[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 20 (Friday, January 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4624-4625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2279]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 012398B]
Magnuson Act Provisions; Effects of Fishing on Essential Fish
Habitat; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting.
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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a public meeting to brief the Pacific Fishery
Management Council's (PFMC) Groundfish Management Team and interested
parties on the results of a synthesis of available scientific
information on fishing gear impacts on habitat entitled: The Indirect
Effects of Fishing by Peter J. Auster and Richard W. Langton. Following
a presentation there will be an opportunity for questions and comments.
NMFS requests that comments be limited to those concerning the adequacy
of the synthesis, i.e., what scientific studies are missing, and any
disagreements with the scientific conclusions.
DATES: The meeting will be held February 9, 1998. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for specific location, and time.
ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the draft report and additional
information should be addressed to Office of Habitat Conservation,
Attention: Gear Impacts, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring,
MD 20910-3282; telephone: 301/713-2325.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Thomas, NMFS, 301/713-2325.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act of
1996, requires that the Councils minimize, to the extent practicable,
adverse effects of fishing on habitat. The Magnuson-Stevens Act further
stipulates that fishers and other interested parties be involved in
this process. This process begins with a synthesis that surveys and
assesses all available information through the scientific literature
concerning adverse effects of fishing. The draft synthesis is being
presented and discussed at this public meeting. The final synthesis
document will be available to all of the Councils and to other
interested parties for use in addressing adverse impacts from fishing
gear within fishery management plans. NMFS is hosting a series of
meetings to inform the Councils and to involve interested parties early
in the process of addressing the effects of fishing on habitat.
Information on the locations of the other meetings was provided in an
earlier notice (63 FR 2217, January 14, 1998) and will not be repeated
here. The meeting announced in this notice will provide an opportunity
for members of the PFMC's Groundfish Management Team, West Coast
fishers, and the public an opportunity to comment on the draft
synthesis document.
Public Meeting
Monday, February 9, 1998, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST at the
Doubletree Downtown Hotel, Multnomah Falls Room, 310 SW Lincoln,
Portland, OR 97201; telephone 503/221-0450.
Special Accommodations
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Jim Thomas (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT)
at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
[[Page 4625]]
Dated: January 26, 1998.
James P. Burgess,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-2279 Filed 1-26-98; 4:44 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
