[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 6268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-219]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020404E]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The groundfish subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will 
hold a work session to review analytical portions of the Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). The 
work session is open to the public.

DATES: The SSC groundfish subcommittee will meet from 9 a.m. until 5 
p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2004. The meeting will continue on 
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 from 9 a.m. until business for the day is 
completed.

ADDRESSES: The groundfish subcommittee work session will be held at 
NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Traynor Seminar Room, 7600 Sand 
Point Way N.E., Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115; telephone: 206-526-4000.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dan Waldeck, Staff Officer: 503-
820-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS, in cooperation with the Council, is 
developing an EIS for EFH under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan. As a precursor to the EFH EIS, a risk assessment is 
being developed. A significant output of the risk assessment is an 
analytical tool composed of geo-referenced Bayesian Network models 
designed to assist the Council in developing (and comparing the 
consequences of) management alternatives related to the EFH EIS. 
Through a series of public meetings, the Council's Ad Hoc Technical 
Review Committee has facilitated development of the risk assessment 
process. Currently, as the Council prepares for actions related to the 
EFH EIS, the SSC, in their role of ensuring Council decisions are 
informed by the best available science, will review the risk assessment 
process and analytical tool. The SSC will report their findings at the 
April 2004 Council meeting.
    Entry to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center requires 
identification with a photograph (such as a student ID, state drivers 
license, etc.) A security guard will review the identification and 
issue a Visitor's Badge valid for the date of the meeting.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this notice may come 
before the SSC groundfish subcommittee for discussion, those issues may 
not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. SSC groundfish 
subcommittee action will be restricted to those issues specifically 
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 Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the 
public has been notified of the subcommittee's intent to take final 
action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is 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 at least 5 
days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: February 4, 2004.
Tracey Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-219 Filed 2-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S