Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), establish three additional manatee protection areas in Florida. This action is authorized under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA), to further recovery of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) by preventing the taking of one or more manatees. We are designating areas in Lee, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Volusia counties as manatee refuges in which certain waterborne activities will be regulated. Specifically, watercraft will be required to operate at either slow speed or not more than 40 kilometers per hour (km/h) (25 miles per hour) in areas described in the rule. We also announce the availability of a final environmental assessment for this action.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 RIN 1018-AJ06 AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), establish three additional manatee protection areas in Florida. This action is authorized under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA), to further recovery of the Florida manatee ( Trichechus manatus latirostris ) by preventing the taking of one or more manatees. We are designating areas in Lee, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Volusia counties as manatee refuges in which certain waterborne activities will be regulated. Specifically, watercraft will be required to operate at either slow speed or not more than 40 kilometers per hour (km/h) (25 miles per hour) in areas described in the rule. We also announce the availability of a final environmental assessment for this action. DATES: Effective date: This rule is effective September 5, 2003. Compliance date: Mandatory compliance with this rule will occur when appropriate signage has been installed in the regulated areas. ADDRESSES: The complete file for this rule is available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the Jacksonville Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive, South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hankla, Peter Benjamin, Stefanie Barrett, or Jim Val…
Citation: 68 FR 46870
