made available for public
comment through a Federal Register notice early in 2001. Public comments
will be addressed in formulating a final Code of Conduct, which
will be published in the Federal Register before January, 2002.
Regional Workshops
NMFS held three workshops in
September, 2000, and will hold three more
regional workshops to receive additional stakeholder input for development
of the Code of Conduct. NMFS seeks input on the scope, content,
specificity and use of a Code of Conduct that can be used to help
guide aquaculture development in the EEZ. Areas for discussion include,
but are not limited to, species choices, siting, transboundary considerations,
design and construction of facilities, disease prevention
and control, feeds and feeding protocols, effluents and pollution,interactions
with wild species and protected resources, general
operations, stock enhancement, use conflict resolution, and on-shore
impacts. The workshops are open to all interested persons.
Special Accommodations
The workshops will be
physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary
aids should be directed to Edwin Rhodes at least 5 days prior to
the meeting date.
Dated: October 24, 2000.
Clarence G. Pautzke,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries
Service.
FR Doc. 00-27824 File 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S