[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62487-62488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25012]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XL38


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 meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Eight Regional Fishery Management Councils will convene a 
meeting of representatives of their respective Scientific and 
Statistical Committees (SSCs) in Honolulu, HI.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 through 
Friday, November 14, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 12 and 
13 and 8.30 a.m. to 12 noon on November 14. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for agenda items.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Council Office Conference 
Room, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI, telephone: (808) 522-
8220.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Stevens Reauthorization Act 
(MSRA) requires that each Council maintain and utilize its Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) to assist in the development, 
collection, evaluation, and peer review of information relevant to the 
development and amendment of fishery management plans (FMPs). In 
addition, the MSRA mandates that each SSC shall provide its Council 
ongoing scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including 
recommendations for acceptable biological catch (ABC), preventing 
overfishing, maximum sustainable yield, and achieving rebuilding 
targets, and reports on stock status and health, bycatch, habitat 
status, social and economic impacts of management measures, and 
sustainability of fishing practices.
    Some Councils have a long history of using their SSCs to provide 
recommendations on ABC limits and peer review of analytical documents 
for FMP/regulatory amendments; for other Councils this is a new 
requirement. Some SSCs also function as the scientific peer review 
process required by the Information Quality Act (PL 106-554). In 
addition, a proposed rule on implementing National Standard 1 is 
forthcoming, and will provide guidance for all SSCs with respect to 
requirements to establish fishing levels that prevent overfishing.
    In 2005, the Managing Our Nations Fisheries II conference advisory 
panel, SSC, and main conference panel all recommended that national SSC 
meetings be held, where members from different regions could discuss 
best practices and seek to identify analytical and research needs. 
Given the new requirements of MSRA and the pending new guidelines for 
annual catch limits, the Regional Fishery Management Councils jointly 
believe that the time is right for a national SSC workshop.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008; 8:30 a.m.

    1. Review of Agenda
    2. Appointment of Council staff rapporteurs
    3. Plan for preparation and review of final report
    4. Review MSRA requirements regarding SSCs
    5. Overview of 3 NMFS Working Groups
    a. Control Rules for fishing level calculations
    b. National Standard 2 Guidelines
    c. Species vulnerability evaluation
    6. Presentations/Reports from each SSC on operating procedures, 
analytical document review and recommendations, and developing research 
priorities

Thursday, November 13, 2008; 8:30 a.m.

    7. Using Stock Assessments and a Peer Review Process in SSC 
Determination of Fishing Level Recommendations (i.e. Acceptable 
Biological Catch)
    8. Presentations/Reports from each SSC on setting catch limits 
including assessment, peer review process, and

[[Page 62488]]

determination of Overfishing Limits (OFL) and Annual Catch Limits (ACL)
    9. Open discussion on catch limits and peer review issues

Friday, November 14, 2008; 8:30 a.m.

    10. Discuss best practices relative to SSC peer review process and 
setting ACLs
    11. Wrap-up and closing comments
    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 this 
meeting. 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

    This meeting is 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: October 16, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-25012 Filed 10-20-08; 8:45 am]
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