[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 8124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3859]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020900A]


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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Highly 
Migratory Species Plan Development Team (HMSPDT) will hold a work 
session which is open to the public.

DATES: The work session will be held on Monday, March 13, 2000, from 
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; on Tuesday, March 14, 2000, from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.; and on Wednesday, March 15, 2000, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The work session will be held at the Holiday Inn Sea-Tac, 
Laguardia Room, 17338 International Blvd., Seattle, WA, 98188. Phone: 
206-248-1000; Fax: 206-242-7089.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth 
Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Waldeck, Pacific Fishery 
Management Council, 503-326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary purpose of the work session is 
to prepare and review draft sections of the fishery management plan 
(FMP) for highly migratory species (HMS) and related documents for HMS 
fisheries off the West Coast.
    Management measures that may be adopted in the FMP for HMS 
fisheries off the West Coast include permit and reporting requirements 
for commercial and recreational harvest of HMS resources, time and/or 
area closures to minimize gear conflicts or bycatch, adoption or 
confirmation of state regulations for HMS fisheries, and allocations of 
some species to non-commercial use. The FMP is likely to include a 
framework management process to add future new measures, including the 
potential for collaborative management efforts with other regional 
fishery management councils with interest in HMS resources. It would 
also include essential fish habitat and habitat areas of particular 
concern, including fishing and non-fishing threats, as well as other 
components of FMPs required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    The proposed FMP and its associated environmental impact statement 
would be the Council's fourth FMP for the exclusive economic zone off 
the West Coast. Development of the FMP is timely, considering the new 
mandates under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, efforts by the United Nations 
to promote conservation and management of HMS resources through 
domestic and international programs, and the increased scope of 
activity of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in HMS 
fisheries in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
    Comments regarding the draft FMP will not be accepted if sent via 
the e-mail or the Internet.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the HSMPDT meeting 
agenda may come before the HMSPDT for discussion, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal HMSPDT action during these meetings. HMSPDT 
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 
Act, provided the public has been notified of the HMSPDT's intent to 
take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Mr. John Rhoton at 503-326-6352 at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: February 9, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-3859 Filed 2-16-00; 8:45 am]
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