[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 130 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38401-38402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15240]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XI84


Western 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: This notice advises the public that the Western Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a meeting of the 
American Samoa Archipelago Advisory Panel and a meeting of the American 
Samoa Archipelago Plan Team in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The Council 
will also convene a public scoping meeting to solicit comments on 
minimizing sea turtles interactions in the American Samoa pelagic 
longline fishery.

DATES: The meeting date for the public scoping meeting on minimizing 
sea turtles interactions in the American Samoa pelagic longline fishery 
will be Monday, July 21, 2008. The meeting date for the American Samoa 
Archipelago Advisory Panel will be Tuesday, July 22, 2008. The meeting 
dates for the American Samoa Archipelago Plan Team will be Wednesday, 
July 23, 2008 and Thursday July 24, 2008. For the specific date, time, 
and agenda for each meeting, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Utulei Convention Center in 
Pago Pago, American Samoa.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Monday, July 21, 2008, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Public Scoping Meeting

    U.S. pelagic longline fisheries in the Western Pacific accidentally 
catch small numbers of sea turtles, all species of which are listed 
under the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act permits a 
limited take of sea turtles through a Biological Opinion or BiOp, which 
is prepared by the NMFS. The most recent BiOp which includes the 
American Samoa pelagic longline fishery was published in 2004. The 
level of turtle interactions in the American Samoa pelagic longline 
fishery has been estimated to be higher than specified in the 2004 
Biological Opinion. During the 18-month period from April 2006 to 
September 2007, 7.6 percent of the sets

[[Page 38402]]

deployed by this fishery were monitored by observers, and four green 
sea turtle interactions were reported by the observers. All four green 
turtles were dead when brought aboard, or died before being released. A 
fifth turtle was observed taken recently in 2008, and was also dead on 
retrieval. The NMFS Pacific Islands Region Office (PIRO) is preparing 
to draft a new BiOp for the American Samoa fishery, which consider 
measures to reduce the potential for further interactions between 
longlines and sea turtles. NMFS PIRO has suggested that the Council 
consider taking action to reduce turtle takes in the fishery, and which 
could be included in the BiOp analyses. Solutions that have been 
proposed by NMFS include requiring hooks to be set at least 100 meters 
deep, requiring the use of 45 gram or heavier weights on branch lines 
within 1 meter from each hook, requiring the use of longer float lines, 
restricting hook deployment to an appropriate distance away from either 
side of floats, requiring the use of the largest practical whole fish 
bait with the hook point covered, requiring the use of 16/0 or larger 
circle hooks with greater than 10 degree offset. Longline fishers in 
American Samoa may also have suggestions for measures that could reduce 
sea turtle interactions with longlines. The Council is convening the 
meeting in American Samoa to brief fishers on the forthcoming BiOp and 
to take comments on potential measures from longline fishers in 
addition to those listed above.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.

American Samoa Archipelago Advisory Panel

    1. Status Report on 2007 Advisory Panel Recommendations
    2. Emerging Fishery Issues and Fisheries Development
    3. Update on Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization Provisions
    a. Annual Catch Limits (ACLs)
    b. Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP)
    c. Cooperative Research
    4. Pelagic Fisheries Management
    a. Update on Longline Permit Application Process
    b. Bycatch Reduction of Sea Turtles
    5. Other Fishery/Management Related Issues
    a. Barter, Trade and Subsistence Issues
    b. Council Five Year Research Priorities
    c. Community Development Program (CDP) Options
    6. Public Comments
    7. Discussion and Recommendation

Wednesday, July 23, 2008, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

American Samoa Archipelago Plan Team

    1. Update on Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization Provisions
    a. Annual Catch Limits
    b. Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP)
    c. Cooperative Research
    2. Pelagic Fisheries Management
    a. Update on Pelagic Longline Permit Application Process
    b. Bycatch Reduction of Sea Turtles
    3. Other Fishery/Management Related Issues
    a. Barter, Trade and Subsistence Issues
    b. Council Five Year Research Priorities
    c. Community Development Program (CDP) Options
    4. Public Comments
    5. Discussion and Recommendation
    6. Review of Annual Report Module for American Samoa
    a. Bottomfish
    b. Coral Reef
    c. Precious Corals
    d. Crustaceans

Thursday, July 24, 2008, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

American Samoa Archipelago Plan Team

    1. Review of Annual Report Module for American Samoa
    a. Bottomfish
    b. Coral Reef
    c. Precious Corals
    d. Crustaceans
    2. Update on Coral Reef Fishing Local Action Strategy
    3. Public Comments
    4. Discussion and Recommendations
    The order in which agenda items are addressed may change. Public 
comment periods will be provided throughout each agenda. The Advisory 
Panel and Plan Team will meet as late as necessary to complete 
scheduled business.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 
those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these 
meetings. Actions 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 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: July 1, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-15240 Filed 7-3-08; 8:45 am]
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