[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 179 (Monday, September 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58356-58357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23502]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 091002C]


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 in Seattle, WA.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Monday, September 30 through 
Tuesday, October 8, 2002. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times. All meetings are open to the public except executive 
sessions.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, SeaTac, 
18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA 98188.
    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: The Council's Advisory Panel will begin at 8 
a.m., Monday, September 30, and continue through Friday, October 4, 
2002. The Scientific and Statistical Committee will begin at 8 a.m. on 
Monday, September 30, and continue through Wednesday, October 2, 2002.
    The Council will begin its plenary session at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 
October 2, continuing through Tuesday October 8, 2002.
    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.

[[Page 58357]]

    1. Report:
    (a) Executive Director's Report
    (b) NMFS Management Report
    (c) Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) Management Report
    (d) Coast Guard Report
    (e) Report from independent legal review team
    (f) Report from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Committee
    2. Crab Rationalization: Provide clarification on aspects of June 
2002 motion. Receive three Committee reports. Initial review of 
trailing amendments. Receive update on Crab Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) progress and Congressional actions. Review and provide 
information on new proposals. Crab Plan Team and Pacific Northwest Crab 
Industry Advisory Committee reports.
    3. Steller Sea Lion (SSL) management measures: Receive update on 
litigation, final action on two trailing amendments. Final action on 
Cape Sarichef closure.
    4. Draft Programmatic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(DPSEIS): Receive status report.
    5. Improved Retention and Improved Utilization (IR/IU): Receive 
report from IR/IU Technical Committee. Final action on amendment 
package for flatfish requirements. Provide direction on trailing 
amendments.
    6. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH): Receive Committee report, identify 
final alternatives for analysis.
    7. Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Groundfish Rationalization: Review scoping 
paper and receive update on scoping meetings. Receive Committee report 
and provide direction as necessary.
    8. Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program: Review and comment on 
the State's proposed CDQ allocations.
    9. Observer Program: Review Committee report and provide direction 
as necessary.
    10. American Fisheries Act (AFA): Initial review of Pacific cod 
sideboard package. Final action on single geographic location 
amendment.
    11. Halibut Management: Review implementation issues and data 
issues related to Charterboat Guideline Harvest Levels (GHL) and 
Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQ) programs and proceed as appropriate. 
Review discussion paper on implementation issues RE: April 2002 
proposed subsistence amendments (including community harvest permits). 
Request from Akutan for inclusion in GOA IFQ community purchase 
program.
    12. Groundfish Issues: Report from F40 independent review team. 
Final action on total allowable catch (TAC) setting process (Amendment 
48/48). Review 2002 draft GOA and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
(BSAI) Stock Assessment Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report and recommend 
proposed and interim groundfish specifications. Review 'other species' 
breakout and associated issues. Set Vessel Incentive Program (VIP) 
rates for first half of 2003.
    13. Other Business: Approve Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC) replacement for Dr. Al Tyler. Approve appointment to GOA 
Groundfish Plan Team. Discuss joint meeting with Board of Fish in 2003. 
Clarification of Council intent on Amendment 67. North Pacific Research 
Board update on research priorities.
    14. Staff Tasking: Review tasking and provide direction as 
appropriate (includes discussion of fixed gear cod allocations, and 
review information and determine workplan for differential gear impact 
analysis)
    Scientific and Statistical Committee: The SSC agenda will include 
the following issues:
    (a) Groundfish Issues
    (b) Initial review of Crab trailing Amendments, Crab Plan Team 
report (C-1(c & f)) on Council agenda)
    (c) Charterboat GHL/IFQ program (C-10(a) on Council agenda)
    (d) EFH
    (e) DPSEIS
    (f) Observer Program
    (g) American Fisheries Act
    (h) IR/IU
    (i) SSL interaction measures (C-2(c) on Council Agenda)
    (j) Approve appointment to Groundfish Plan Team and North Pacific 
Research Board update on Research Priorities (D-2 b & e) on Council 
Agenda)
    Advisory Panel: The Advisory Panel will address the same agenda 
issues as the Council, with the exception of the Reports under Item 
1 of the Council agenda.
    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, these 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 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 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 Gail Bendixen at 907-271-2809 at 
least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 10, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-23502 Filed 9-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S