[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 92 (Monday, May 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26964-26965]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10385]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XH79


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, June 4-10, 2008, in 
Kodiak, AK.

DATES: The Council will begin its plenary session at 8 a.m. on 
Wednesday, June 4 continuing through Tuesday June 10, 2008. The 
Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., Monday, June 2 and 
continue through Saturday June 7. The Scientific and Statistical 
Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 2 and continue 
through Wednesday June 4, 2008. The Enforcement Committee will meet 
Tuesday, June 3, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Harbor Room. All meetings 
are open to the public, except executive sessions.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Best Western Kodiak Inn, 
236 Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, AK.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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
    -Executive Director's Report
    -NMFS Management Report (including permit fee discussion paper)
    -Alaska Department of Fish & Game Report
    -U.S. Coast Guard Report
    -U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Report
    -NMFS Enforcement Report
    -Protected Species Report (including update on the BiOp schedule)
    2. Subsistence Halibut: Initial review/final action on subsistence 
halibut rural definition.
    3. Salmon Bycatch: Initial review of BSAI (BSAI) Salmon Bycatch 
Environmental Impact Statement.
    4. BSAI Crab Issues: Initial review/final action on fees for crab 
loan program; Receive report from Crab Committee; (relative to the 
Western Aleutian Islands Golden King Crab underutilization, community 
Right Of First Refusal (ROFR), crew participation, and emergency 
relief) and take action as necessary.
    5. Gulf of Alaska Groundfish (GOA) Issues: Initial review of fixed 
gear recency; Initial review of the Pacific cod sector split.
    6. Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) exemption for dinglebar: Final 
action on VMS exemption for dinglebar gear.
    7. Research Priorities: Review and adopt a 5 year research plan.
    8. 4E Seabirds: Final action on 4e seabird avoidance measures.
    9. Ecosystem Based Management: Receive report from Ecosystem 
Committee; preliminary review of Arctic FMP. (Council only).
    10. GOA Sideboards: Initial review GOA sideboards for BSAI crab 
vessels; Initial review GOA sideboards regarding GOA rockfish; Initial 
review GOA sideboards for American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessels.
    11. Miscellaneous Groundfish Management: Committee report on other 
species management; Discussion paper on GOA crab and salmon bycatch 
(Council only); Receive report on gear modification research; Review 
discussion paper on Amendment 80 sector cooperative criteria; Report on

[[Page 26965]]

halibut excluder Experimental Fishing Permit (EFP).
    12. GOA Rockfish Pilot Program: Receive report which reviews the 
Rockfish Pilot Program; Receive report on Central GOA Rockfish EFP, 
phase one.
    13. BSAI Crab Overfishing Level (OFLs): Receive Plan Team report on 
BSAI crab OFLs; Review preliminary Crab Stock Assessment Evaluation 
report.
    14. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking; review 
Programmatic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement priorities 
workplan; Receive report on native/community/stakeholder participation.
    15. Other Business.
    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. Halibut Subsistence
    2. Salmon Bycatch
    3. Research Priorities
    4. GOA Sideboards
    5. GOA Rockfish Pilot
    6. BSAI Crab OFLs
    7. GOA Groundfish
    The Advisory Panel will address most of the same agenda issues as 
the Council, except for 1 reports. The Agenda is subject to 
change, and the latest version will be posted at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/.
    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 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: May 6, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-10385 Filed 5-9-08; 8:45 am]
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