[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 1598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-636]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010703D]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting/Workshop

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 
workshop to review the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center's 
(NWFSC) bycatch model, and make recommendations regarding how new 
observer data would be incorporated into the bycatch model.

DATES: The three-day workshop will begin on Monday, January 27, 2003 at 
10 a.m. and conclude on Wednesday, January 29, 2003. On Tuesday, 
January 28 and Wednesday, January 29, the workshop will convene at 8 
a.m. and continue until business for the day is completed. Public 
comments will be allowed at times to be specified by the chair.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at NMFS Northwest Fisheries 
Science Center, in room 370 W, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, 
WA 98112; (206) 860-3200.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ed Waters, Fishery Economics Staff 
Officer; telephone: (503) 820-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the workshop is to review the 
NWFSC bycatch model and to consider how the new observer data being 
collected by NWFSC would be incorporated into the bycatch model. The 
workshop panel will include two members each from the Pacific Fishery 
Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) 
Economics Subcommittee, the SSC Groundfish Subcommittee, the Council's 
Groundfish Management Team (GMT), the Council's Groundfish Advisory 
Subpanel (GAP), and independent experts. The chair of the SSC Economics 
Subcommittee will chair the panel.
    Specific tasks for the panel include, (1) review existing 
literature and methodologies for estimating bycatch rates and discards 
(including the use of observer data), (2) review code, documentation 
and results for the NWFSC bycatch model, (3) review status and coverage 
of NMFS West Coast observer data, (4) review proposals for 
incorporating observer data into the 2003 bycatch model, and (5) report 
findings and recommendations to the Council. A complete agenda and 
terms of reference for the workshop will be posted on the Council's 
website (http://www.pcouncil.org/).
    Although nonemergency issues not contained in the workshop meeting 
agenda may come before the panel for discussion, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any 
issues arising after publication of this document that require 
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the panel's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting site is physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Michael Lemon at (206) 860-
3341, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: January 8, 200.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-636 Filed 1-10-03; 8:45 am]
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