Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service announces a meeting designed to foster partnerships to enhance public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating in the United States. This meeting, sponsored by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council), is open to the public, and interested persons may make oral statements to the Council or may file written statements for consideration.

DATES:

The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.

Summary minutes of the conference will be maintained by the Council Coordinator at 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS-3103-AEA, Arlington, VA 22203, and will be available for public inspection during regular business hours within 30 days following the meeting. Personal copies may be purchased for the cost of duplication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Douglas L. Hobbs, Council Coordinator, at (703) 358-1711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council was formed in January 1993 to advise the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, about sport fishing and boating issues. The Council represents the interests of the public and private sectors of the sport fishing and boating communities and is organized to enhance partnerships among industry, constituency groups, and government. The 18-member Council includes the Director of the Service and the president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, who both serve in ex officio capacities. Other Council members are Directors from State agencies responsible for managing recreational fish and wildlife resources and individuals who represent the interests of saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing, recreational boating, the recreational fishing and boating industries, recreational fisheries resource conservation, aquatic resource outreach and education, and tourism. The Council will convene to discuss: (1) The Council's continuing role in providing input to the Fish and Wildlife Service on the Service's strategic vision for its Fisheries Program; (2) the Council's work in its role as a facilitator of discussions with Federal and State agencies and other sportfishing and boating interests concerning a variety of national boating and fisheries management issues; and (3) the Council's role in providing the Interior Secretary with information about the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the National Outreach and Communications Program. The Interior Secretary approved the Strategic Plan in February 1999, as well as the five-year, $36-million federally funded outreach campaign authorized by the 1998 Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act that is now being implemented by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization.