[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 173 (Thursday, September 8, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-22169] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: September 8, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE [I.D. 083194C] North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Meetings AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meetings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet during the week of September 26, 1994, at the Red Lion Hotel, 18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA. All meetings are open to the public with the exception of an executive session to be held during the lunch hour one day during the meeting week. All meetings will be held at the hotel and are scheduled as follows: The Council Advisory Panel and Scientific and Statistical Committee will meet beginning at 8:00 a.m. on September 27. The Council will begin at 8:00 on September 28. Each meeting will continue until business is completed. There may be other workgroup and/ or committee meetings held during the week. Notice of meetings will be posted. Time permitting, the Council will address, and may take appropriate action on, the following agenda items: (1) Oath of office to newly-appointed members, and election of officers; (2) Reports from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NMFS on current status of fisheries and regulations; reports from NMFS and the Coast Guard on fisheries enforcement activities; and status reports on marine mammals in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Alaska and reauthorization of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act; (3) Report and discussion of Law of the Sea and current treaties and agreements; (4) Reports on the Observer Plan, setting first-year fees for the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan, and observer insurance concerns; (5) Status report on the Sablefish and Halibut Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program and on pending amendments and other issues of clarification, including hardships and lien registry. Approve Community Development Quota (CDQ) plans for 1995-97; (6) Identify elements and alternatives for analysis of rollover of offshore and CDQ programs; (7) Consider approval for public review of preliminary analysis for a license program for groundfish and crab fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska. Receive discussion papers and discuss harvest priority and full utilization issues, and discuss future IFQ programs; (8) Discuss Secretary's decision to disapprove moratorium and take action as necessary; (9) Discuss inter-council cooperative management of Pacific pelagic fisheries; (10) Crab management: Review plan team report and status of stocks; schedule time for joint Council/Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting; (11) Salmon Bycatch Issues: Receive report from the Salmon Foundation; review a salmon retention and delivery amendment for final action, and receive preliminary analysis of time and area closures to reduce salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands; (12) 1995 Initial Groundfish Specifications: Review and approve for public review the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation documents for the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries and set preliminary 1995 groundfish specifications, bycatch rates, Vessel Incentive Program rates, and discard mortality rates for halibut in the groundfish fisheries; (13) Consider final action on a regulatory amendment for total weight measurement in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. Initial review of regulatory amendments for trawl mesh regulations, halibut grid-sorting, and a regulatory amendment which would prohibit using a vessel with a Federal permit from fishing for groundfish in international waters or possessing groundfish in the EEZ that were caught in international waters during the fishing year for which the permit is issued; and (14) Additional issues for discussion including measures to reduce the bycatch of opilio crab in other fisheries, a proposal to remove the Gulf of Alaska halibut mortality limit for hook and line gear, any amendment proposals received, staff tasking, financial reports, if available; and consider recommending an end to foreign involvement in sablefish longline surveys in the EEZ off Alaska. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, P.O. Box 103136, Anchorage, AK 99510; telephone: (907) 271- 2809. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Judy Willoughby, (907) 271- 2809, by September 16. Dated: September 1, 1994. David S. Crestin, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 94-22169 Filed 9-7-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F