[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 68]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28845]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD623]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public online meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council's (Pacific Council's) Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC) will hold a virtual meeting to review the 2023 groundfish stock 
assessment process and discuss process improvements for the next stock 
assessment cycle, review proposed revisions to the Terms of Reference 
for the Groundfish Stock Assessment Review Process for 2025 and 2026, 
review proposed revisions to the Terms of Reference for the Groundfish 
Rebuilding Analysis for 2025 and 2026, and update the Accepted 
Practices Guidelines for Groundfish Stock Assessments document. The SSC 
Groundfish Subcommittee meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The SSC Groundfish Subcommittee's online meeting will be held 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until 5 
p.m. Pacific time or until business for the day has been completed. The 
Subcommittee will reconvene on Thursday, January 18, 2024 beginning at 
8 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. or when business for the day has been 
completed.

ADDRESSES: The SSC Groundfish Subcommittee's meeting is being conducted 
online. Specific meeting information, materials, and instructions for 
how to connect to the meeting remotely will be provided in the meeting 
announcement on the Pacific Council's website (see https://www.pcouncil.org). Please contact Kris Kleinschmidt 
([email protected]) or (503) 820-2412 for technical 
assistance.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, Oregon 97220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlene A. Bellman, Staff Officer, 
Pacific Council; telephone: (503) 820-2414, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the SSC Groundfish 
Subcommittee's meeting includes, (a) review proposed changes to the 
Terms of Reference for the Groundfish Stock Assessment Review Process 
for 2025 and 2026, and Terms of Reference for the Groundfish Rebuilding 
Analysis for 2025 and 2026, that will inform the process for conducting 
and reviewing groundfish assessments and rebuilding analyses in the 
next cycle, (b) review proposed changes to the Accepted Practices 
Guidelines for Stock Assessments in 2025 and 2026, which is a 
compilation of guidelines for groundfish stock assessment scientists, 
and (c) to review and evaluate the 2023-2024 groundfish stock 
assessment review process to solicit process improvements for future 
reviews. Stock assessment teams and review participants are encouraged 
to attend, as well as members of the Pacific Council's groundfish 
advisory bodies in order to prepare their recommendations to the 
Pacific Council.
    No management actions will be decided by the SSC Groundfish 
Subcommittee. Process improvement recommendations and proposed changes 
to the Terms of Reference and Accepted Practices Guidelines documents 
will first be considered during this online meeting, with a Groundfish 
Subcommittee post-meeting report to the full SSC at their March 2024 
meeting and their recommended changes to the Terms of Reference 
scheduled for preliminary Pacific Council adoption for public review. 
The Pacific Council is scheduled to adopt a final Terms of Reference 
for the 2025-2026 stock assessment cycle at their June 2024 meeting in 
San Diego, California.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agendas 
may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action 
during these meetings. Action 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 intent to take final 
action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt 
([email protected]; (503) 820-2412) at least 10 days prior to 
the meeting date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 22, 2023.
Diane M. DeJames-Daly,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-28845 Filed 12-29-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P