[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13732-13733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06484]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG124


Western 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 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold its Protected Species Advisory Committee (PSAC) meeting to review 
relevant sections of the draft 2017 annual Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan 
(FEP), American Samoa Archipelago FEP, Hawaii FEP, Mariana Archipelago 
FEP and Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) FEP. The PSAC will also 
receive updates on matters related to fishery management and may make 
recommendations on these topics.

DATES: The meetings will be held between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on April 19 
and 20, 2018. For the agenda, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The PSAC meeting will be held at the Council office, 1164 
Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone: (808) 522-8220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Contact Kitty M. Simonds, Executive 
Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; phone: (808) 522-
8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public comment periods will be provided 
throughout the agenda. The order in which agenda items are addressed 
may change and will be announced in advance at the meeting. The meeting 
will run as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.

Agenda

Thursday, April 19, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Status of the Fourth Protected Species Advisory Committee Meeting 
Recommendations
4. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act Updates
5. Insular and Pelagic Non-Longline Fisheries Issues
    A. Review of the Draft 2017 FEP Annual SAFE Report for Insular 
Fisheries
    i. Summary of relevant fishery data
    ii. Protected species section
    iii. Discussion and synthesis
    B. Review of the Draft 2017 FEP Annual SAFE Report for Pelagic Non-
Longline Fisheries
    i. Summary of relevant fishery data
    ii. Protected species section
    iii. Discussion and synthesis
    C. Council Fishery Actions on Insular

[[Page 13733]]

and Pelagic Non-Longline Fisheries
6. Council's Research Priorities
    A. Five-year Research Priorities
    B. Cooperative Research Priorities
    C. Discussion
7. Public Comment

Friday, April 20, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

8. Pelagic Longline Fisheries Issues
    A. Review of the Draft 2017 FEP Annual SAFE Report
    i. Summary of relevant fishery data: 2017 Hawaii and American Samoa 
Logbook Reports
    ii. 2017 Protected species section
    iii. 2017 Albatross Workshop Report
    iv. Olive ridley and leatherback turtle analysis
    v. Developing a standardized metric to monitor protected species 
interactions
    vi. Discussion and synthesis
    B. Council Fishery Actions on Pelagic Longline Fisheries
    i. Framework for Managing Sea Turtle Interactions in the Hawaii 
Shallow-set Longline Fishery
    a. Overview of the action
    b. Characterization of loggerhead turtle interactions in the Hawaii 
shallow-set longline fishery
    c. Review of sea turtle impacts assessment approaches
    ii. Other actions
    C. Discussion on Emerging Issues, Data Gaps and Research Needs
9. Public Comment
10. Committee Discussion and Recommendations
11. Other Business and Next Meeting

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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: March 27, 2018.
Jeffrey N. Lonergan,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-06484 Filed 3-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P