[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 172 (Friday, September 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47269-47270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23932]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 082798D]


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings of the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council and its advisory bodies.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will meet in Seattle, WA, the week of October 5, 
1998.

DATES: 1. The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet 
beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 5, continuing through at 
least Wednesday, October 7, 1998.
    2. The Advisory Panel (AP) will begin meeting at 8:00 a.m. on 
Monday, October 5, and continue through a portion of Friday, October 9, 
1998.
    3. The Council will meet jointly with the International Pacific 
Halibut Commission, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, and 
begin their regular plenary session at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 
7, continuing through a portion of Monday, October 12, 1998.
    Other workgroup or committee meetings may be held during the week. 
Notices of these meetings will be posted at the hotel. 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.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel-Seattle 
Airport, 18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA 98188.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff, Phone: 907-271-2809.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The agenda for the Council's joint meeting 
with the International Pacific Halibut Commission will include reports 
and discussion of the following subjects: bycatch mortality reduction 
in groundfish fisheries; halibut community development quota (CDQ) 
program , halibut individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, halibut 
charterboat management, halibut subsistence, Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 
coastal community development, and multi-agency ecosystem research.
    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 the NMFS and Alaska Department of Fish and Game 
(ADF&G) on the current status of the fisheries off Alaska, and 
enforcement reports from the U.S. Coast Guard and NMFS Enforcement, and 
a status report on the formation of a social and economic data 
committee.
    2. Final action on proposed amendments to the license limitation 
program for groundfish and crab.
    3. Review of program elements and options for further development 
of a vessel buyback program for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Island (BSAI) 
crab fisheries.
    4. Review of a discussion paper of proposed management measures for 
the Alaska halibut charterboat fleet, and review of proposals received 
by the Alaska Board of Fisheries for halibut local area management 
plans.
    5. The Council will review the following issues relating to CDQs:
    a. Status report on the multi-species CDQ program.
    b. Receive report from the multi-species CDQ Implementation 
Committee.
    c. Receive recommendations for pollock CDQs for 1999-2000 from the 
State of Alaska.
    d. Review and discuss a proposed rule to designate the proper 
agency to administer the halibut CDQ fisheries.
    6. Review current Observer Program and provide direction for 
development of fee-based program.
    7. Status report on Council compliance with the Sustainable 
Fisheries Act.
    8. Final action on proposed amendments to the Sablefish and Halibut 
IFQ program and receive progress reports on a weighmaster program and 
the cost recovery fee program.

[[Page 47270]]

    9. Review proposal from Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities 
Coalition for opportunities for community development in the Gulf of 
Alaska.
    10. Receive a summary of the National Research Council report on 
ecosystem-based management and a report on regime shifts.
    11. Groundfish amendments scheduled for action are as follows:
    a. Initial review of revisions to the prohibited species catch 
allocations for BSAI chinook salmon.
    b. Discussion of total catch measurement in the groundfish 
fisheries, review a matrix summary by species, and discuss the use of 
scales and bins in the pollock and yellowfin sole fisheries.
    c. Action as necessary on an amendment to institute rolling 
closures in the sablefish fisheries to accommodate annual surveys.
    d. Initial review of an amendment to address retention of demersal 
shelf rockfish in the GOA IFQ fisheries.
    e. Initial review of an amendment for a ``fair start'' provision 
for the GOA Pacific cod longline fisheries.
    f. Receive progress and committee reports on the improved 
retention/utilization (IR/IU) program and initial review of proposed 
amendments to the program. Review progress on report to Congress on IR/
IU.
    g. Receive status reports from the combined Vessel Bycatch 
Allowance/Halibut Mortality Avoidance Program/Individual Vessel 
Checklist Program Committee, and on the draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement for the groundfish fisheries off Alaska.
    h. Discuss request from the Alaska Board of Fisheries to consider 
shark management measures.
    12. The Council will receive the preliminary Stock Assessment and 
Evaluation (SAFE) reports for the 1999 GOA and BSAI groundfish 
fisheries, set initial 1999 harvest and bycatch allocations, and 
release for public comment.
    13. Initial review of a license limitation program for the scallop 
fisheries.
    14. Approve the BSAI king and Tanner crab SAFE report for 1999 and 
develop options for a rebuilding plan for bairdi crab.
    15. Review proposals received for amendments to the groundfish 
fishery management plans and designations of critical habitat areas and 
give direction to staff for further development of amendments.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal Council action during the meeting. Council 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 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: August 31, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23932 Filed 9-3-98; 8:45 am]
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