[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17152-17153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7681]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032201C]


Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a meeting of its Hawaii members of the Commercial, Recreational, 
Subsistence/Indigenous, and Ecosystem and Habitat Advisory Panels 
(Hawaii AP), in Honolulu, HI. The Council will also hold a meeting of 
its Bottomfish Plan Team (BPT), in Honolulu, HI.

DATES: The meeting of the Hawaii AP will be held on April 13, 2001, 
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The BTP will be held on April 17 and 18, 2001, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., each day.

ADDRESSES: The Hawaii AP and BPT will be held at the Council Office 
Conference Room, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 
Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813; telephone: 808-522-8220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone: 808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 13, 2001, the Hawaii Advisory Panel 
members will meet to discuss fishery issues of concern in Hawaii, brief 
new advisors on Council issues and identify agenda items for a full 
Advisory Panel meeting to be held in June, 2001.

Friday, April 13, 2001

    The agenda for the Hawaii Advisory Panel meeting will include the 
items listed below:
    1. Introduction;
    2. Orientation including overview of the Magnuson Stevens Act, 
Council decision making process and fishery management plans (FMPs);
    3. Summary of current fishery issues including, but not limited to, 
the Council's FMPs, draft environmental impact statements, biological 
opinions, indigenous initiatives, coral reef fishery management, and 
other issues affecting the management of fisheries in the Western 
Pacific Region;
    4. Discussion of Hawaii local fishery issues;
    5. Recommended agenda items for full Advisory Panel meeting to be 
held in June 2001;
    6. Outreach efforts including supporting fishermen's forums in each 
island area and Council participation in organized public events; and
    7. Other issues.

Tuesday, April 17, 2001

    The BPT will meet to discuss the following agenda items:
    1. Introduction;
    2. Annual Report review;
    a. Review Status of 1999 Annual Report Recommendations
    b. Identify problems and possible solutions for uncompleted 
recommendations
    c. Review 2000 Annual Report modules and recommendations
    American Samoa
    Guam
    Hawaii
    Northern Mariana Islands
    d. 1999 Annual Report region-wide recommendations
    3. Review Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Reserve 
conservation measures for bottomfish; and
    a. Measures
    b. Impacts from closures
    c. Discussion and recommendations
    4. Status of pending amendments/framework adjustments;
    a. Addition of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) 
and Pacific Remote Island Areas to Bottomfish FMP
    b. Mau Zone new entry criteria

Wednesday, April 18, 2001

    1. Bottomfish Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS);

[[Page 17153]]

    a. Review alternatives and findings
    b. Comments on DEIS
    c. Discussion and recommendations
    2. Status of Biological Opinion;
    3. Monk Seals;
    a. Status of Litigation
    b. Recommendations from the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Team
    c. Proposed methods to avoid interactions with Hawaiian Monk Seals
    d. Discussion and recommendations
    4. Observer Program
    a. NMFS plan for observer coverage
    b. Council recommendation regarding observers from 108th meeting
    c. New technology options to monitor bottomfish vessels and policy 
needs
    d. Discussion and recommendations
    5. Research priorities for Western Pacific Region bottomfish 
fisheries; and
    a. Bottomfish research needs
    i. American Samoa
    ii. Guam
    iii. Hawaii
    iv. CNMI
    b. Prioritize research needs and recommendations
    6. Other Business.
    The order in which the agenda items are addressed may change. The 
Hawaii AP and BPT will meet as late as necessary to complete scheduled 
business.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before the Hawaii AP and BPT for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subject of formal action during these meetings. Advisory Panel and 
Plan Team action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed 
in this document and any issue arising after publication of this 
document that requires 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 Kitty M. Simonds, 808-522-8220 
(voice) or 808-522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting 
date.

    Dated: March 23, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-7681 Filed 3-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S