[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56611-56612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22502]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC230
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, October 1-9, 2012, in
Anchorage, AK.
DATES: The meetings will be held Monday, October 1, 2012 through
Tuesday, October 9, 2012. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
dates and times of the meetings.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500
W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.
[[Page 56612]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Witherell, Council staff;
telephone: (907) 271-2809.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will begin its plenary session
at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, October 3 continuing through Tuesday October 9.
Council's Advisory Panel (AP) will begin at 8 a.m., Tuesday, October 2
and continue through Saturday, October 6, the Scientific Statistical
Committee (SSC) will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 1 and continue
through Wednesday, October 3. The Enforcement Committee will meet
October 2, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., Birch Room. All meetings are open to the
public, except executive sessions.
Council Plenary Session
The agenda for the Council's plenary session will include the
following issues. The Council may take appropriate action on any of the
issues identified.
Reports
1. Executive Director's Report (including report on spatial tools
for arctic mapping and planning (STAMP), update on staff meetings);
NMFS Management Report (Including report on status of petition to list
corals under Endangered Species Act (ESA), update on the Habitat
Blueprint); Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) Report; NOAA
Enforcement Report; United States Coast Guard (USCG) Report; United
States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Report; Protected Species Report
(PSR).
2. Halibut Fisheries Issues: ADF&G report on final 2011 sport
halibut removals; Final action on Halibut Catch Share Plan; Charter
Halibut: Review Methodology for 2013 limits (SSC only).
3. Groundfish Specifications; Receive Groundfish Plan Team reports;
Aleutian Island Pacific cod model review (SSC only); Adopt proposed
groundfish catch specifications.
4. Observer Program: Receive NMFS report on Observer Deployment
Plan; Receive Observer Advisory Committee (OAC) Report.
5. Steller Sea Lion (SSL) Issues: SSL Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) scoping (October 2); report from SSL Mitigation
Committee; SSC review of SSL EIS analytical approach.
6. Vessel Replacement Issues: Discussion paper on Amendment 80
vessel replacement with American Fisheries Act (AFA) vessels; Initial
review of AFA Vessel Replacement Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Sideboards; Final
Action on Freezer Long Line (FFL) Vessel Replacement (Maximum Length
Overall (MLOA) adjustment).
7. Bering Sea Aleutian Island (BSAI) Crab Management: Initial
Review of BSAI Crab Right of First Refusal (ROFR); Initial Review of
BSAI Crab active participation requirements; Discussion paper on BSAI
Crab Cooperative Provisions for Crew; Workgroup report on BSAI Crab
Binding Arbitration--Golden King Crab; Discussion paper on Binding
Arbitration Issues (lengthy season, publishing decisions, Individual
Processoring Quota (IPQ) Initiation); Crab Economic Data Reporting
(EDR)--Review forms and draft regulations; Final Over Fishing Level
(OFL)/Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) specifications for 6 stocks in
the BSAI Crab Stock Assessment Fishery Evaluation (SAFE); Revise
alternatives for BSAI Tanner crab rebuilding plan.
8. Groundfish Issues: Feedback on goals and objectives on Central
Gulf of Alaska (CGOA) trawl Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) tools;
Expanded discussion paper on Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Use and
Requirements; Review the Bering Sea Habitat Conservation Area Boundary;
Discussion paper on Northern Bering Sea Research.
9. Staff Tasking: Review Committees and tasking.
10. Other Business.
The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
1. Halibut Fisheries Issues.
2. Groundfish Specifications.
3. Observer Program.
4. SSL EIS.
5. AFA Vessel replacement GOA Sideboards.
6. Review of BSAI Crab ROFR.
7. Review of BSAI Crab active participation requirements.
8. OFL/ABC specifications for 6 stocks in the BSAI Crab SAFE.
9. Revise alternatives for BSAI Tanner Crab Rebuilding plan.
10. Northern Bering Sea Research.
The Advisory Panel will address most of the same agenda issues as
the Council except B reports. The Agenda is subject to change, and the
latest version will be posted at http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act),
those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these
meetings. Actions will be restricted to those issues specifically
identified 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 Gail Bendixen at (907) 271-2809 at
least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: September 7, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-22502 Filed 9-12-12; 8:45 am]
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