[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 2630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1013]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 011199B]


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, the week of February 1, 
1999.

DATES: 1. The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet 
beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, February 1, continuing through at 
least Tuesday, February 2, 1999.
    2. The Advisory Panel (AP) will begin meeting at 8:00 a.m. on 
Monday, February 1, and continue through Thursday, February 4, 1999.
    3. The Council will meet jointly with the Alaska Board of Fisheries 
beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 2, and begin their regular 
plenary session at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 3, continuing 
through a portion of Monday, February 8, 1999.
    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 Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 
W. Third Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
    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 Alaska Board of Fisheries will include reports and discussion 
of the following subjects: halibut, groundfish and crab management 
issues, limited entry for the scallop fisheries off Alaska, progress on 
a shark management plan, Steller sea lion protection measures, and the 
American Fisheries Act.
    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 on the current status of the groundfish 
fisheries off Alaska, from the International Pacific Halibut Commission 
on 1999 halibut quotas and from Groundfish Forum on the results of an 
experimental fishery to test gear to minimize bycatch.
    2. NOAA Legal Counsel will provide a briefing on the new recusal 
regulations for Council members.
    3. Receive a report on the implementation of emergency rules to 
protect Steller sea lions, review necessary actions for 1999 and review 
alternatives and options for implementation of additional or 
alternative measures in 2000.
    4. Discuss progress on implementation of fishery management 
measures in 1999 required by the American Fisheries Act as well as 
discuss development of further amendments for 2000 and beyond. The 
Council will also review the disapproval of emergency rules by NMFS and 
consider a Council response.
    5. 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.
    6. Receive status reports on the multi-species community 
development quota (CDQ) program, the individual fishing quota (IFQ) fee 
program, and the IFQ weighmaster program.
    7. Review alternative management measures to reduce bycatch of 
seabirds in the groundfish fisheries.
    8. Receive reports and discuss further development of issues 
related to ecosystems management and the gathering of social and 
economic data for fishery management actions.
    9. Identify research priorities to forward to NMFS.
    10. Groundfish amendments scheduled for action are as follows:
    a. Final action on revisions to the prohibited species catch 
allocations for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) chinook salmon.
    b. Discussion of total catch measurement in the groundfish 
fisheries.
    c. Final action on an amendment to address retention of demersal 
shelf rockfish in the Gulf of Alaska IFQ fisheries.
    d. Final action on an amendment to the improved retention/
utilization (IR/IU) program; review progress on report to Congress on 
IR/IU.
    e. Receive status report on a pilot halibut avoidance program from 
the Vessel Bycatch Allowance/Halibut Mortality Avoidance Program 
Committee.
    f. Discuss the differences between the Federal and state 
definitions of ``pelagic trawl'' and determine whether revisions are 
necessary.
    11. Final action on license limitation program for the scallop 
fisheries off Alaska.
    12. Progress report on a rebuilding plan for bairdi crab in the 
BSAI.
    13. Review the overfishing definition for the Salmon Fishery 
Management Plan and determine appropriate action.
    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: January 12, 1999.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-1013 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F