[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 61268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27820]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF918


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of reports; public meetings, and 
hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) has 
begun its annual preseason management process for the 2018 ocean salmon 
fisheries. This document announces the availability of Pacific Council 
documents as well as the dates and locations of Pacific Council 
meetings and public hearings comprising the Pacific Council's complete 
schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final 
modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas 
for the March and April 2018 Pacific Council meetings will be published 
in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

DATES: Written comments on the salmon management alternatives must be 
received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time, March 30, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Documents will be available from, and written comments 
should be sent to Mr. Phil Anderson, Chair, Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220-1384, 
telephone: (503) 820-2280 (voice) or (503) 820-2299 (fax). Comments can 
also be submitted via email at [email protected]. or through the 
internet at the Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments, and include the I.D. 
number in the subject line of the message. For specific meeting and 
hearing locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Robin Ehlke; telephone: (503) 820-
2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Tentative Schedule for Document Completion and Availability

    February 16, 2018: ``Review of 2017 Ocean Salmon Fisheries, Stock 
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Document for the Pacific Coast Salmon 
Fishery Management Plan'' is scheduled to be posted on the Pacific 
Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    March 2, 2018: ``Preseason Report I--Stock Abundance Analysis and 
Environmental Assessment Part 1 for 2018 Ocean Salmon Fishery 
Regulations'' is scheduled to be posted on the Pacific Council website 
at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    March 22, 2018: ``Preseason Report II--Proposed Alternatives and 
Environmental Assessment Part 2 for 2018 Ocean Salmon Fishery 
Regulations'' and public hearing schedule is scheduled to be posted on 
the Pacific Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org. The report will 
include a description of the adopted salmon management alternatives and 
a summary of their biological and economic impacts.
    April 20, 2018: ``Preseason Report III--Council-Adopted Management 
Measures and Environmental Assessment Part 3 for 2018 Ocean Salmon 
Fishery Regulations'' scheduled to be posted on the Pacific Council 
website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
    May 1, 2018: Federal regulations for 2018 ocean salmon regulations 
will be published in the Federal Register and implemented.

Meetings and Hearings

    January 16-19, 2018: The Salmon Technical Team (STT) will meet at 
the Council office in a public work session to draft ``Review of 2017 
Ocean Salmon Fisheries, Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 
Document for the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan'' and to 
consider any other estimation or methodology issues pertinent to the 
2018 ocean salmon fisheries.
    February 20-23, 2018: The STT will meet at the Council office in a 
public work session to draft ``Preseason Report I-Stock Abundance 
Analysis and Environmental Assessment Part 1 for 2018 Ocean Salmon 
Fishery Regulations'' and to consider any other estimation or 
methodology issues pertinent to the 2018 ocean salmon fisheries.
    March 26-27, 2018: Public hearings will be held to receive comments 
on the proposed ocean salmon fishery management alternatives adopted by 
the Pacific Council. Written comments received at the public hearings 
and a summary of oral comments at the hearings will be provided to the 
Pacific Council at its April meeting.
    All public hearings begin at 7 p.m. at the following locations:
    March 26, 2018: Chateau Westport, Fremont Room, 710 West Hancock, 
Westport, WA 98595, telephone: (360) 268-9101.
    March 26, 2018: Red Lion Hotel, South Umpqua Room, 1313 North 
Bayshore Drive, Coos Bay, OR 97420, telephone: (541) 267-4141.
    March 27, 2018: Laurel Inn & Conference Center, 801 West Laurel 
Drive, Salinas, CA 93906, telephone: (831) 449-2474.
    Although nonemergency issues not contained in the STT meeting 
agendas may come before the STT for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subject of formal STT action during these meetings. STT action will 
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and 
to any issues arising after publication of this document requiring 
emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the STT's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These public meetings and hearings are physically accessible to 
people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or 
other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at 
(503) 820-2280 (voice), or (503) 820-2299 (fax) at least 10 days prior 
to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: December 20, 2017.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27820 Filed 12-26-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P