[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 65 (Thursday, April 3, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 18261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6880]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XG79


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Non-
Target Species Committee will meet April 23, 2008 at the Alaska Fishery 
Science Center, National Marine Mammal Conference Room.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 23, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Alaska Fishery Science 
Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg 4, Seattle, WA. It will also be 
held by teleconference at the National Marine Fisheries Service, 709 W 
9th, Juneau, AK (8 a.m. AST).
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Non-Target Species Committee will 
consider possible priorities for breaking out different groups from the 
``other species'' complexes in the BSAI and GOA groundfish fishery 
management plans. The need to set these priorities is to take quicker 
action for more vulnerable groups. The committee and have expressed 
concern that analyzing a broader set of alternatives (which addresses 
sharks, squids, sculpins, and octopuses in the GOA; sharks, skates, 
sculpins, and octopuses in the BSAI; and possibly grenadiers in the GOA 
and BSAI) in one analysis may result in an unmanageable decision making 
document. Management of these species groups (plus additional multiple 
sub-area, sub-allocation, and seasonal apportionments) poses numerous 
management and regulatory difficulties and may result in unintended 
consequences on fishing fleets. The proposed priorities for action 
include: (1) move BSAI and/or GOA squid into the forage fish category; 
(2) move BSAI and/or GOA octopus into the forage fish category or 
remove it from the FMPs and defer management to the State of Alaska; 
(3) delete an alternative to add grenadiers to the TAC specification 
process; and (4) separate the proposed alternatives into distinct BSAI 
and GOA amendment packages. The Committee will develop recommendations 
on these priority actions.
    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 meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Gail Bendixen, (907) 271-2809, at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: March 31, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-6880 Filed 4-2-08; 8:45 am]
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