2018-05145. Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council); Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice; public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) Steering Committee will convene a public meeting to discuss and approve the 5-year calendar for stock assessments, and to address any other concerns related to the WPSAR process.

DATES:

The Steering Committee will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. on April 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be at the Council office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marlow Sabater, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The WPSAR steering committee consists of the Council's Executive Director, the Director of the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and the Regional Administrator of the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. You may read more about WPSAR at https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/​peer_​reviews/​wpsar/​index.php.

The public will have an opportunity to comment during the meeting. The agenda order may change. The meeting will run as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.

Meeting Agenda

1. Introductions.

2. Discuss and update the 5-year stock assessment review schedule, including any changes to the scheduling of reviews for stock assessments already on the calendar, and any new additions to the schedule.

3. Discuss and update review levels, that is, whether the stock assessments on the calendar will be benchmark assessments (new assessments) or assessment updates (updates of existing models with recent data).

4. Review the upcoming schedule and nominate additional products for review by the Center for Independent Experts, if necessary.

5. Discuss the Stock Assessment Prioritization process.

6. Discuss any changes related to the proposed action to reclassify certain management unit species as ecosystem component species.

7. Discuss process and timing for efficient release of information, that is, from WPSAR to the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee, to the Council, and to NMFS for rulemaking.

8. Public Comment.

Special Accommodations

The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Make direct requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids to Marlowe Sabater at [phone] or [e-mail], at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: March 8, 2018.

Emily H. Menashes,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.