[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 9104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04643]
[[Page 9104]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG844
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; public meeting.
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SUMMARY: NMFS and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review
(WPSAR) of three 2019 benchmark stock assessments for bottomfish in
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(CNMI), and Guam.
DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting dates and times and
the daily agenda.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Western Pacific Fishery
Management Council office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI
96813.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Seki, Director, NMFS Pacific
Islands Fisheries Science Center, tel (808) 725-5360, fax (808) 725-
5360, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
(PIFSC) conducted three benchmark stock assessments for the Bottomfish
Management Unit Species (BMUS) in the U.S. territories of American
Samoa, the CNMI, and Guam, and combined them into a single stock
assessment review. For each assessment, scientists modelled all BMUS
species a single complex. PIFSC conducted the previous stock
assessments for territorial bottomfish as an update in 2015. The 2019
benchmark assessments incorporate improvements to data standardization
and model assumptions that follow recommendations from the review panel
for the 2015 assessments for the same stocks. The 2019 assessments also
account for variations in creel survey estimates of BMUS catch. PIFSC
used production models to estimate biomass and stock status through
time, and to evaluate stock status against maximum sustainable yield-
based reference points set in the fishery ecosystem plans for American
Samoa and the Mariana Archipelago, which includes the CNMI and Guam.
The 2019 assessments provide projections to inform management in
recommending allowable biological catch and annual catch limits.
Meeting Agenda
The WPSAR panel will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The
agenda order may change and the meeting will run as late as necessary
to complete scheduled business.
Day 1, Monday April 15
1. Welcome and Introductions.
2. Background information--Objectives and Terms of Reference.
a. Fishery Operation.
b. Fishery Management.
3. History of stock assessments and reviews.
4. Data.
a. Western Pacific Fisheries Information Network
b. Life history information.
c. Other.
5. Presentation and review of stock assessment.
Day 2, Tuesday April 16
6. Continue presentation and review of stock assessment.
Day 3, Wednesday April 17
7. Continue review of stock assessment.
Day 4, Thursday April 18
8. Continue review of stock assessment.
9. Public comment period.
10. Panel discussions (closed).
Day 5, Friday April 19
11. Continue panel discussions (closed, morning).
12. Panel presents recommendations (afternoon).
13. Adjourn.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Please direct requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids to Michael Seki (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section above) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 8, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-04643 Filed 3-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P