Thank you, Keith Strickland for bringing this notice to our attention. We have added a link to the most positive part of the notice and we hope you will take the time to write an e-mail to the link we have made after item number five in the list of possible actions.
You may comment via the Internet to r9oma__cites@fws.gov. Please submit
Internet comments as an ASCII file, avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include ``Attn:
Public Meeting on U.S. Coral Reef Task Force'', and your name and
return address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a
confirmation from the system that we have received your Internet
message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed
[Federal Register: November 16, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 220)]
[Notices]
[Page 62215-62217]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16no99-109]
HOW CAN THE HOBBY HELP THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU ONE OF THE ANSWERS
United States Coral Reef Task Force: Options for the United States To Consider To Promote the Conservation of Coral Reefs; Public Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of public meeting.Monday, December 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: On behalf of the United States Coral Reef Task Force, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting to discuss the trade in non-food fish coral reef species, the effects of this trade on coral reefs, and measures which the United States should consider to minimize these effects and promote coral reef conservation. Representatives of other agencies involved in the Trade Subgroup will participate in the meeting to answer questions and receive public comments on potential conservation actions. DATES: The public meeting will be held on Monday, December 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 7000A and B, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila Einsweiler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, telephone (703) 358-1949, fax (703) 358-2271, E-mail: Sheila__Einsweiler@fws.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background We request that anyone that wishes to speak at this public meeting contact us using the contact information above so that we can ensure that everyone is given enough time to express their opinions. We request that everyone who speaks at this meeting also give us their comments in writing. If you are unable to attend the meeting but still wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail comments to the following address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of the Assistant Director for International Affairs, 1849 C Street, Room 3245, Washington, DC 20240. You may comment via the Internet to r9oma__cites@fws.gov. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file, avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include ``Attn: Public Meeting on U.S. Coral Reef Task Force'', and your name and return address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed above. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the above address. We will consider comments and information received by December 10, 1999. Coral reefs are recognized as being among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on earth. Reef systems are storehouses of immense biological wealth and provide economic and ecosystem services to millions of people as shoreline protection, areas of natural beauty and recreation, and sources of food, pharmaceuticals, jobs, and revenues. According to one estimate, reef habitats provide humans with services worth about $375 billion each year, despite the fact that they cover less than one percent of the earth's surface. Unfortunately, coral reefs are also recognized as being among the most threatened marine ecosystems on the planet. Coral reefs are being seriously degraded by human activities, especially overexploitation of resources, destructive fishing practices, coastal development, and runoff from improper land-use practices. The international trade in coral, reef fish, live rock, and other coral reef organisms contributes to the decline and degradation of reefs. Coral reef resources traded internationally supply a wide number of markets and industries, including the seafood industry, live food fish markets, the aquarium trade, the curio and jewelry trade, and the pharmaceutical and research industries. As a major consumer of coral reef organisms and a leader in coral reef conservation efforts, the United States has a critical responsibility to address coral reef trade issues. Since 1994, the United States has worked actively to address the coral reef crisis through the United States Coral Reef Initiative and the International Coral Reef Initiative. Federal agencies, State, local, territorial, commonwealth, and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and commercial interests have worked together to design and implement management, education, monitoring, research, and restoration efforts to conserve and sustainably use coral reef ecosystems. During the 1997 Year of the Reef, the U.S. joined many other nations in activities to raise public awareness about the importance of conserving coral reefs and to facilitate actions to protect coral reef ecosystems. On October 21, 1997, the 105th Congress passed House Concurrent Resolution 8, recognizing the significance of maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems. The United Nations declared 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean to raise public awareness and increase actions to conserve and use in a sustainable manner the broader ocean environment, including coral reefs. On June 11, 1998, as part of the National Ocean Conference, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13089, Coral Reef Protection (64 FR 323701). E.O. 13089 established a national policy directing all Federal agencies whose actions may affect U.S. coral reef ecosystems to identify actions which may affect these ecosystems, utilize their authorities to protect and enhance these ecosystems, and to the extent permitted by law, ensure that their actions will not degrade these ecosystems. E.O. 13089 also established a United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF), co-chaired by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce and also including the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Administrator of the Agency for