[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 29107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13954]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052097B]


Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its intent to reconvene the Pacific Offshore 
Cetacean Take Reduction Team to review and evaluate the efficacy of two 
marine mammal bycatch reduction strategies implemented voluntarily by 
the fishery during the 1996/1997 fishing season and to evaluate the 
need for effort reduction and potential implementation mechanisms.

DATES: The meeting will be held on May 29, 1997, from 10 a.m. until 
5:30 p.m, and May 30, 1997, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Long 
Beach, CA 90802. Requests for additional information should be sent to 
Irma Lagomarsino, NMFS, Southwest Regional Office, 501 West Ocean 
Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irma Lagomarsino, (310) 980-4016, fax 
(310) 980-4027, or Victoria Cornish, (301) 713-2322, fax (301) 713-
0376.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 118(f) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA) requires NMFS to develop and implement a take 
reduction plan designed to assist in the recovery or prevent the 
depletion of each strategic marine mammal stock(s) which interacts with 
certain fisheries. The immediate goal of a take reduction plan is to 
reduce, within 6 months of its implementation, the incidental mortality 
or serious injury of strategic marine mammal stocks incidentally taken 
in the course of commercial fishing to levels less than the Potential 
Biological Removal level, or PBR, established for that stock. The long 
term goal of the plan shall be to reduce, within 5 years of its 
implementation, the incidental mortality or serious injury of marine 
mammals incidentally taken in the course of commercial fishing to 
insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury 
rate, taking into account the economics of the fishery, the 
availability of existing technology, and existing state or regional 
fishery management plans.
    In accordance with section 118(f)(6)(A), NMFS established the 
Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Team for the California/Oregon 
thresher shark and swordfish drift gillnet fishery on February 12, 1996 
(61 FR 5385). This fishery interacts with several strategic marine 
mammal stocks including: Mesoplodont sp. beaked whales, Baird's beaked 
whale, Cuvier's beaked whale, the sperm whale, the humpback whale, the 
pygmy sperm whale, and the short-finned pilot whale. These stocks are 
considered strategic under the MMPA, because they are either listed as 
an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act or 
because the levels of human-caused mortality are greater than their PBR 
levels.
    The team submitted a draft take reduction plan to NMFS on August 
12, 1996. NMFS subsequently published a proposed rule implementing the 
team's draft plan on February 14, 1997 (62 FR 6931). NMFS intends to 
reconvene the team in accordance with section 118(f)(7)(E) and the 
recommendation of the team in their draft plan to review and evaluate 
the efficacy of two marine mammal bycatch reduction strategies 
implemented voluntarily by the fishery during the 1996/1997 fishing 
season. These include an acoustic deterrent device (pinger) experiment 
and setting nets at a minimum of 6 fathoms below the surface of the 
water. At the meeting, the team will also evaluate the need for effort 
reduction and potential implementation mechanisms.
    All interested parties are encouraged to attend. Background 
materials may be requested from the NMFS office indicated in the 
ADDRESSES section. The meeting is open to the public and is physically 
accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language 
interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Irma 
Lagomarsino at (310) 980-4016 by May 27, 1997.

    Dated: May 22, 1997.
Patricia Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-13954 Filed 5-28-97; 8:45 am]
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