[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]


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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.

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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