[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54450-54451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27238]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 100298A]


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 Council and its advisory entities will meet during November 
1-6, 1998. The Council meeting will begin on Tuesday, November 3, at 8 
a.m. The Council will reconvene Wednesday through Friday at 8 a.m. in 
open session, except on Thursday, the Council will begin with a closed 
session to discuss litigation and personnel matters from 8:00 a.m. to 
9:00 a.m. The Council will meet as late as necessary each day to 
complete its scheduled business.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel - Columbia 
River, 1401 North Hayden Island Drive, Portland, OR 97217; telephone: 
(503) 283-2111.
     Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth 
Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence D. Six, Executive Director; 
telephone: (503) 326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following items are on the Council 
agenda, but not necessarily in this order:
    A. Call to Order
    1. Opening Remarks, Introductions, Roll Call
    2. Approve Agenda
    3. Approve September 1998 Meeting Minutes
    B. Groundfish Management
    1. Final Harvest Levels and Other Specifications for 1999, Except 
Lingcod and Bocaccio
    2. Status of Federal Regulations and Other NMFS Activities
    3. Status of Review of Trawl Capacity Reduction Program (Buyback)

[[Page 54451]]

    4. Management Measures for 1999, Including Harvest Guidelines for 
Lingcod and Bocaccio
    5. Status of Fisheries in 1998 and Inseason Adjustments
    6. Landing of Fish in Excess of Cumulative Limits (Overages)
    7. Exempted Fishing Permits for Depth-Specific Sampling
    8. Estimation of Total Catch and Discard
    9. Review of Stock Assessment Process in 1998
    10. Direction to Ad-Hoc Allocation Committee Concerning Management 
Beyond 1999
    11. Direction to Legal Gear Committee(s)
    C. Salmon Management
    1. Sequence of Events and Status of Fisheries in 1998
    2. Final Risk Assessment for Oregon Coastal Natural Coho
    3. Updates on Activities to Restore Natural Stocks
    4. Potential Revisions to Methodologies
    5. Experimental Fishery South of Pt. Sur in 1999
    6. Draft Plan Amendments, Including Essential Fish Habitat
    D. Habitat Issues
    E. Pacific Halibut Management
    1. Summary of 1998 Fisheries
    2. Changes to the Catch Sharing Plan and Regulations for 1999
    F. Coastal Pelagic Species Management - Exempted Fishing Permit to 
Harvest Anchovy in Closed Area
    G. Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management - Alternatives for 
Coordinated Management in the Pacific
    H. Administrative and Other Matters
    1. Report of the Budget Committee
    2. Status of Legislation
    3. Appointments to Advisory Entities for 1999-2000
    4. Research and Data Needs and Economic Data Plan
    5. March 1999 Agenda

Advisory Meetings

    The Groundfish Management Team will convene on Sunday, November 1, 
at 3 p.m., and on Monday, November 2 at 8 a.m., and will continue to 
meet throughout the week as necessary to address groundfish management 
items on the Council agenda.
    The Habitat Steering Group meets at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 
to address issues and actions affecting habitat of fish species managed 
by the Council.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene on 
Monday, November 2, at 8 a.m. and on Tuesday, November 3, at 8 a.m. to 
address scientific issues on the Council agenda.
    The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel will convene on Monday, November 
2, at 1 p.m., on Tuesday, November 3, at 8 a.m., and on Wednesday, 
November 4, at 8 a.m., and will meet Thursday if necessary to address 
groundfish management items on the Council agenda.
    The Salmon Technical Team will convene on Monday, November 2, at 1 
p.m., and on Tuesday, November 3, at 8 a.m. to address salmon 
management items on the Council agenda.
    The Salmon Advisory Subpanel will convene on Monday, November 2, at 
1 p.m., and on Tuesday, November 3, at 8 a.m. to address salmon 
management items on the Council agenda.
    The Budget Committee meets on Monday, November 2, at 1 p.m., to 
review the status of the 1998 Council budget and develop a 1999 budget.
    The HMS Policy Committee will meet on Monday, November 2, at 3 p.m. 
to discuss coordinated management in the U.S. exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ) of the Pacific and other timely HMS issues.
    The SSC Salmon Subcommittee meets at 7 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 
to review potential changes to methodologies.
    The Enforcement Consultants meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 
to address enforcement issues relating to Council agenda items.
    There will be a salmon plan amendment briefing on Monday, November 
2, at 2 p.m.
    There will be a groundfish stock assessment process discussion on 
Monday November 2, at 7 p.m.
    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 this 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 Mr. John S. Rhoton at (503) 326-
6352 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: October 5, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-27238 Filed 10-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F