[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6350]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 230

[Docket No. 001120325-1053-02, I.D. 122800B]
RIN 0648-AO77


Whaling Provisions: Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quotas

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

ACTION: Aboriginal subsistence whaling quota.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 2001 aboriginal subsistence whaling quota 
for gray whales. For 2001, the quota is zero gray whales landed, but 
may be revised later in the year. This quota governs the harvest of 
gray whales by members of the Makah Indian Tribe (Tribe).

DATES: Effective March 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathy Campbell, (202) 482-2652.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aboriginal subsistence whaling in the United 
States is governed by the Whaling Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 916 et 
seq.) and rules at 50 CFR part 230. The rules requires the Secretary of 
Commerce to publish, at least annually, aboriginal subsistence whaling 
quotas and any other limitations on aboriginal subsistence whaling 
deriving from regulations of the International Whaling Commission 
(IWC).
    At the 1997 Annual Meeting of the IWC, the Commission set quotas 
for aboriginal subsistence use of gray whales from the Eastern stock in 
the North Pacific. This action by the IWC thus authorized aboriginal 
subsistence whaling by the Tribe for gray whales, and is discussed in 
greater detail in the Federal Register notification (64 FR 28413, May 
26, 1999).
    On June 9, 2000, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth 
Circuit ruled that the Department of Commerce's environmental 
assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
should have been completed before agreeing to request a gray whale 
quota from the IWC. The Court ordered the agency to prepare a new NEPA 
document under circumstances that would ensure an objective evaluation 
of the environmental consequences of the gray whale harvest.
    NOAA completed a draft EA on January 12, 2001 and solicited public 
comments. NMFS is currently preparing a final EA. NOAA set the 2000 
quota at zero (65 FR 75186) and is now setting the 2001 quota at zero 
pending completion of the NEPA analysis.

    Dated: March 5, 2001.
William T. Hogarth,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-6350 Filed 3-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S