[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 83 (Monday, May 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22648-22649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2112]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042605D]


Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

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

SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold hearings on fishery data collection management options in Hilo, HI 
and Honolulu, HI. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific times, 
dates, and agenda items).

ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held at the Hawaii Naniloa Hotel, 93 
Banyan Dr., Hilo, HI 96720 and the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council Office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

DATES: The hearings will be held in Hilo, HI on May 13 2005, from 6 
p.m. to 9 p.m. and Honolulu, HI on May 19, 2005, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone: (808) 522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In December of 2004, the Western Pacific 
Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) was advised by NMFS that 
overfishing of Pacific-wide bigeye tuna was occurring and requested the 
Council take appropriate action to end overfishing. At its 126th 
meeting, March 14-17, 2005, in Honolulu, the Council took action and 
unanimously voted to develop initiatives to address overfishing of 
bigeye tuna in Hawaii. One initiative is to require permits and catch 
reports for Hawaii small pelagic fishing boats in order to provide 
scientists with complete fishery information.
    Bottomfish resources in the main Hawaiian islands have been locally 
depleted and an overfishing situation similar to bigeye tuna may be 
occurring. The Council will begin to assess and develop measures to 
address overfishing in the main Hawaiian islands by collecting data 
from the fishery and establishing measures to reduce fishing mortality. 
Options for collecting data on the bottomfish and pelagic fisheries in 
Hawaii will be presented to the Council in June.
    The Council is seeking comments and opinions on these initiatives 
and will present management options for fishery data collection for 
Pelagic and Bottomfish fisheries in Hawaii at the following hearings:
    Friday, May 13, 2005, at the Hawaii Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, HI, from 
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    Thursday, May 19, 2005, at the Council Office in Honolulu, HI, from 
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified 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 Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds,

[[Page 22649]]

(808) 522-8220 (voice) or (808) 522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior 
to the hearing date.

    Dated: April 27, 2005.
Tracey Thompson,
Acting Director. Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-2112 Filed 4-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S