[Federal Register: August 27, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 45398]
[DOCID:fr27au97-45]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081997C]

International Whaling Commission: Environmental Assessment and Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce

ACTION: Notice of availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) and change in meeting location.

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SUMMARY: The Makah Tribe (Tribe) has indicated that it wishes to harvest up to five gray whales per year for subsistence and ceremonial purposes. Within the U.S. Government, whaling is managed by the Department of Commerce, which must therefore consider whether to support the Makah interest in continuing its tradition of whaling. NOAA has prepared a draft EA which weighs the impacts of supporting the Makah interest in whaling and considers alternatives to concurrence. This notice also announces a change in the room where the next IWC Interagency Committee will meet. The first notice of this meeting was published on June 26, 1997 (62 FR 34441).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft EA be obtained from the Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; telephone: 301-713-2332. Comments should be submitted in writing to the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Somma, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Phone: (301) 713-2319.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe has indicated that it wishes to harvest up to five gray whales per year for subsistence and ceremonial purposes. Within the U.S. Government, whaling is managed by the Department of Commerce, which must therefore consider whether to support the Makah interest in continuing its tradition of whaling. This EA weighs the impacts of supporting the Makah interest in whaling and considers alternatives to concurrence. The EA analyzes alternatives, including the proposed action. The alternatives are: 1) Support the Tribe's decision to whale after receiving approval from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) [proposed action]; 2) delay consideration of support until after the five-year monitoring program of the eastern Pacific stock of gray whales is complete; 3) persuade the Tribe to engage in alternative activities such as ecotourism instead of whaling; and 4) no action.
    NMFS also announces that the Interagency Committee meeting for the IWC will be held September 9, 1997, at 2:00 pm in Room 5215, Herbert C. Hoover Building, Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution, Washington, DC. The room will be opened at 12:00 pm to permit viewing of U.S. positions papers for the 49th Annual Meeting of the IWC. The Interagency Committee meeting will review recent events relating to the IWC and will review U.S. positions for the 1997 IWC meetings.

    Dated: August 20, 1997.
Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-22841 Filed 8-26-97; 8:45 am]
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