[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15129-15130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6981]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031500B]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory entities will hold public meetings.

DATES: The Council and its advisory entities will meet April 3-7, 2000. 
The Council meeting will begin on Monday, April 3, at 1:30 p.m., 
reconvening each day through Friday. All meetings are open to the 
public, except a closed session will be held from 8 a.m. until 8:30 
a.m. on Tuesday, April 4 to address litigation and personnel matters. 
The Council will meet as late as necessary each day to complete its 
scheduled business.

ADDRESSES: The meetings and hearing will be held at the Doubletree 
Hotel - Columbia River, 1401 Hayden Island Drive, Portland, OR 97217; 
telephone: (503) 283-2111.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth 
Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Donald O. McIsaac, Executive 
Director; telephone: (503) 326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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. Executive Director's Report
    3. Approve Agenda
    B. Groundfish Management
    1. Agendum Overview
    2. Status of Federal Regulations, Research Programs, and Other 
Activities
    3. Harvest Rate Policy
    4. Exempted Fishing Permits: Research Efforts

[[Page 15130]]

    5. Canary Rockfish Allocation and Inseason Adjustment in the Pink 
Shrimp and Other Fisheries
    6. Adoption of Rockfish Bycatch Estimate and Inseason Adjustments 
in Relevant Fisheries
    7. Inseason Adjustments including English Sole and Redband Rockfish 
Retention Regulations
    8. Inseason Adjustment in the Vertical Line Black Rockfish 
Allocation
    9. Plan Amendment for Stock Rebuilding
    10. Rebuilding Plans for Canary Rockfish and Cowcod
    11. Status of Groundfish Strategic Plan
    12. Observer Program
    13. Plan Amendment to Address Bycatch and Management Measure 
Issues-Review First Draft
    14. Renewal of Emergency Rule for 2000 Management Measures
    15. American Fisheries Act
    16. Efforts to Reduce Yellowtail Rockfish Catch in the Whiting 
Fishery: Review of Exempted Fishing Permit
    C. Salmon Management
    1. Agendum Overview
    2. Identification of Stocks Not Meeting Escapement Goals for Three 
Consecutive Years
    3. Methodology Reviews for 2000
    4. Tentative Adoption of 2000 Ocean Salmon Management Measures for 
Analysis
    5. Clarify Council Direction on 2000 Management Measures, If 
Necessary
    6. Final Action on 2000 Measures
    7. Clarification of Final Action on 2000 Measures (IF NECESSARY)
    D. Administrative and Other Matters
    1. Agendum Overview
    2. Report of the Budget Committee
    3. Report of the Legislative Committee
    4. Establishment of a Council Operating Procedure for E-Mail
    5. Appointments to and Composition of Council Advisory Entities
    6. Groundfish Workload Issues
    7. June 2000 Draft Agenda
    E. Marine Reserves
    Staff Report
    F. Habitat Issues
    Report of the Habitat Steering Group

Advisory Meetings

    The Groundfish Management Team will meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 
2 and throughout the week as necessary to address groundfish management 
items on the Council agenda.
    The Salmon Advisory Subpanel will convene on Monday, April 3, at 8 
a.m. and will continue to meet throughout the week as necessary to 
address salmon management items on the Council agenda.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee will convene on Monday, 
April 3, at 8 a.m., and on Tuesday, April 4, at 8 a.m. to address 
scientific issues on the Council agenda.
    The Habitat Steering Group meets at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 3, to 
address issues and actions affecting habitat of fish species managed by 
the Council.
    The Budget Committee meets on Monday, April 3 at 9 a.m. to review 
the status of the 2000 Council budget and the proposed budget for 2001.
    The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, 
April 3 and will convene throughout the week to address groundfish 
management items on the Council agenda.
    The Salmon Technical Team will convene throughout the week (Monday 
April 3 through Friday April 7) as necessary to address salmon 
management items on the Council agenda.
    The Enforcement Consultants meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 
and will continue to meet as necessary through Friday, April 7 to 
address enforcement issues relating to Council agenda items.
    The ad-hoc Marine Reserve Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 4 
at 5 p.m. to discuss marine reserve issues relating to Council agenda 
items.
    Comments on Council Agenda Items will not be accepted if submitted 
via e-mail or internet.
    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 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 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.

    Dated: March 16, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-6981 Filed 3-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F