[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33909-33910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13845]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RIN 0648-XD332]


Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment 
Review; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and 
NMFS will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) 
meeting for Pacific Island coral reef ecosystem fisheries.

DATES: The meeting will be held on June 30 through July 3, 2014, 
starting at 9 a.m. each day. The meeting will conclude each day at 5 
p.m., or when business for the day has been completed. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the daily meeting agenda.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the NMFS Honolulu Service Center 
at Pier 38, 1129 North Nimitz Hwy., Suite 220, Honolulu, HI 96817.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is to review a 
Bayesian modeling approach that generates maximum sustainable yield 
(MSY) estimates for Pacific coral reef ecosystem resources using 
available catch time series, a measure of population growth, carrying 
capacity, and biomass from NMFS underwater fish census surveys. At this 
meeting, a team of reviewers provided by the Center for Independent 
Experts (www.ciereviews.org) will review the model methods, input data 
and parameters, including the adequacy of the model and model outputs, 
and suggest research priorities to improve understanding of essential 
population and fishery dynamics necessary to formulate best management 
practices. The MSY estimates generated by the model will be the 
foundation upon which the Council and NMFS will base management 
decisions for Pacific Island coral reef fisheries, including 
establishment of annual catch limits (ACL) starting in 2015.
    The Council and NMFS established the WPSAR process pursuant to 
Section 302(g)(1)(E), which provides that the Secretary of Commerce and 
each regional fishery management council may establish a peer review 
process for scientific information used to advise the Council about 
fisheries conservation and management. The Council and NMFS emphasize 
constituent and stakeholder participation in the WPSAR process and 
ensuring rigorous and independent review of information.

Meeting Agenda for WPSAR Review

Monday, June 30, 2014

1. Opening remarks and introductions
2. Overview of the Review Process
    a. Review of Scope of Work
    b. Review process mechanics
3. Background presentations
    a. MSRA requirements for Annual Catch Limits
    b. Initial ACL specification and the need to improve
4. Presentation on the data preparation for the model-based approach
5. Presentation on the Biomass Augmented Catch-MSY model
6. Questions to presenters Review Panel
7. Public Comment

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

8. Presentation on the P* Analysis
9. Discussion and questions for presenters
10. Review panel deliberations and report writing (closed)

[[Page 33910]]

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

11. Review panel deliberations and report writing (closed)

Thursday, July 3, 2014

12. Review panel reports on findings and recommendations
13. Adjourn

    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising 
after publication of this notice 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 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: June 10, 2014.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-13845 Filed 6-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P