[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 25 (Monday, February 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 6049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2995]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 020299A]


Western 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 Western Pacific Fishery Council (Council) will hold 
separate meetings of its Ecosystem and Habitat Advisory Panel (EHAP) 
and its Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Team (CREPT) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

DATES: The EHAP meeting will be held on February 22-23, 1999, from 9:00 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on February 22, and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on 
February 23. The CREPT meeting will be held on February 24-26, 1999, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., each day.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held at the Council's conference room, 
1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii; telephone: (808-522-
8220).
    Council address: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 
Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI, 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone 808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EHAP and CREPT will discuss and may make 
recommendations to the Council on the agenda items below; however, the 
order in which agenda items will be addressed may change.

Monday, February 22, 1999, 9:00 a.m.

A. Summary of recent activities

    (1) Hawaii Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
    (2) Marine & Coastal Zone Management Advisory Group (MACZMAG)
    (3) President's Ocean Initiative (NOAA priorities)

B. Refinement of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)

    (1) Summary of EFH designations for Bottomfish, Crustaceans, 
Pelagics and Precious Corals FMPs
    (2) EFH needs of developing Coral Reef Ecosystem FMP
    (3) Fishing gear impacts to EFH
    (4) Non-fishing impacts to EFH
    (5) Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HACPs)
    (6) EFH consultation process
    (7) Mapping of EFH, including the Global Information System
    (8) Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
    (Magnuson-Stevens) reauthorization of EFH mandate
    (9) Council's EFH-related funding needs

C. Marine debris from fisheries impacting habitat

    Review of problem

D. Fishery interactions with monk seals

    (1) Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) lobster fishery
    (2) NWHI precious coral fishery
    (3) Hawaii bottomfish fishery

E. Program Plan (Milestones)

    Review of revised version

Tuesday, February 23, 1999, 8:00 a.m.

Draft coral reef ecosystem FMP

    Review of preliminary draft

Wednesday, February 24, 1999, 8:30 a.m.

    (1) Reports on recent meetings
    (2) Draft Coral Reef Ecosystem FMP

Fishery management program (section outlines are in parentheses, below)

    (1) Problems for resolution (2.1)
    (2) Management objectives (2.2)
    (3) Management unit (2.3)
    (4) Habitat issues (2.4)
    (5) Management alternatives (2.5)
    (6) Reef resource development (2.6)
    (7) Impact of management options (2.7)
    (8) Recommended management measures (2.8)

Thursday, February 25, 1999, 8:30 a.m.

Cost/benefit analysis of proposed measures

    (1) Ecological impacts of management options (3.1)
    (2) Economic impacts of management options (3.2)
    (3) Social impacts of management options (3.3)

Friday, February 26, 1999, 8:30 a.m.

A. Supporting information

    (1) Description of management unit ``stocks'' (4.1)
    (2) Description of habitat of management unit ``stocks'' (4.2)
    (3) Description of fishing affecting management unit ``stocks'' 
(4.3)
    (4) Description of economic characteristics (4.4)
    (5) Description of socioeconomic aspects of fishing industries/
communities (4.5)
    (6) Description of social and cultural framework of fishing 
industries/communities (4.6)

B. Possible refinements of FMP outline

    (1) Assignments for next iteration of draft FMP
    (2) Timetable for completion of next iteration

C. Coral reef funding priorities

    (1) Assessment and monitoring
    (2) Research

D. Scheduling of next meeting

    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the EHAP and CREPT for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal action 
during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues 
specifically identified in the agenda listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, 808-522-8220 (voice) or 808-
522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to meeting date.

    Dated: February 2, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-2995 Filed 2-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F