Meetings: Pacific Fishery Management Council,

[Federal Register: February 13, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 30)]

[Notices]

[Page 7402-7403]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr13fe98-51]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020698C]

Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT), Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP), Scientific and Statistical Committee Salmon Subcommittee, Scientific and Statistical Committee Economic Subcommittee, Scientific and Statistical Committee Groundfish Subcommittee, and the full Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold meetings which are open to the public.

DATES: The meetings will be held on March 2-5, 1998. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Portland Downtown, 310 SW Lincoln, Portland, OR 97201; telephone: (503) 221- 0450.

[[Page 7403]]

Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Walker, Fishery Management Analyst; telephone: (503) 326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GAP, the GMT, and the Groundfish Subcommittee of the SSC will meet jointly Monday, March 2, 1998, at 1 p.m. through Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. The GMT will continue meeting Wednesday, March 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Salmon Subcommittee and the Economic Subcommittee of the SSC will meet Tuesday, March 3, at 8 a.m. through Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m., and the full SSC will meet Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. through Thursday, March 5, at 5 p.m.

The purpose of the joint GAP, GMT, and Groundfish Subcommittee of the SSC's meeting is to discuss groundfish management and research issues, including but not limited to draft plan amendments to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (including new definitions, essential fish habitat designation, overfishing and maximum sustainable yield control rules, and bycatch provisions), the proposed stock assessment review process, capacity reduction, and fixed gear sablefish management. These groups will address priorities for groundfish research on Wednesday, March 4, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Wednesday, March 4, the GMT will hold a work session to revise the draft amendment documents and materials related to the joint meeting.

The Salmon Subcommittee of the SSC will review the Klamath Ocean Harvest Model, Amendment 13 to the Salmon Plan, new Oregon hooking mortality figures, draft plan amendments to the Salmon Plan, possible revisions to the harvest modeling for Sacramento fall chinook, and other items scheduled on the agenda for the full SSC meeting.

The Economic Subcommittee of the SSC will discuss the economic data plan, the groundfish capacity reduction plan, and other items scheduled on the agenda of the full SSC meeting.

The full SSC will discuss the review of 1997 salmon fisheries and summary of 1998 stock abundance estimates, salmon estimation procedures and methodologies, draft plan amendments to the draft coastal pelagic species management plan, the Oregon coastal natural coho rebuilding analysis and progress report, groundfish final provisions for 1998 primary fixed gear sablefish season, groundfish capacity reduction program, and the groundfish stock assessment review process for 1998.

Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues will not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in this notice.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Eric Greene at (503) 326-6352 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Dated: February 9, 1998. Gary. Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-3756Filed2-12-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F