[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 136 (Thursday, July 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42087-42088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17457]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE038


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of a public work session.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has reinitiated consultation under the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) on the effects to listed Pacific salmon species from 
implementation of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. 
NMFS announces a public work session for interested stakeholders to 
provide input relative to managing the impacts to salmon from the 
groundfish fisheries. NMFS is seeking information on the amount and 
distribution of salmon bycatch, salmon bycatch management in the 
different sectors of the groundfish fishery, and whether stakeholders 
anticipate changes in fishing strategies or target species over the 
next few years that could alter the amount and distribution of salmon 
bycatch. NMFS and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
consider the information discussed at the work session in developing 
and evaluating the proposed action for the ESA consultation.

DATES: The work session will be held as a Webinar on Wednesday July 29, 
2015 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for 
the day has been completed. Written comments will also be accepted via 
email. To be considered in the work session report to the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council), email comments must be received 
no later than noon August 7, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted via email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons who wish to receive further 
information about the work session or have questions about this notice 
should contact Kevin Duffy at [email protected] or Becky Renko at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

General

    a. How may I participate in this webinar? To join the Webinar visit 
this Internet link: www.gotomeeting.com/online/webinar/join-webinar and 
enter the Webinar ID: 110-773-275. Your name and email address are 
required. To join the audio, participants can use their computer's 
microphone and speakers (VoIP) or use their telephone: Toll: +1 (415) 
655-0059; Attendee Access Code: 227-478-994. The Audio Pin will be 
shown after joining the webinar.
    System Requirements for participation: For PC-based attendees the 
system requires Windows[supreg] 7, Vista, or XP; for Mac[supreg]-based 
attendees the system requires Mac OS[supreg] X 10.5 or newer; for 
Mobile attendees the system requires iPhone[supreg], iPad[supreg], 
AndroidTM phone or Android tablet.
    b. How can I get a copy of the webinar materials? The Webinar will 
be based on documents that are available online in the Council's June 
2015 briefing book under agenda item D.3. The relevant briefing book 
materials include:
     NMFS report 1 on to salmon bycatch in the groundfish 
fishery
     NMFS report 2, the 2006 supplemental biological opinion,
     NMFS supplemental powerpoint
    The Council's June 2015 briefing book document is available on line 
at www.pcouncil.org/resources/archives/briefing-books/june-2015-briefing-book/#gfJun2015.
    c. What if I cannot attend this Webinar? A video presentation will 
be available online at www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish/index.html. Interested persons are welcome to watch the 
online video presentation and submit written comments by email to 
[email protected] by noon August 7, 2015.

Background

    The groundfish fishery is a year-round, multi-species fishery 
occurring off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Salmon 
are encountered as bycatch by vessels fishing for groundfish. NMFS is 
in the process of evaluating the groundfish fishery's interaction with 
salmon, including ESA-listed salmon. The purpose of the Webinar is to 
engage with stakeholders and management entities on information 
relative to managing impacts to salmon from the groundfish fisheries.
    On January 22, 2013, the NMFS West Coast Region's Sustainable 
Fisheries Division requested reinitiation of ESA section 7 consultation 
addressing the groundfish fishery's effects on ESA-listed salmon. The 
request was based on the evolution of the shorebased trawl fishery 
under the trawl rationalization framework, and new estimates of Chinook 
and coho salmon catch in the nearshore fixed gear fisheries (open

[[Page 42088]]

access and limited entry fisheries) and limited entry sablefish 
fishery. In October 2014, catch of Chinook in the Pacific whiting 
fisheries in aggregate exceeded 11,000 Chinook, which is the amount of 
take anticipated under the existing biological opinion. That exceedance 
also required reinitiation of consultation. Therefore, the reinitiated 
consultation will address the effects of all fishing under the Pacific 
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan on listed salmon species.
    NMFS is seeking information on whether stakeholders anticipate 
changes in the prosecution of the groundfish fishery in the next few 
years and how those changes may alter the amount and distribution of 
salmon bycatch and its management in the different sectors. For 
example, the fishery may change as a result of greater access to 
rebuilt species and greater flexibility under the individual fishing 
quota (IFQ) program. These changes may affect the amount and patterns 
of salmon bycatch. NMFS is also interested in stakeholder input on the 
types of measures that stakeholders believe could minimize salmon 
bycatch while allowing flexibility in the groundfish fishery. NMFS 
intends to consider this information when refining the description of 
the proposed action under consultation and evaluating the anticipated 
effects of the fishery on ESA-listed salmonids.

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

    Dated: July 13, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17457 Filed 7-15-15; 8:45 am]
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