[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 195 (Monday, October 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52439-52440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25591]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 092796F]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory entities will hold public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on October 20-25, 1996. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the South San Francisco 
Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 
94080; telephone: (415) 873-3550.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth 
Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence D. Six, Executive Director, 
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 224, 
Portland, OR; telephone: (503) 326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 21, at 1:00 p.m., a workshop on 
the salmon plan amendment scoping process will begin. Members of the 
Council, advisory groups, and the public are encouraged to participate 
in an informal process to discuss potential amendments to the salmon 
fishery management plan. The entire group will meet in a plenary 
session at 1:00 p.m. on October 21, to discuss the process and then two 
discussion groups will convene for the rest of the day.
    The Council meeting will begin on October 22, at 8:00 a.m. in a 
closed session (not open to the public) to discuss litigation. The open 
session begins at 8:30 a.m. The Council meeting reconvenes at 8:00 a.m. 
on October 23, and will adjourn when Council business has been 
completed.
    The following items are on the Council agenda:

A. Call to Order

B. Habitat Issues

    1. Report of the Habitat Steering Group.

C. Groundfish Management

    1. Final Harvest Levels and Other Specifications for 1997;
    2. California Gillnet Regulations in the Exclusive Economic Zone;
    3. Status of Federal Regulations Implementing Council Actions;
    4. Status of Fisheries and Inseason Adjustments;
    5. Limited Entry Fixed Gear Sablefish Harvest Regime for 1997;
    6. Trip Limits, Bag Limits and Other Measures for 1997;
    7. Pacific Whiting Allocation, Season Framework and Salmon Bycatch;
    8. Experimental Fishing Permits for Shore-based Whiting Fishery 
Data Collection;
    9. Restrictions on Limited Entry Permit Transfers;
    10. Landing and Disposition of Fish Exceeding Trip Limits;
    11. GMT Report on Scoping Process;
    12. Review of New Stock Assessment Process; and
    13. Appointment of Ad Hoc Committee to Address At-Sea Processing of 
Fish Other Than Whiting.

D. Pacific Halibut Management

    1. Summary of 1996 Fisheries;
    2. Changes to the Catch Sharing Plan and Sport Regulations for 
1997; and
    3. Report of the IPHC on Bycatch Compensation and Stock Assessment.

E. Salmon Management

    1. Sequence of Events and Status of Fisheries;
    2. Final report on 1996 Methodology Reviews;
    3. Annual State Agency and Tribal Reports on Activities to Restore 
Natural Stocks;
    4. Endangered Species Act Standards for 1997 Fisheries;
    5. Plan Amendments;
    Management Objectives for Listed Species
    Salmon Bycatch in Whiting Fisheries
    Update of Framework Plan
    6. Status of Revisions to Oregon Coastal Natural (Coho) Escapement 
Goal; and
    7. Scoping for Future Plan Amendments.

F. Administrative and Other Matters

    1. Report of Council/NMFS Working Group Meeting;

[[Page 52440]]

    2. Budget Committee Report - ACTION;
    3. Status of Legislation;
    4. Appointments to Scientific and Statistical Committee, Advisory 
Panel - ACTION;
    5. Response to Council Research Needs;
    6. Work Load Priorities for 1997; and
    7. Draft Agenda for March 1997 - ACTION.

Other meetings:

    The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical 
Committee will meet on October 20, at 7:00 p.m.
    The Groundfish Management Team will convene on October 21, at 8 
a.m., to address groundfish management items on the Council agenda.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee will convene on October 
21, at 8:00 a.m. and October 22, at 8:00 a.m., to address scientific 
issues related to Council agenda items.
    The Habitat Steering Group will convene on October 21, at 10:00 
a.m.
    The salmon plan amendment discussion groups will convene on October 
21, to discuss potential amendments to the salmon fishery management 
plan.
    The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel will convene on October 22, at 
8:00 a.m. and will continue to meet on October 23, and if necessary, on 
October 24.
    The Salmon Advisory Subpanel will convene on October 22, at 8:00 
a.m., if necessary.
    The Salmon Technical Team will convene on October 22, at 8:00 a.m., 
if necessary.
    The California Department of Fish and Game will conduct an evening 
presentation on the recreational salmon hook and release mortality 
study conducted near San Francisco in 1996 on October 22, at 7:00 p.m.
    The Budget Committee will convene on October 24 for a lunch 
meeting, (time to be determined).
    The Enforcement Consultants meet on October 22, at 7:00 p.m., to 
address enforcement issues related to Council agenda items.
    Detailed agendas for the above advisory meetings will be available 
after September 27, 1996.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Eric W. Greene at (503) 326-6352 
at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 30, 1996.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-25591 Filed 10-4-96; 8:45 am]
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