2017-10507. Western 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 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Mariana Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP) to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

DATES:

The CNMI Mariana Archipelago FEP AP will meet on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All times listed are local island times. For specific times and agendas, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES:

The CNMI Mariana Archipelago FEP AP will meet at the Saipan Department of Land and Natural Resources Conference Room, Lower Base, Saipan, MP 96950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public comment periods will be provided in the agenda. The order in which agenda items are addressed may change. The meetings will run as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.

Schedule and Agenda for the CNMI Mariana Archipelago FEP AP Meeting

Wednesday, June 7, 2017, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Report on Previous Council Action Items

3. Council Issues

A. CNMI Marine Conservation Plan

B. Council Research Priorities

i. Cooperative Research Priorities

ii. Magnuson Stevens Act Five-year Priorities

4. Mariana FEP Community Activities

5. Marianas FEP AP-CNMI Issues

A. Report of the Subpanels

i. Island Fisheries Subpanel

ii. Pelagic Fisheries Subpanel

iii. Ecosystems and Habitat Subpanel

iv. Indigenous Fishing Rights Subpanel

B. Other Issues

6. Public Comment

7. Discussion and Recommendations

8. Other Business

Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 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.

Special Accommodations

The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, [phone] (voice) or [phone] (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

Dated: May 18, 2017.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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