[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 97 (Friday, May 17, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43379-43380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10854]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD969]


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 meetings.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will meet June 3, 2024, through June 12, 2024, in 
Kodiak, AK.

DATES: The Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will 
begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 3, 2024, and continue through Tuesday, 
June 4, 2024. The Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m. on 
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, and again on Friday, June 7, 2024, through 
Sunday, June 9, 2024. The Council, SSC, and AP will participate in the 
Climate Scenario Workshop all day on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, and 
Thursday, June 6, 2024. The Council will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, 
June 7, 2024, and continue through Wednesday, June 12, 2024. 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 Kodiak Marketplace, 111 W 
Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, AK 99615, 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., Suite 400, 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 3, 2024, Through Tuesday, June 4, 2024

    The SSC agenda will include the following issues:

(1) Observer Annual Report for 2023
(2) Bering Sea and Aleutian Island (BSAI) Crab harvest specifications--
AIGKC (Aleutian Island Gold King Crab) Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report, acceptable biological catch and overfishing 
limits (ABC/OFLs), Plan Team report
(3) Small Sablefish Release--initial review
(4) BSAI Crab Program Review--review report (T)

    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/3047 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 4, 2024, and Friday, June 7, 2024, Through Sunday, June 
9, 2024

    The Advisory Panel agenda will include the following issues:

(1) Observer Annual Report for 2023
(2) BSAI Crab harvest specifications--AIGKC SAFE report, ABC/OFLs, Plan 
Team report
(3) Unobserved Fishing Mortality Workgroup--review report
(4) Small Sablefish Release--initial review
(5) BSAI Crab Program Review--review report
(6) Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Program Review--review 
workplan
(7) Research Priorities--adopt 5-year research priorities
(8) BSAI Pot Cod Limited Access Privilege Program (LAPP)--review 
discussion paper
(9) Staff Tasking

    The agenda is subject to change, and the latest version will be 
posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3046 prior to the 
meeting, along with meeting materials.

[[Page 43380]]

Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Through Thursday, June 6, 2024

    The Climate Scenario Workshop agenda will include presentations and 
discussion on the following topics:
    (1) The definition of climate readiness, and opportunities for 
building climate readiness in the Council process.
    (2) Case studies of climate change impacts to Alaska fisheries.
    (3) An introduction to the approach of climate scenario planning, 
and four hypothetical scenarios that will be discussed during breakout 
sessions.
    (4) Breakout discussions to explore the four hypothetical scenarios 
in depth and generate ideas for approaches the Council could take to 
build resilience and meet management objectives across a range of 
possible futures.
    (5) Opportunities for ecosystem-based management approaches and 
information to support climate readiness.
    (6) Wrap-up discussions to share highlights from breakout sessions 
and consider potential next steps.
    The agenda is subject to change, and the latest version will be 
posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3049 prior to the 
meeting, along with meeting materials.

Friday, June 7, 2024, Through Wednesday, June 12, 2024

    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), NOAA Enforcement Report, 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), North 
Pacific Research Board, Advisory Panel, SSC report)
(2) Observer Annual Report for 2023
(3) BSAI Crab harvest specifications--AIGKC SAFE report, ABC/OFLs, Plan 
Team report
(4) Unobserved Fishing Mortality Workgroup--review report
(5) Area 4 Vessel Caps--Initial Review
(6) Small Sablefish Release--initial review
(7) BSAI Crab Program Review--review report
(8) Central GOA Rockfish Program Review--review workplan
(9) BSAI Pot Cod LAPP--review discussion paper
(10) Research Priorities--adopt 5-year research priorities
(11) Staff Tasking

    The Council will also meet in Executive Session on Friday morning 
and Saturday 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/3046 prior to the meeting, 
along with meeting materials.

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 10, 2024, to May 31, 2024, and closes at 12 p.m. 
Alaska time on Friday, May 31, 2024.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. 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 14, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-10854 Filed 5-16-24; 8:45 am]
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