[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 65 (Thursday, April 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 13252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06594]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG931


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Halibut Deck 
Sorting Monitoring Requirements for Trawl Catcher/Processors Operating 
in Non-Pollock Groundfish Fisheries off Alaska; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS representatives will meet with public stakeholders to 
provide an overview of, and receive public comment on, proposed 
regulations to implement new catch handling and monitoring requirements 
to allow Pacific halibut bycatch to be sorted on the deck of trawl 
catcher/processors and motherships participating in the non-pollock 
groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The proposed rule is expected to 
publish in the Federal Register during the first week of April 2019.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 18, 2019, from 1 p.m. to 3 
p.m., Pacific Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at The Mountaineers, Cascade A 
room, located at 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Krieger, 907-586-7650.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed regulations to allow halibut 
deck sorting would reduce halibut mortality by allowing halibut to be 
discarded and returned to the sea faster than current monitoring 
requirements allow. Reducing halibut discard mortality could maximize 
prosecution of the directed groundfish fisheries that otherwise might 
be constrained by restrictive halibut prohibited species catch limits, 
and may benefit vessels participating in the directed halibut fishery 
by returning more live halibut to the water that would then become 
available for harvest. Participation in halibut deck sorting and 
monitoring activities would be voluntary to allow industry flexibility 
to assess economic conditions and conduct halibut deck sorting when the 
benefits of reduced mortality provide valuable fishing opportunities 
that outweigh the operational cost of halibut deck sorting.
    NMFS will hold an in-person meeting in Seattle, Washington, on 
April 18, 2019. Meeting topics include a description of the proposed 
regulations and an opportunity for the public to provide comments and 
ask questions.

Special Accommodations

    This workshop will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Joseph Krieger, 907-586-7650, at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: April 1, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06594 Filed 4-3-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P