[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 124 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34782-34783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16512]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 062199F]


Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council will hold a 
meeting of its Precious Corals Plan Team and Advisory Panel.

DATES: The meeting will be held on July 20, 1999, from 2:00 p.m. to 
4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at NMFS Honolulu Laboratory, 2570 
Dole St., Rm. 112, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396, telephone: 808-983-5300.
    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: Members of the Precious Corals Plan Team and 
Advisory Panel will discuss the findings of recent research on precious 
corals in the waters around Hawaii, including information on the size 
and condition of certain classified precious coral beds, potential 
increases in fishing pressure on black corals, the presence of a new 
precious coral bed near French Frigate Shoals and the possible 
importance of precious coral beds as foraging areas for Hawaiian monk 
seals. Based on this new information, the plan team will discuss 
possible modifications to the precious corals fishery management plan. 
Possible changes in the FMP include suspending the harvest quota for 
live gold coral at the Makapu'u Bed; redefining live precious coral as 
precious coral thathas live coral polyps or tissue and redefining dead 
precious coral as precious coral that no longer has any live coral 
polyps or tissue; applying size limits to harvested live coral only; 
implementing a minimum size limit for black coral; prohibiting the use 
of non-selective gear except for scientific research activity; 
prohibiting the harvest of pink coral from any established or 
conditional bed unless it has attained a minimum height of 10 inches; 
revising the boundaries of Brooks Bank; increasing the annual harvest 
quota for live pink coral at Brooks Bank; suspending the harvest quota 
for live gold coral at Brooks Bank; restricting the harvest quota for 
all types of live precious coral at the newly-discovered bed near 
French Frigate Shoals; and revising the fishing logbooks to require 
additional information.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not the 
subject of formal action during this meeting.

[[Page 34783]]

Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified 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: June 23, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-16512 Filed 6-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F