Magnuson Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat; Extension of Comment Period

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[I.D. 120996A]

Magnuson Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat; Extension of

Comment Period

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

[[Page 8608]]

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces an extension of the public comment period on

the interim final regulations containing guidelines for the description

and identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) in fishery

management plans. The public comment period is hereby extended to March

19, 1998, to give members of the public additional time to review and

comment on the interim final regulation.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted on or before March 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Director, Office of Habitat

Conservation, Attention: EFH, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910-3282; telephone: 301/713-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee Crockett, NMFS, 301/713-2325.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The rulemaking is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq). The interim

final rule was promulgated on December 19, 1997 (62 FR 66531). Details

concerning the justification for and development of this interim final

rule were provided in the proposed rule (62 FR 19723, April 23, 1997).

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: February 13, 1998.

David L. Evans,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 98-4363 Filed 2-17-98; 3:44 pm]

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