[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 99 (Monday, May 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32076-32077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12835]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 051200F]


North 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 North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will hold public meetings.

DATES: The Council and its advisory committees will meet in Portland, 
OR the week of June 5, 2000. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel-Portland 
Downtown, 310 SW. Lincoln, Portland, OR.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff, telephone: 907-271-
2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Panel will begin at 8:00 a.m., 
Monday, June 5, and continue through Thursday, June 8. The Scientific 
Committee will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 5, and continue 
through Wednesday, June 7.
    The Council will begin their plenary session at 8:00 a.m. on 
Wednesday, June 7, continuing through Monday, June 12. All meetings are 
open to the public except Executive Sessions which may be held during 
the week to discuss litigation and/or personnel matters.
    Council: The agenda for the Council's plenary session will include 
the following issues. The Council may take appropriate action on any of 
the issues identified.
    1. Reports
    (a) Executive Director's Report.
    (b) State Fisheries Report by Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game.
    (c) NMFS Management Report.
    (d) Enforcement and Surveillance reports by NMFS and the Coast 
Guard.
    2. Observer Program:
    (a) Final action on regulatory amendments.
    (b) Observer Committee Report.
    3. American Fisheries Act:
    (a) Final action on inshore cooperative structure.
    (b) Initial review of groundfish processor sideboards and excessive 
share caps.
    (c) Review crab processing capacity and activities during 2000 
opilio season.
    (d) Review methods for allocating pollock to inshore cooperatives, 
calculations of Pacific cod sideboards, and crab sideboard exemptions.
    (e) Status report on development of Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement for the American Fisheries Act.
    4. Steller Sea Lion Protection:
    (a) Status report on Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives for 
Pacific cod.
    (b) Report on Russian sea lion research and management.
    5. Staff Tasking:
    (a) Review current tasking and proposals received; direction to 
staff on new amendments/analyses.
    (b) Determine next steps for rationalization of Gulf of Alaska 
Pacific cod.
    (c) Provide staff direction on development of Gulf of Alaska 
cooperatives.
    (d) Provide staff direction for next steps in essential fish 
habitat stakeholder process; determine need for revisions to crab 
fishery management plan and halibut regulations to protect corals and 
sponges.
    6. Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization Issues:
    Review current legislative proposals and recommendations from 
Council Chairmen's meeting.
    7. Groundfish Management:
    (a) Status report on development of groundfish Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement.
    (b) Initial review of amendment to revise process for setting 
annual fishery specifications.
    8. Crab Management:
    (a) Final action on rebuilding plans for St. Matthew blue and 
Opilio crabs.
    (b) Updates on crab cooperatives and permit buyback program.
    (c) Crab Interim Action Committee report on appeals.
    Advisory Meetings
    Advisory Panel: With the exception of the reports listed under Item 
1, the agenda for the Advisory Panel will mirror that of the Council 
listed above.
    Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC): The Scientific and 
Statistical Committee will address the following items on the Council 
agenda:

[[Page 32077]]

    1. Inshore cooperative structure and groundfish processing 
sideboards and excessive share caps.
    2. Observer program changes.
    3. Groundfish Management:
    (a) Status report on development of groundfish Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement; and
    (b) Initial review of amendment to revise process for setting 
annual fishery specifications.
    4. Steller sea lion protection.
    5. Review of halibut charter individual fishing quota program 
analytical outline.
    Other Committee/Workgroup & Industry Meetings
    During the meeting week, the following groups will hold meetings to 
discuss various agenda issues of interest:
    Crab Permit Buyback Industry Meeting: Monday, June 5, 7:00 p.m.
    Crab Interim Action Committee: Tuesday, June 6, 1:00 p.m.
    Crab Cooperative Industry Meeting: Tuesday, June 6, 7:00 p.m.
    Gulf of Alaska Cooperative Committee: Thursday, June 8, 6:00 p.m.
    Ecosystems Committee: Friday, June 9, 6:00 p.m.
    Other committees and workgroups may hold impromptu meetings 
throughout the meeting week. Such meetings will be announced during 
regularly-scheduled meetings of the Council, Advisory Panel, and SSC, 
and will be posted at the hotel.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council 
action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in 
the agenda and any issues arising after publication of this notice that 
require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to 
take final action of 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 Helen Allen at 907-271-2809 at 
least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: May 17, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-12835 Filed 5-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F