[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2858-2859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1532]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011402F]


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Notice of Public 
Meetings

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

ACTION: Meetings of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and 
its advisory committees.

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

DATES: The meetings will be held February 4-12, 2002, in Anchorage, AK. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 
W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates, Times, and Agendas

    The Council's Advisory Panel will begin at 8 a.m. Monday, February 
4, and continue through Friday, February 8, 2002.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. 
on Monday, February 4, and continue through Wednesday, February 6, 
2002.
    The Joint Protocol Committee for the Council and Alaska Board of 
Fisheries will meet from Noon until 5 p.m. on Monday, February 4, 2002.
    The full Council and Board will meet from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on 
February 5, 2002.
    The Council will begin its plenary session at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 
February 6, continuing through Tuesday, February 12, 2002.
    All meetings are open to the public except executive sessions. An 
Executive Session of the Council has been scheduled during the lunch 
hour on Wednesday, February 6, 2002 to discuss personnel issues.
    Joint Board/Council Meeting: The agenda will include the following 
issues of mutual interest to the Board and Council:
    Council Plenary Session: 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) National Marine Fisheries Service Management Report.
    (d)Enforcement and Surveillance reports by NMFS and the U.S. Coast 
Guard.
    (e) Annual meeting report from the International Pacific Halibut 
Commission.
    (f) Presentation of results of sea lion research on eastside of 
Kodiak Island.
    (g) Status report on an amendment to the Community Development 
Quota Program policies.
    (h) World Wildlife Fund report on Russian Far East fisheries.
    2. Programmatic Groundfish Supplementary Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS): The Council will approve alternatives for analysis 
and provide direction to the Ecosystem Committee regarding involvement 
in the process.
    3. Essential Fish Habitat: Receive a progress report and discuss 
alternatives for mitigating fisheries impact; provide direction to 
staff.
    4. Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Program: Review 
Committee report: review of an amendment of alternatives for community 
purchase of quota shares. Provide direction to staff.
    5. Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Rationalization: Review staff 
discussion paper and provide direction.
    6. Bering Sea/Aleutian Island Crab Rationalization:
    (a) Initial review of amendment analysis.
    (b) Discuss the environmental impact statement for the Bering Sea/
Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab Fishery Management Plan and 
potential alternatives. Provide direction to staff.
    7. American Fisheries Act (AFA):
    (a) Review final pollock co-op reports for 2001.
    (b) Review final AFA report to Congress.
    (c) Initial review of an amendment to relax single geographic 
location restrictions for floating processors (if analysis is 
available).
    8. Observer Program:
    (a) Review Committee report.
    (b) Initial review of regulatory amendment package.
    (c)Discuss status of long-term program adjustments.
    9. Discuss amendment for additional Steller Sea Lion protection 
measures and provide direction to staff.
    10. Salmon Bycatch:
    (a) Review general information on impacts of Steller sea lion 
protection measures on salmon bycatch.
    (b) Review discussion paper on Gulf of Alaska salmon bycatch, if 
available.
    11. Review research priorities.
    12. Groundfish Management:
    (a) Develop problem statement and provide staff direction for 
differential gear impact analysis.
    (b) Review information and discussion paper on license limitation 
recency issues.
    (c) Discuss independent review of the Council's F40 
harvest strategy.
    (d) Review discussion paper on disclosure of catch and bycatch 
information (if paper available).
    13. Staff Tasking:
    (a) Review existing tasking and provide direction as necessary.
    (b) Review NMFS initiative for mandatory data collection.
    Scientific and Statistical Committee: The SSC agenda will include 
the following issues:
    1. Groundfish SEIS: (Item #2 on the Council agenda)
    2. Essential Fish Habitat (Item #3 on the Council agenda)
    3. Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization (Item #6 on 
the Council agenda)
    4. Observer Program Issues (Item #8 on the Council agenda)
    5. Research priorities (#11 on the Council agenda)
    6. Independent review of the Council's F40 harvest 
strategy (Item #12(c) on the Council agenda)
    Advisory Panel: The Advisory Panel will address the same agenda 
issues as the Council, with the exception of the Reports under Items 1 
and 11 of the Council agenda.
    Although other 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 the meeting. Council action 
will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the 
agenda listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities.

[[Page 2859]]

 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: January 16, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-1532 Filed 1-18-02; 8:45 am]
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