[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 55366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27587]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 100698C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Public 
Scoping Meeting; Avoiding Interactions Between Steller Sea Lions and 
Pollock Fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 
Region

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

ACTION: Notice of scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Under the Endangered Species Act, section 7 consultations are 
being conducted on the pollock fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska and 
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands region and their potential effect(s) on the 
endangered western population of Steller sea lions and on their 
critical habitat. If the consultations result in a determination that 
the pollock fisheries jeopardize the survival and recovery of the 
western population or adversely modify their critical habitat, then 
reasonable and prudent alternatives will be required to avoid these 
effects. NMFS announces two public scoping meetings to discuss the 
fisheries' potential impact on Steller sea lions and on their critical 
habitat and possible mechanisms for implementing any necessary 
reasonable and prudent alternatives.

DATES: The meetings are scheduled as follows:
    1. October 23, 1998, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Seattle, WA
    2. October 26, 1998, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Anchorage, AK

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the following locations:
    1. Seattle--Alaska Fisheries Science Center, (Room 2039, Building 
4), 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
    2. Anchorage--Anchorage Federal Building, (Room 154), 222 West 
7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513
    To request special accommodations, contact Ursula Jorgenson, 
Protected Resources, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802, 907-586-7235.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Ragen, 907-586-7248.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pollock fishing in the Gulf of Alaska and 
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands region may affect the status and trends of 
the endangered western population of Steller sea lions or its critical 
habitat and may impede the recovery and conservation of this 
population. If NMFS determines that the pollock fisheries jeopardize 
the continued existence of this population or adversely modify its 
critical habitat, then reasonable and prudent alternatives will be 
required. NMFS has scheduled the scoping meetings specified to provide 
the public an opportunity to discuss possible interactions between the 
fisheries and sea lions and measures to avoid such interactions.

Special Accommodations

    The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Ursula Jorgenson at the NMFS Regional Office at 
least 5 days prior to the hearing date (see ADDRESSES).

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. et seq.

    Dated: October 7, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-27587 Filed 10-8-98; 4:59 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F