[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3213]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 012800F]


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 (Council) will 
hold a meeting to give the public an opportunity to comment on a 
regulatory amendment to be implemented under the framework process of 
the Council's Pelagics Fishery Management Plan. The measure would 
establish a 50-nautical mile (nm) closure to pelagic fishing vessels 
larger than 50 ft (15.24 m) around Tutuila and Manua Islands, and a 30-
nm closure around Swain's Atoll.

DATES: The meeting will be held February 17, 2000, from 3:00 p.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the conference room at the 
Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) in American Samoa at 
the address given here. Copies of the background material summarizing 
the Council's previous deliberations, rationale, and analysis of the 
preferred alternative may be obtained from the DMWR, P.O. Box 3730, 
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Tulafono, Director, DMWR; 
telephone 684-633-4456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting is being convened to give the 
public in American Samoa the opportunity to comment on a revised 
framework measure under the Council's Fishery Management Plan for the 
Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific region. In December 1997, at 
its 94th Meeting, the Council voted to recommend a closed area from 
which large (greater than 50 ft (15.24 m)) pelagic fishing vessels 
would be excluded to protect the small vessel longline fishery in 
American Samoa. That proposed revision was adopted under the two-
meeting framework process. The measure would have established a 50-nm 
closure to pelagic fishing vessels larger than 50 ft (15.24 m) around 
Tutuila and Manua Islands, and a 30-nm closure around Swain's Atoll. 
The recommended closure was sent to the NMFS Southwest Regional 
Administrator in October 1998 but was disapproved in March 1999, with 
the advice that it could be re-submitted if amended to include greater 
justification for closed areas under National Standard 8 of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
    Subsequently a revision of the framework measure has been drafted 
that includes a preferred alternative to implement a 50-nm closure to 
pelagic fishing vessels larger than 50 ft (15.24 m) around Tutuila and 
Manua Islands, and a 30-nm closure around Swain's Atoll. The Council 
will take final action on this framework measure at its 102nd meeting 
which will be held between February 28 and March 2, 2000, in Honolulu, 
HI.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Ray Tulafono, 684-633-4456 (voice), or 684-633-
5944 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: February 8, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-3213 Filed 2-8-00; 4:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F