[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55689-55690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26837]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 093099A]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings and hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory entities will hold public meetings and a hearing for an 
amendment to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan that 
will address stock rebuilding and specific rebuilding programs for 
lingcod, bocaccio, and Pacific ocean perch. This document announces the 
dates and locations of the Council meetings and public hearing.

DATES: The Council and its advisory entities will meet October 31-
November 5, 1999. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and 
times for these meetings.

ADDRESSES: The meetings and hearing will be held at the Red Lion Hotel 
Sacramento, 1401 Arden Way, Sacramento, California; telephone: 916-922-
8041.
    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:

Dates and Times

    The Council meeting will begin on Tuesday, November 2, 1999, at 8 
a.m., reconvening each day through Friday, November 5, 1999. All 
meetings are open to the public, except a closed session will be held 
from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 4, 1999, to address 
litigation and personnel matters. The Council will meet as late as 
necessary each day to complete its scheduled business. The public 
hearing will be held during the regular session on Wednesday, November 
3, 1999, beginning at approximately 10 a.m. (The exact time is not 
known because the time required for other agenda items is uncertain.)

Advisory Meetings

    The Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will convene on Sunday, 
October 31, 1999, at 1 p.m. and on Monday, November 1, 1999, at 8 a.m. 
to address groundfish issues on the Council agenda. They will continue 
to meet as necessary through November 5, 1999, to address groundfish 
issues on the Council agenda.
    The Salmon Technical Team will meet on Monday, November 1, 1999, at 
8 a.m. and on Tuesday, November 2, 1999, at 8 a.m. to address salmon 
issues on the Council agenda.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene on 
Monday, November 1, 1999, at 8:30 a.m., and on Tuesday, November 2, at 
1999, 8 a.m. to address scientific issues on the Council agenda.
    The Habitat Steering Group will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, 
November 1, 1999, to address issues and actions affecting habitat of 
fish species managed by the Council.
    The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) will meet on Monday, 
November 1, 1999, at 10 a.m. and will convene at 8 a.m. Tuesday, 
November 2, 1999, through Thursday, November 4, 1999, to address 
groundfish management items on the Council agenda.

[[Page 55690]]

    The Work Group on Gear Impacts will meet on Monday, November 1, 
1999, from 12:00 noon to 1 p.m. to develop a work plan to address 
fishing gear impacts on essential fish habitat.
    The Budget Committee will meet on Monday, November 1, 1999, at 1 
p.m. to review the status of the 1999 Council budget and the proposed 
budget for 2000.
    The Salmon Advisory Subpanel will meet on Monday, November 1, 1999, 
at 1 p.m. to address salmon management items on the Council agenda.
    The SSC, GMT, and GAP will meet jointly on Tuesday, November 2, 
1999, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon to discuss the stock assessment process.
    The Enforcement Consultants will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 
November 2, 1999, and will continue to meet as necessary through 
November 5, 1999, to address enforcement issues relating to Council 
agenda items.
    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 June and September Meeting Minutes

B. Pacific Halibut Management

    1. Summary of 1999 Fisheries
    2. Estimate of Bycatch in 1998
    3. Changes to Catch Sharing Plan and Regulations for 2000

C. Salmon Management

    1. Sequence of Events and Status of Fisheries in 1999
    2. Potential Revisions to Methodologies, Including Hook-and-Release 
Mortality Estimates for Recreational Fisheries
    3. Revisions to the Preseason Process
    4. Changes to 2000 Management Measures to Protect Central Valley 
Spring Chinook
    5. Test Fishery Protocol
    6. Report on Selective Fishery Off Oregon in 1999
    7. Process for Reviewing Oregon Coastal Natural Coho Salmon 
Management Program in 2000

D. Habitat Issues

E. Coastal Pelagic Species Management

    1. Update on Implementation of Limited Entry
    2. Pacific Mackerel Harvest Guideline

F. Highly Migratory Species Management - Guidance to Plan Development 
Team

G. Groundfish Management

    1. Status of Federal Regulations, NMFS Activities and Applications 
for Exempted Fishing Permits
    2. Fishery Management Plan Amendment for Stock Rebuilding and 
Specific Rebuilding Programs for Lingcod, Bocaccio, and Pacific Ocean 
Perch (Public Hearing)
    3. Final Harvest Levels for 2000
    4. Regulatory Amendment to Establish an Observer Program
    5. Review of Stock Assessment Process and Stocks to be Assessed in 
2000
    6. Terms of Reference for Harvest Policy Workshop
    7. Management Measures for 2000
    8. Status of Fisheries and Inseason Adjustments (If Necessary)
    9. Control Date for Groundfish Limited Entry
    10. Strategic Plan for Groundfish
    11. Groundfish Priorities and Schedules

H. Administrative and Other Matters

    1. Report of the Budget Committee
    2. Status of Legislation
    3. Appointments
    4. Draft Agenda for March 2000
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any 
issues arising after publication of this document that require 
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

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.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 7, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-26837 Filed 10-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F