[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10476-10477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4624]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021700C]


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) Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a workshop to study the 
productivity of West Coast groundfish species and to evaluate the 
Council's harvest rate (F) policy.

DATES: The meeting will begin on Monday, March 20, 2000 at 1 p.m. and 
end on Friday, March 24, 2000. On Tuesday, March 21, 2000; Wednesday, 
March 22, 2000; Thursday, March 23, 2000, and Friday, March 24, 2000, 
the workshop will convene at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until business 
for the day is completed. An opportunity for public comment will be 
provided each day at 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in building nine (9) at NMFS 7600 
Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth 
Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Waldeck, Fishery Management 
Analyst; telephone: (503) 326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the workshop is to review 
past work on spawning potential per recruit (SPR) harvest rate proxies 
(e.g., F35); determine their appropriateness with respect to 
West Coast groundfish stocks; and, if appropriate, recommend changes to 
existing policies. Based on information presented at the workshop, a 
panel of scientists will write a report to the Council that summarizes 
the results of the workshop and makes specific recommendations 
regarding the formulation of default harvest rate policies for West 
Coast groundfish.
    The workshop will be divided into three phases. During the first 
half-day

[[Page 10477]]

(March 20, 2000) participants will review the Council's groundfish 
harvest policy history, as well as published material pertinent to the 
specific harvest rate proxies that have been used. During the second 
and third days of the meeting (March 21-22, 2000), presentations will 
be made that will contribute to the overall understanding of West Coast 
groundfish productivity and the determination of appropriate harvest 
rates; particularly, the estimation of FMSY and/or its 
proxy. The last phase of the workshop (March 23-24, 2000) will be 
devoted to consensus building and report writing by the panel. Active 
discussion of research results following each presentation will be 
promoted, as will on-site analyses designed to explore different model 
assumptions and/or configurations.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this notice may 
arise during the workshop, those issues will not be the subject of 
formal SSC action during this meeting. SSC action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice 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 SSC'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 22, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-4624 Filed 2-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F