[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 40588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16802]



[[Page 40588]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Ad Hoc 
Amendment 24 Workgroup will hold a work session, which is open to the 
public.

DATES: The Workgroup's work session will occur from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
on Wednesday, August 1 and continue on Thursday, August 2, 2012, from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The work sessions will be held at the Building 9 Large 
Conference Room, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Western Regional Center, 7600 
Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-6349.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kevin Duffy, NOAA Fisheries 
Northwest Region, (206) 526-4743 or Dr. Kit Dahl, Pacific Fishery 
Management Council; telephone: (503) 820-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council formed the Amendment 24 
Workgroup to develop proposals for modifying the process to 
periodically establish and adjust harvest levels and management 
measures for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. Currently Council 
decisionmaking occurs every 2 years to set harvest specifications and 
management measures for the next 2-year period. Coordinating Council 
decisionmaking with the procedural requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act, Administrative Procedure Act, and the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, such that 
National Marine Fisheries Service may implement regulations at the 
start of the next fishing year (January 1), has proved difficult. The 
Workgroup will develop alternatives to the current biennial process to 
address problems with timely implementation. These alternatives will be 
presented to the Council at a future meeting. The Council may then 
adopt an alternative for implementation, which may require an amendment 
to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda 
may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action 
during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues 
specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after 
publication of this document 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 intent to 
take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Ms. Carolyn Porter at (503) 820-2280 at least 5 
days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: July 5, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16802 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P