[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 137 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 38268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18806]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 071097D]


Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; 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: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) 
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold its 66th meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held August 5-7, 1997, from 8:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m., each day.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the King Kamehameha Hotel, 
Kailua-Kona, HI; telephone: (808) 329-2911.
    Council address: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 
Bishop St., Suite 1405, Honolulu, HI 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone: (808) 522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SSC will discuss and may make 
recommendations to the Council on the following agenda items:
    1. Pelagic fishery issues, including:
    a. Status of the fishery;
    b. Pelagic fisheries research;
    c. Management issues for the western central Pacific Ocean;
    d. Bycatch/incidental take issues (albatross, turtles, sharks), 
marine mammal interactions with Hawaii pelagic fisheries; and
    e. Small pelagic fisheries catch data and the impact of ocean 
recreation activities on akule and opelu;
    2. Lobster management, including:
    a. Report on 1997 lobster season guidelines, observer program, NMFS 
annual research cruise, and mandatory Vessel Monitoring System for data 
transmission and catch reporting,
    b. Regulatory inconsistencies with Main Hawaiian Islands; and
    c. Discussion of areas not included in the fishery management plan 
(Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra, Johnston, Kingman);
    3. Precious Corals management including:
    a. Status of the fishery at Makapuu; and
    b. Draft amendment for framework process;
    4. Report on Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund;
    5. Hawaii bottomfish issues, including:
    a. Status of the fishery and the State of Hawaii's plan for dealer 
reporting,
    b. Status report on Department of Land and Natural Resources' 
regulations for overfished Main Hawaiian Islands onaga and ehu 
fisheries and Federal considerations,
    c. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands bottomfish management system 
including draft amendment for Mau Zone limited entry, Task Force 
report, and status of new entry into the Hoomalu Zone; and
    d. Hawaii Bottomfish Plan Team/Advisory Panel recommendations;
    6. Ecosystem and Habitat issues, including:
    a. Final region-wide coral reef assessment,
    b. Report on progress with draft amendments for Essential Fish 
Habitat,
    c. Bathymetric mapping of Pacific Insular Areas,
    d. Summary of recent activities in Hawaii, Guam and Commonwealth of 
Northern Mariana Islands; and
    e. Advisory Panel recommendations;
    7. Progress on Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements, including draft 
amendments to fisheries management plans regarding:
    a. Essential Fish Habitat,
    b. Bycatch;
    c. Overfishing;
    d. Fishing sectors; and
    e. Fishing communities; and
    8. Other business as required.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, (808) 522-8220 (voice) or (808) 
522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to meeting date.

    Dated: July 11, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-18806 Filed 7-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F