99-24575. North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 51095-51096]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-24575]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    [I.D. 091499H]
    
    
    North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
    
    AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
    Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
    
    ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
    
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    SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
    advisory committees will hold public meetings. The Council will also 
    meet in joint session with the International Pacific Halibut Commission 
    (IPHC).
    
    DATES: The Council and its advisory bodies will meet in Seattle, WA the 
    week of October 11, 1999. The Council will meet with the IPHC on 
    Tuesday, October 12, beginning at 9:00 a.m , continuing until the 
    agenda is complete. On the same day, immediately following the 
    completion of the joint meeting, but not before 1:00 p.m., the Council 
    will begin its regular plenary session and at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 
    October 13, continuing through Monday, October
    
    [[Page 51096]]
    
    18. All meetings are open to the public except Executive Sessions which 
    may be held during the week to discuss litigation and/or personnel 
    matters.
    
    ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, Seattle 
    Airport, 18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA.
        Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
    4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff; telephone: 907-271-
    2809.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The agenda for the Council's joint session 
    with the International Pacific Halibut Commission will include the 
    following subjects:
        1. Halibut Bycatch
        2. Halibut Charterboat/Recreational Catch Issues
        3. Season Extension for Halibut
        4. Data for Local Area Management Plans
        5. Fee Collection Program
        6. Enforcement
        The agenda for the Council's normal plenary session will include 
    the following issues. The Council may take appropriate action on any of 
    the issues identified.
        1. Reports
        (a) Executive Director's Report
        (b) State Fisheries Report by Alaska Department of Fish and Game
        (c) NMFS Management Report
        (d) Enforcement and Surveillance Reports
        2. Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Fixed Gear Pacific Cod 
    Allocations-final approval
        3. American Fisheries Act
        (a) Performance report on 1999 co-ops: discuss expectations.
        (b) Review proposed regulations for crab processing sideboards.
        (c) Review report from the Processor Sideboard Committee.
        (d) Inshore co-op structure and processor sideboards: final action.
        (e) Review progress on amendment for excessive share caps (BSAI 
    harvest and processing).
        (f) Update on meeting data requirements.
        (g) Review Committee report on Gulf of Alaska co-ops.
        (h) Management of red king crab catcher vessel sideboards: discuss.
        4. License Limitation Program
        (a) Progress report on implementation.
        (b) Pacific cod species and gear endorsements: preliminary 
    analysis.
        (c) Crab license buyback: discussion.
        5. Multispecies Community Development Quotas (CDQ)
        (a) Review and comment on State of Alaska's 2000 pollock and 
    associated bycatch CDQ allocations.
        (b) CDQ observer coverage: discussion.
        6. Recordkeeping & Reporting, & Observers
        (a) Observer program: status report.
        (b) Electronic shoreside reporting: status report.
        7. Steller Sea Lions
        (a) Status of litigation, emergency rules for 1999, and amendments 
    for 2000.
        (b) Status of Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives and discussion of 
    need for court-ordered revisions.
        (8) Groundfish Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: scoping 
    and further action.
        9. Halibut and Sablefish Management
        (a) Weighmaster program: further direction.
        (b) Halibut subsistence issue: status report and direction as 
    appropriate.
        10. Essential Fish Habitat: preliminary review of habitat areas of 
    particular concern.
        11. Joint Alaska Board of Fisheries/North Pacific Council 
    Activities:
        (a) Review protocol and any other recommendations from joint 
    committee.
        (b) Discuss possible amendments to clarify Category 1 and 3 
    measures in the crab fishery management plan.
        12. Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization: Update.
        13. Ecosystems Management: Committee Report
        14. Groundfish Amendments
        (a) Cook Inlet non-pelagic trawl ban: initial review.
        (b) Shark and skate management plan: initial review.
        (c) Pelagic trawl definition: joint committee report and further 
    action.
        15. Groundfish Specifications for 2000
        (a) Specifications process: discussion.
        (b) Interim specification and associated analyses for 2000: 
    approval.
        16. Crab Management
        (a) Plan team report and review of Stock Assessment and Fishery 
    Evaluation report.
        (b) Bairdi rebuilding plan: final action.
        (c) Standdown alternatives: review joint committee recommendations.
        (d) Status of C. opilio stocks: staff report and Council direction 
    on development of rebuilding plan.
        17. Staff Tasking: Review amendment proposals; give direction to 
    staff.
    
    Advisory Meetings
    
        The Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) Committee will 
    meet between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 10, to review 
    proposals for changes to the IFQ program.
        The Advisory Panel will meet beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, 
    October 11, continuing through Thursday, October 14, 1999. The agenda 
    for the Advisory Panel will mirror that of the Council listed above.
        The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet beginning 
    at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 11, continuing through Wednesday, 
    October 13, 1999. The agenda for the SSC will address scientific issues 
    on the Council agenda.
        The Gulf of Alaska Co-op Committee will meet Thursday, October 14, 
    between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to continue discussions on forming 
    cooperatives in the Gulf of Alaska fisheries.
        Other committees and workgroups may hold impromptu meetings 
    throughout the meeting week. Such meetings will be announced during 
    regularly-scheduled meetings of the Council, Advisory Panel, and SSC, 
    and will be posted at the hotel.
        Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
    before this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
    Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not 
    be the subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council 
    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 
    Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to 
    take final action to address the emergency.
    
    Special Accommodations
    
        These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
    disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
    auxiliary aids should be directed to Ms. Helen Allen at 907-271-2809 at 
    least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.
    
        Dated: September 15, 1999.
    Bruce C. Morehead,
    Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
    Fisheries Service.
    [FR Doc. 99-24575 Filed 9-20-99; 8:45 am]
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