[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 98 (Monday, May 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32756-32757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10867]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD036]


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of hybrid conference.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will meet June 5, 2023 through June 11, 2023, in 
Sitka, AK.

DATES: The Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will 
begin at 8 a.m. in the auditorium on Monday, June 5, 2023, and continue 
through Wednesday, June 5, 2023. The Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will 
begin at 8 a.m. in room 6 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, and continue 
through Thursday, June 8, 2023. The Council will begin at 8 a.m. in the 
auditorium on Thursday, June 8, 2023, and continue through Sunday, June 
11, 2023. All times listed are Alaska Time.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be a hybrid conference. The in-person 
component of the meeting will be held at the Harrigan Centennial Hall, 
330 Harbor Drive, Sitka, AK 99835, or join the meeting online through 
the links at https://www.npfmc.org/upcoming-council-meetings.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1007 W 
3rd Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501-2252; telephone: (907) 271-2809. 
Instructions for attending the meeting via webconference are given 
under Connection Information below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Evans, Council staff; email: 
[email protected]; telephone: (907) 271-2809. For technical support, 
please contact our Council administrative staff; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda

Monday, June 5, 2023, Through Wednesday, June 7, 2023

    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:

1. Discussion of potential meeting cycle adjustments
2. Presentation on revised National Standard 1 guidelines
3. Bering Sea and Aleutian Island (BSAI) Crab harvest specifications--
review and recommendations for the Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report, acceptable biological catch and overfishing 
limits (ABC/OFLs), Plan Team report
4. Observer reports--review Observer Annual Report for 2022
5. Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBRKC) closure areas--Initial review
6. Crew data collection discussion paper--Review

    The SSC will also meet in Executive Session on Monday morning, to 
discuss internal administrative issues. The agenda is subject to 
change, and the latest version will be posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2994 prior to the meeting, along 
with meeting materials.
    In addition to providing ongoing scientific advice for fishery 
management decisions, the SSC functions as the Council's primary peer 
review panel for scientific information, as described by the Magnuson-
Stevens Act section 302(g)(1)(e), and the National Standard 2 
guidelines (78 FR 43066). The peer-review process is also deemed to 
satisfy the requirements of the Information Quality Act, including the 
OMB Peer Review Bulletin guidelines.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023, Through Thursday, June 9, 2023

    The Advisory Panel agenda will include the following issues:

1. Crab C share recent participation requirement--Initial review
2. BSAI Crab harvest specifications--SAFE report, ABC/OFLs, Plan Team 
report
3. Observer reports--review (a) Observer Annual Report for 2022; (b) 
partial coverage cost efficiencies report, and (c) Partial Coverage 
Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (PCFMAC) and Fishery Monitoring 
Advisory Committee (FMAC) reports
4. BBRKC closure areas--Initial review
5. Small sablefish release staff update--Review
6. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)--Consider purpose 
and need, alternatives; Ecosystem Committee Report
7. Staff Tasking, including discussion of potential meeting cycle 
adjustments

    The agenda is subject to change, and the latest version will be 
posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2993 prior to the 
meeting, along with meeting materials.

Thursday, June 8, 2023, Through Sunday, June 11, 2023

    The Council agenda will include the following issues. The Council 
may take appropriate action on any of the issues identified.

1. B Reports (Executive Director, NMFS Management, NOAA General Counsel 
(GC), Alaska Fishery Science Center (AFSC), Alaska Department of Fish 
and Game (ADF&G), United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), AP, SSC)
2. BSAI Crab harvest specifications--SAFE report, ABC/OFLs, Plan Team 
report
3. Observer reports--review (a) Observer Annual Report for 2022; (b) 
partial coverage cost efficiencies report, and (c) PCFMAC and FMAC 
reports
4. Crab C share recent participation requirement--Initial review
5. Small sablefish release staff update--Review
6. BBRKC closure areas--Initial review
7. Programmatic EIS--Consider purpose and need, alternatives; Ecosystem 
Committee report
8. Staff Tasking, including potential meeting cycle adjustments and 
action as necessary on crew data collection

    The Council will also meet in Executive Session on Friday 
afternoon, to discuss internal administrative issues. The agenda is 
subject to change, and the latest version will be posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2993 prior to the meeting, along 
with meeting materials.

[[Page 32757]]

Connection Information

    You can attend the meeting online using a computer, tablet, or 
smart phone; or by phone only. Connection information will be posted 
online at: https://www.npfmc.org/upcoming-council-meetings. For 
technical support, please contact our administrative staff, email: 
[email protected].
    If you are attending the meeting in-person, please refer to the 
COVID avoidance protocols on our website, https://www.npfmc.org/upcoming-council-meetings/.

Public Comment

    Public comment letters will be accepted and should be submitted 
electronically through the links at https://www.npfmc.org/upcoming-council-meetings. The Council strongly encourages written public 
comment for this meeting, to avoid any potential for technical 
difficulties to compromise oral testimony. The written comment period 
is open from May 12, 2023, to June 2, 2023, and closes at 12 p.m. 
Alaska Time on Friday, June 2, 2023.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Actions will be restricted to 
those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising 
after publication of this notice that require emergency action under 
Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 17, 2023.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-10867 Filed 5-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P