[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 180 (Monday, September 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54616-54617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15416]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 090806C]


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 Dutch Harbor, AK.

DATES: The meetings will be held on October 2 through October 10, 2006. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Grand Aleutian Hotel, 498 
Salmon Way, Dutch Harbor, AK 99692.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff, telephone: (907) 271-
2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will begin its plenary session 
at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, October 4, continuing through October 10, 2006.

[[Page 54617]]

The Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., Monday, October 
2 and continue through Friday October 6, 2006. The Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday October 2 
and continue through Wednesday, October 4, 2006. The Enforcement 
Committee will meet Tuesday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the 
Makushin Room. The Ecosystem Committee will meet Tuesday, October 3, 
from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Makushin Room. All meetings are open to 
the public, except executive sessions.
    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.
    1. Reports
    a. Executive Director's Report
    b. NMFS Management Report (Status of the Interagency Electronic 
Reporting System and Electronic Catcher Vessel Logbook)
    c. U.S. Coast Guard Report
    d. Alaska Department of Fish & Game Report
    e. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Report
    f. Department of State Report
    g. Protected Species Report
    2. Steller Sea Lion Management: Review revised Steller Sea Lion 
(SSL) proposal ranking tool (SSC only); Progress report on Endangered 
Species Act consultation and review partial draft Biological Opinion; 
Report on Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee proposals received.
    3. Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program: Report on Coast Guard 
legislation (Public Law 109-241).
    4. Trawl License Limitation Program Recency: Preliminary review of 
analysis and direction as necessary.
    5. Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands allocation split for Pacific 
cod: Review discussion paper and direction as necessary.
    6. Socioeconomic data collection: Review discussion paper, and take 
action as necessary.
    7. Groundfish Management: Review Ecosystem Stock Assessment Fishery 
Evaluation Report (SAFE); review draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and proposed groundfish specifications for 2007/08; initial 
review Vessel Monitor System requirements; review outline for ``other 
species'' analysis (SSC only).
    8. Prohibited species bycatch: Initial review of Vessel Incentive 
Program (VIP) repeal (T); update and direction on Salmon Bycatch (B 
package).
    9. BSAI Crab Management: Review discussion paper on BSAI crab 
vessel use caps; review and approve BSAI Crab SAFE; Review crab Center 
for Independent Experts (CIE) report/overfishing definitions update 
(SSC only).
    10. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH): Review Bering Sea habitat 
conservation open area boundaries and crab data/plan; Initial/final 
action on EFH Aleutian Island open area adjustments.
    11. Ecosystem Approaches: Update on Aleutian Island Fishery 
Ecosystem Plan (FEP), action as necessary; Update on Alaska Marine 
Ecosystem Forum.
    12. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking and take action as 
necessary; Review Programmatic Groundfish Environmental Impact 
Statement (PGSEIS) Workplan.
    13. Other Business
    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. Protected Species Report
    2. SSL Management
    3. Socioeconomic data
    4. Groundfish Management
    5. PSC Bycatch
    6. BSAI Crab management
    7. EFH
    8. Ecosystem Approaches
    9. Review PGSIES Workplan.
    The Advisory Panel will address the same agenda issues as the 
Council.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. 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 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 13, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15416 Filed 9-15-06; 8:45 am]
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