E8-16109. Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Halibut Managers Workgroup (HMW) will hold a work session to discuss implications of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) proposed catch apportionment methodology and to develop consensus on issues affecting Area 2A halibut fisheries prior to the IPHC workshop on catch apportionment. The HMW is not a committee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), however, the Council has expressed interest in having a report from the HMW, and has offered to provide meeting space. The meeting is open to the public.

DATES:

The meeting will be held Thursday, August 7, 2008, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Pacific Fishery Management Council Office, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Chuck Tracy, Salmon and Halibut Management Staff Officer, Pacific Fishery Management Council, telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The purpose of the meeting is to allow an exchange of information and ideas among managers and industry representatives from Area 2A, primarily as they relate to the upcoming IPHC workshop on catch apportionment. The objective of the meeting will be to develop a consensus on a catch apportionment strategy that will be both fair and biologically sound, which can be presented at the IPHC workshop scheduled for September 4, 2008.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agendas may come before the HMW for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 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

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Ms. Carolyn Porter at [phone] at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Dated: July 10, 2008.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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