International Development, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The duties of the USCRTF include: (a) Coordination of a comprehensive program of coral reef mapping and monitoring; (b) development and implementation of scientific research; (c) conservation, mitigation, and restoration of coral reef damage or degradation; and (d) international cooperation and collaboration. Included in these duties are specific directions to the USCRTF to develop solutions to problems of over-fishing, over-use, and collection of coral reef species, and to assess the U.S. role in international trade and protection of coral reef species. At its first meeting in October, 1998, at Biscayne National Park, Florida, the USCRTF established a series of Working Groups to develop immediate actions and longer-term strategies, including an International Working Group under the leadership of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. At the second meeting of the USCRTF, held in Hawaii in March, 1999, the International Working Group reported on its review of the effects of international trade, destructive fishing practices, and other issues, which showed that the United States is by far the largest consumer of live coral and marine fishes for the aquarium trade and dead coral skeletons and precious corals for curios and jewelry. The United States also was found to be a major consumer of sea horses, queen conch, and giant clams. As a result, at its March meeting the USCRTF adopted a resolution requesting an accelerated interagency review of the advisability of pursuing legislation that addresses the trade in coral and coral reef species, led by the Council on Environmental Quality and in close consultation with members of the marine aquarium trade industry that are promoting certification and sustainability in the trade in coral reef species. The USCRTF also supported resolutions adopted by working groups of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum regarding destructive fishing practices. In addition, a Trade Subgroup was established to further examine the nature and extent of threats to reefs related to trade in coral reef resources, evaluate current U.S. activities, and recommend further actions. We are committed to working in cooperation with State, Territorial, Commonwealth, and local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the scientific community, and commercial interests and any other stakeholders in pursuing the objectives of E.O. 13089. With this public meeting, we are seeking comment on the relationship between trade and conservation of non-food fish coral reef species, and what actions the United States should consider, internationally and domestically, to reduce harmful effects of human activity and encourage beneficial measures. There are a number of international and domestic activities which could assist in reducing harmful impacts to coral reefs from overharvest, destructive harvest, and trade. These coral reef conservation activities may include: (1) Working within existing international frameworks such as the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), and other multilateral, regional, and bilateral forums; (2) Raising international awareness among governments, NGOs, industry, scientists, and consumers, and gathering better information regarding impacts of international trade; (3) Building capacity in source countries to address overexploitation of resources, implementation of CITES and national controls, and destructive fishing practices; (4) Improving law enforcement efforts against illegal coral trade and smuggling into the United States, development of cyanide detection tests for live fish, and committing additional resources to enforcement; (5) Raising domestic consumer awareness through educational materials and encouraging alternatives to wild collection, such as sustainable captive-breeding or artificial culture or captive breeding;PLEASE SEND YOUR IDEAS ON HOW THE HOBBY CAN HELP THE REEFS
- WE CAN ADD TO THE RESEARCH, REEFS CREATE AWARENESS AND LOVE FOR THE REEFS,
OCEAN BASED REEF FARMING WILL GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR THE REEFS A REASON
TO PROTECT THEIR FUTURE INCOME BY DOING THINGS THAT PROTECT THE HEALTHY REEFS.
THE CAPTIVE CORALS IN THE HOBBY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONATED
TO REPLANT CORALS THAT WERE DAMAGED BY EL NINOSEND YOUR EMAIL AS A TEXT FILE mailto:r9oma__cites@fws.gov WRITE YOUR LETTER AND SEND IT AS AN ATTACHMENT
(6) Analyzing and improving data collection and monitoring for imports of coral reef species into the United States; (7) And, if necessary, developing new regulatory measures which would create additional authority to restrict commerce and address the role of U.S. consumer demand in causing unsustainable harvest or destructive harvests. With this public meeting, we are particularly seeking comments about whether actions (1) through (6) can be expected to be sufficient to address the harmful effects of trade in coral reef species, if actively pursued, or whether there is a need for additional regulatory authority now to restrict commerce, in addition to the other actions included in this list. If such new authority were to be developed, we would like to receive comments about whether and how we should consider: (a) The scope of species and activities which could be subject to additional regulatory authority; (b) International issues, such as destructive fishing practices, unsustainable harvests, and international trade; (c) Domestic issues, such as interstate commerce and domestic harvest,including commercial, subsistence, and recreational uses, and applicability to Federal vs. State waters; (d) Ways in which such new authority could be used to encourage voluntary measures prior to, or lieu of, the actual imposition of new regulations on harvest and trade; and (e) Any other issues pertinent to assessing the need for, and effects of, additional regulatory authorities or non-regulatory measures designed to promote coral reef conservation. You may obtain additional information about the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and its conservation activities from the internet at http:// coralreef.gov or by contacting us at one of the addresses above. Dated: November 10, 1999. Marshall P. Jones, Assistant Director for International Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 99-29878 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P