[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 3 (Monday, January 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 544-545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-178]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.121802B]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of reports; public meetings and 
hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its 
annual preseason management process for the 2003 ocean salmon 
fisheries. This document announces the availability of Council 
documents as well as the dates and locations of Council meetings and 
public hearings comprising the Council's complete schedule of events 
for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean 
salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April 
Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register 
documents prior to the actual meetings.

DATES: Written comments on the salmon management options must be 
received by April 2, 2003, at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

ADDRESSES: Documents will be available from and written comments should 
be sent to Dr. Hans Radtke, Chairman, Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon, 97220-
1384, 503-820-2280 (voice) or 503-820-2299 (fax). For specific meeting 
and hearing locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chuck Tracy telephone 503-820-
2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Schedule for Document Completion and Availability

    March 4, 2003: ``Review of 2002 Ocean Salmon Fisheries'' and 
``Preseason Report I-Stock Abundance Analysis for 2003 Ocean Salmon 
Fisheries'' will be available to the public from the Council office and 
posted on the Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    March 25, 2003: ``Preseason Report II-Analysis of Proposed 
Regulatory Options for 2003 Ocean Salmon Fisheries'' and public hearing 
schedule will be mailed to the public and posted on the Council website 
at http://www.pcouncil.org. The report will include a description of 
the adopted salmon management options and a summary of their biological 
and economic impacts.
    April 8, 2003: ``Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 
2003 Management Measures for the Ocean Salmon Fishery Managed under the 
Pacific Coast Salmon Plan'' will be available at the Council meeting at 
the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, Vancouver, WA and posted on the Council 
website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    April 25, 2003: Council adopted ocean salmon fishing management 
measures will be posted on the Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    May 1, 2003: Federal regulations will be implemented and 
``Preseason Report III-Analysis of Council Adopted Ocean Salmon 
Management Measures for 2003 Ocean Salmon Fisheries'' will be available 
from the Council office and posted on the Council web site at http://www.pcouncil.org.

[[Page 545]]

Meetings and Hearings

    January 21-24, 2003: The Salmon Technical Team (STT) will meet at 
the Council office in a public work session to draft ``Review of 2002 
Ocean Salmon Fisheries'' and to consider any other estimation or 
methodology issues pertinent to the 2003 ocean salmon fisheries.
    February 18-21, 2003: The STT will meet at the Council office in a 
public work session to draft ``Preseason Report I-Stock Abundance 
Analysis for 2003 Ocean Salmon Fisheries'' and to consider any other 
estimation or methodology issues pertinent to the 2003 ocean salmon 
fisheries.
    March 10-14, 2003: The Council and advisory entities will meet at 
the Red Lion Hotel Sacramento, Sacramento, CA to adopt the 2003 salmon 
management options for public review.
    March 31 - April 1, 2003: Public hearings will be held to receive 
comments on the proposed ocean salmon fishery management options 
adopted by the Council. All public hearings begin at 7 p.m. on the 
dates and at the locations specified here.
    March 31, 2003: Chateau Westport, Beach Room, 710 W Hancock, 
Westport, WA, 98595, telephone 360-268-9101.
    March 31, 2003: Red Lion Hotel, South Umpqua Room, 1313 N Bayshore 
Drive, Coos Bay, OR, 97420, telephone 541-269-4099.
    April 1, 2003: Red Lion Hotel Eureka, Evergreen Room, 1929 Fourth 
Street, Eureka, CA, 95501, telephone 707-441-4712.
    April 7-11, 2003: Council and advisory entities meet at the Red 
Lion Hotel at the Quay, 100 Columbia St. Vancouver, WA, 98660, 
telephone 694-8341, to adopt 2003 management measures for 
implementation by NMFS.
    April 8, 2003: Testimony on the management options is taken during 
the Council meeting at the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, Vancouver, WA.
    Although nonemergency issues not contained in the STT meeting 
agendas may come before the STT for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subject of formal STT action during these meetings. STT action will 
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and 
to any issues arising after publication of this document requiring 
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the STT's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Ms. Carolyn Porter at 503-820-2280 (voice), or 
503-820-2299 (fax) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et. seq.

    Dated: December 30, 2002.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-178 Filed 1-3-03; 8:45 am]
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