[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 92 (Monday, May 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26965-26966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10386]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XH80


Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council; Public 
Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's 
(Council) will convene public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held from Tuesday, May 27, 2008, through 
Thursday May 29, 2008. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
times, dates, and agenda items.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at Waiakea High School, 155 
W. Kawili Street, Hilo, HI; at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club at the 
Honokohau Harbor in Kona, HI; and at Pacific Ocean Producers, Pier 38, 
1133 North Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI; telephone: (808) 522-8220.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Dates and Times and Locations

    The public meetings will be held between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on 
Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at Waiakea High School in Hilo, HI; Wednesday, 
May 28, 2008, at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club in Kona, HI; and on 
Thursday, May 29, 2008, at Pacific Ocean Producers in Honolulu, HI.

Agenda

    1. Introduction
    2. Description of Management Alternatives under Consideration for 
the Offshore Handline Pelagics Fishery
    3. Discussion and Questions
    4. Public Comment
    The Western Pacific Council voted at its 139th meeting in October 
2007 directed staff to draft an amendment to its Pelagic Fisheries 
Management Plan

[[Page 26966]]

(PFMP) to consider a limited entry program for the Hawaii offshore 
commercial pelagic fishery employing handlines and related hook and 
line gear (e.g. shortlines, vertical longline) off or around seamounts, 
NOAA weather buoys, and private fish aggregating devices (PFADs). 
Council concern about the offshore handline fishery dates back to the 
early 1990s, due to the high catch of juvenile bigeye tuna from this 
fishery, and its rapid expansion where catches reached in excess of 1 
million pounds in 1995. In response, the Council established a control 
date of July 22, 1992, for the Cross Seamount and NOAA weather buoy 
offshore handline fishery and informed the public that participants 
entering the fishery after this data might not be assured of continued 
participation. More recently, the Council established a general control 
date of June 2, 2005 for all Hawaii non-longline commercial pelagic 
fisheries in response to the overfishing condition of Pacific bigeye 
tuna. The offshore handline fishery has declined since 1995, with 
landings averaging 450,000 lbs annually. However, the Council continues 
to be concerned about this fishery due to the potential for fishery 
expansion if the economy in Hawaii goes into a recession, or reduced 
bigeye quotas for U.S. longline vessels are implemented based on 
conservation measures from Pacific tuna regional fishery management 
organizations (RFMOs) of which the U.S. is a member. Recent studies 
conducted on handline fisheries suggest a link between fishery 
participation and unemployment in Hawaii, while bigeye tuna continues 
to be in an overfishing condition in the Pacific and cuts of up to 25% 
of longline bigeye catch quotas are being considered by Pacific tuna 
RFMOs. In establishing a limited entry program, the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires Councils to consider, 
among other things, present and historical fishery participation, 
fishery economics, and cultural and social issues relevant to the 
fishery and fishing communities. These meetings will be an opportunity 
for fishery participants and the public to comment on the proposed 
limited entry program for the offshore handline fishery and on the 
issues listed above or other relevant considerations.
    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 Kitty M. Simonds, (808) 522-8220 
(voice) or (808) 522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting 
date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C.1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 6, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-10386 Filed 5-9-08; 8:45 am]
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