[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 11 (Friday, January 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2996-2997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-864]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XM70


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.

DATES: The meetings will be held Monday, February 2 through Tuesday, 
February 10, 2009. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and 
times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Renaissance Hotel, 515 
Madison Street, Seattle, WA.
    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: The Council will begin its plenary session 
at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4 continuing through Tuesday, February 
10, 2009. The Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., 
Monday, February 2 and continue through Friday, February 6. The 
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on 
Monday, February 2 and continue through Wednesday, February 4, 2009. 
The Ecosystem Committee will meet Tuesday, February 3, from 4 p.m. to 6 
p.m. The Enforcement Committee will meet Tuesday, February 3, from 1 
p.m. to 4 p.m. in the. The Comprehensive Data Collection Committee may 
also meet this week at the hotel, time TBA. All meetings are open to 
the public, except executive sessions.
    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
    NMFS Enforcement Report
    Alaska Department of Fish & Game Report
    U.S. Coast Guard Report
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Report
    International Pacific Halibut Commission Report
    Protected Species Report (update on schedule of Steller Sea Lion 
(SSL) draft Status Quo Biological Opinion (BiOp) and Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS); Bering Sea and Aleutian Island (BSAI) Pacific 
cod split.
    2. American Fisheries Act (AFA) Cooperative reports: Receive 
reports from BSAI Pollock cooperatives.
    3. Arctic Fishery Management Plan (FMP): Final action to adopt FMP 
for the Arctic region.
    4. Salmon Bycatch: Review Inter-Cooperative Agreement (ICA) 
incentive proposals and Bycatch Committee Report.
    5. Amendment 80: Initial review of analysis for Amendment 80 
Cooperative Formation.
    6. BSAI Fixed Gear: Initial review of BSAI fixed gear parallel 
fisheries analysis.
    7. Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Sideboards: Discussion paper on GOA 
Sideboards for AFA catcher vessels; Initial review of GOA Pacific cod 
sideboards for crab vessels.
    8. BSAI Crab Issues: Initial review BSAI Crab Regional Delivery 
Relief; Receive Committee report; Receive proposed workplan and 
timeline for crab analysis/discussion papers for changes to the 
program, and action as necessary; Receive progress report on Crab 
Economic Data Report (EDR) surveys.
    9. Marine Protection Act Nomination Process: Review NMFS letter and 
discuss next steps (T).
    10. Halibut/Sablefish Issues: Review/Rescind previous action to 
remove inactive Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) shares; Review halibut 
catch sharing plan discussion papers (SSC only): (i)

[[Page 2997]]

Maximum size limit analysis (ii) ADF&G charter halibut harvest 
projection methodology.
    11. Miscellaneous Issues: Receive Committee report on comprehensive 
data collection; Review of Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) 
Discard Survival Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP); Review of halibut 
sorting EFP (T); Review discussion paper on BS bottom trawl sweeps; 
Review discussion paper on GOA Rockfish Program changes; Review revised 
discussion paper on AI Pacific cod processing sideboards (T).
    12. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking; Receive report on 
Alaska Native/Community Outreach.
    13. Other Business.
    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. Arctic FMP
    2. Salmon Bycatch
    3. Amendment 80
    4. BSAI Fixed gear
    5. GOA Sideboards
    6. BSAI Crab Issues
    7. Halibut Catch Sharing plan
    8. Committee report on Crab EDR surveys
    9. Halibut PSC discard survival EFP
    10. Halibut sorting EFP
    Additionally, the SSC will hold a Science Workshop on the role of 
Stock Structure in management of commercial fisheries.
    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/.

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: January 13, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-864 Filed 1-15-09; 8:45 am]
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