[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 173 (Friday, September 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51796-51797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20604]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XK21


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, September 29 - October 
7, 2008 at Sheraton Hotel, 401 East 6th Avenue, Anchorage, AK.

DATES: The Council will begin its plenary session at 8 a.m. on 
Wednesday, October 1 continuing through Tuesday October 7, 2008. The 
Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., Monday, September 
29 and continue through Saturday October 4. The Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, September 
29 and continue through Wednesday October 1, 2008. The Ecosystem 
Committee will meet Tuesday, September 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 
Enforcement Committee will meet Tuesday, September 30, from 1 p.m. to 5 
p.m. in the. All meetings are open to the public, except executive 
sessions.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, 401 East 
6th Avenue, Anchorage, 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 (including Joint Protocol Committee 
report)
    NMFS Management Report (including update on halibut area 2C 
regulations; update on Community Development Quota oversight 
regulations, and annual Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab 
report.)
    Alaska Department of Fish & Game Report
    U.S. Coast Guard Report
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Report
    Protected Species Report (including update on the BiOp schedule)
    2. Halibut Management: Report from ADF&G on Charter halibut 
harvests; final action on Charter Halibut Catch Sharing Plan; Final 
action on Area 3A Guideline Harvest measures.
    3. BSAI Crab Issues: Receive Plan Team report, approve Crab Stock 
Assessment Fishery Evaluation Report and adopt Overfishing Levels 
(OFLs); Final action on St. George Protection Measures; receive BSAI 
Crab Program 3-year review report; receive Crab Committee report/crew 
proposals; preliminary review of BSAI 90.10 Amendment package; receive 
report on Crab Economic Data report metadata;

[[Page 51797]]

discussion paper on BSAI crab regional delivery emergency relief.
    4. Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Sideboards: Final action on GOA sideboards 
for BSAI crab vessels; Final action on GOA sideboards regarding GOA 
rockfish; Initial review amendment 80 Prohibited Species Catch.
    5. BSAI Salmon Bycatch: Discussion paper on Chum Salmon Bycatch 
alternatives; review Pollock Intercooperative Agreement report.
    6. Arctic Fishery Management Plan (FMP): receive report from 
Ecosystem Committee; Initial review of the Arctic FMP.
    7. Research Priorities: Review and adopt 5-year research 
priorities.
    8. Groundfish Catch Specifications: receive Plan Team reports; 
action on proposed groundfish harvest specifications.
    9. Aleutian Islands Sideboards: discussion paper on sideboards for 
AI cod processing; discussion paper on sideboards for AI Pacific Ocean 
Perch/Atka mackerel processing.
    10. Miscellaneous Groundfish Management: Committee report on 
comprehensive data collection (T); discussion paper on BSAI fixed gear 
parallel fisheries; discussion paper on Bering Sea bottom trawl sweep 
requirements; review update on Pacific cod area splits (Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands) and take action as necessary; discussion paper on 
Amendment 80 vessel replacement provisions(T).
    11. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking; receive report 
from Aleutian Island Ecosystem Team.
    12. Other Business
    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. BSAI crab issues
    2. Research Priorities
    3. Groundfish specifications
    4. GOA Sideboards
    5. Groundfish issues
    6. Arctic FMP
    7. Review Salmon genetics sampling protocol/research grant
    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, 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 Gail Bendixen at (907) 271-2809 at 
least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 2, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-20604 Filed 9-4-08; 8:45 am]
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