[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15385-15386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8429]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 032398E]


North 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 North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will meet in Anchorage, AK.

DATES: The meetings will be held during the week of April 20, 1998. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 
W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK. All meetings are open to the public with 
the exception of Council executive sessions, which may be held during 
the noon hour during the meeting week, if necessary, to discuss 
personnel, international issues, or litigation.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff, telephone: (907) 271-
2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC) will meet beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 20, continuing 
through at least Wednesday, April 22, and possibly into Thursday 
morning, April 23.
    The Advisory Panel (AP) will begin meeting at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, 
April 20, and continue through Friday, April 24.
    The Council's regular plenary session will begin at 8:00 a.m. on 
Wednesday, April 22, and continue through Monday, April 27, 1998.
    Other workgroup or committee meetings may be held during the week. 
Notices of these meetings will be posted at the hotel.
    The agenda for the Council's plenary session will include the 
following issues. The Council may take appropriate action on any of the 
issues identified.
    1. Reports from NMFS and Alaska Department of Fish and Game on the 
current status of the fisheries off Alaska, and enforcement reports 
from the U.S. Coast Guard and NMFS Enforcement.
    2. Initial review of analysis for the allocation of pollock between 
inshore and offshore fisheries and direction to staff before releasing 
for public review and comment.
    3. Initial review of an amendment to the fishery management plans 
to incorporate essential fish habitat information as required by the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; release to 
public comment and review.
    4. Initial review of an analysis for an amendment to close a 4-mile 
by 4-mile area off Sitka (Cape Edgecombe Pinnacles) to protect habitat 
important for juvenile rockfish and lingcod.
    5. Initial review of an amendment to extend the existing vessel 
moratorium; direction to staff before releasing to public review and 
comment.
    6. Initial review of an amendment to roll over the current pollock 
community development (CDQ) program in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 
(BSAI), and a status report on the implementation of the multispecies 
CDQ program.
    7. Council review and comment on NMFS implementation plan for the 
Fishing Vessel Registration and Fisheries Information Management 
System.
    8. Discussion of Council initiative for social and economic data 
collection,

[[Page 15386]]

including reports from NMFS, the SSC, Socioeconomic Committee, and 
direction to staff for a proposed plan amendment for data collection.
    9. A report on the progress of the Halibut Guideline Harvest Level 
Committee.
    10. Under the Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) 
Program, the Council will consider several amendments to release for 
public review, receive a report on the ``transfer to heirs'' amendment 
and provide further guidance to NMFS, receive a status report on the 
IFQ fee and loan program, a proposal for a weighmaster program, and 
discuss a request from Gulf of Alaska communities for allocation of 
halibut.
    11. Groundfish amendments scheduled for action are as follows:
    a. Final action on a regulatory amendment to streamline the annual 
setting of total allowable catch for the groundfish fisheries.
    b. Initial review of revisions to the BSAI chinook prohibited 
species catch.
    c. Initial review of an amendment to ban bottom trawling in the 
BSAI pollock fishery.
    d. Initial review of the amendments for revised overfishing 
definitions for the groundfish, salmon, scallop, and BSAI crab 
fisheries.
    e. Initial review of an amendment to separate Atka mackerel by 
season and subarea.
    12. Other groundfish issues scheduled for discussion, and possible 
direction to staff, are:
    a. Western/Central Gulf of Alaska management: Committee report and 
further tasking.
    b. NMFS report on pollock density specifications; Council 
recommendation to NMFS.
    c. Implementation issues update for the Improved Retention/Improved 
Utilization program; Committee report.
    d. Status report on the draft groundfish Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during the meeting. Action will be restricted 
to those issues specifically identified in the agenda listed in this 
notice.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Helen Allen, 907-271-2809, at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: March 25, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-8429 Filed 3-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F