[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56611-56612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22502]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC230


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, October 1-9, 2012, in 
Anchorage, AK.

DATES: The meetings will be held Monday, October 1, 2012 through 
Tuesday, October 9, 2012. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times of the meetings.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 
W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

[[Page 56612]]


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, October 3 continuing through Tuesday October 9. 
Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., Tuesday, October 2 
and continue through Saturday, October 6, the Scientific Statistical 
Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 1 and continue 
through Wednesday, October 3. The Enforcement Committee will meet 
October 2, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., Birch Room. 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.

Reports

    1. Executive Director's Report (including report on spatial tools 
for arctic mapping and planning (STAMP), update on staff meetings); 
NMFS Management Report (Including report on status of petition to list 
corals under Endangered Species Act (ESA), update on the Habitat 
Blueprint); Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) Report; NOAA 
Enforcement Report; United States Coast Guard (USCG) Report; United 
States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Report; Protected Species Report 
(PSR).
    2. Halibut Fisheries Issues: ADF&G report on final 2011 sport 
halibut removals; Final action on Halibut Catch Share Plan; Charter 
Halibut: Review Methodology for 2013 limits (SSC only).
    3. Groundfish Specifications; Receive Groundfish Plan Team reports; 
Aleutian Island Pacific cod model review (SSC only); Adopt proposed 
groundfish catch specifications.
    4. Observer Program: Receive NMFS report on Observer Deployment 
Plan; Receive Observer Advisory Committee (OAC) Report.
    5. Steller Sea Lion (SSL) Issues: SSL Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) scoping (October 2); report from SSL Mitigation 
Committee; SSC review of SSL EIS analytical approach.
    6. Vessel Replacement Issues: Discussion paper on Amendment 80 
vessel replacement with American Fisheries Act (AFA) vessels; Initial 
review of AFA Vessel Replacement Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Sideboards; Final 
Action on Freezer Long Line (FFL) Vessel Replacement (Maximum Length 
Overall (MLOA) adjustment).
    7. Bering Sea Aleutian Island (BSAI) Crab Management: Initial 
Review of BSAI Crab Right of First Refusal (ROFR); Initial Review of 
BSAI Crab active participation requirements; Discussion paper on BSAI 
Crab Cooperative Provisions for Crew; Workgroup report on BSAI Crab 
Binding Arbitration--Golden King Crab; Discussion paper on Binding 
Arbitration Issues (lengthy season, publishing decisions, Individual 
Processoring Quota (IPQ) Initiation); Crab Economic Data Reporting 
(EDR)--Review forms and draft regulations; Final Over Fishing Level 
(OFL)/Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) specifications for 6 stocks in 
the BSAI Crab Stock Assessment Fishery Evaluation (SAFE); Revise 
alternatives for BSAI Tanner crab rebuilding plan.
    8. Groundfish Issues: Feedback on goals and objectives on Central 
Gulf of Alaska (CGOA) trawl Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) tools; 
Expanded discussion paper on Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Use and 
Requirements; Review the Bering Sea Habitat Conservation Area Boundary; 
Discussion paper on Northern Bering Sea Research.
    9. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking.
    10. Other Business.
    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. Halibut Fisheries Issues.
    2. Groundfish Specifications.
    3. Observer Program.
    4. SSL EIS.
    5. AFA Vessel replacement GOA Sideboards.
    6. Review of BSAI Crab ROFR.
    7. Review of BSAI Crab active participation requirements.
    8. OFL/ABC specifications for 6 stocks in the BSAI Crab SAFE.
    9. Revise alternatives for BSAI Tanner Crab Rebuilding plan.
    10. Northern Bering Sea Research.

    The Advisory Panel will address most of the same agenda issues as 
the Council except B reports. The Agenda is subject to change, and the 
latest version will be posted at http://www.alaskafisheries.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 7, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-22502 Filed 9-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P