[Federal Register: May 17, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 96)]
[Notices]               
[Page 35101-35102]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17my02-39]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 051002H]

 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of meetings of the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) and its advisory committees.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory committees will hold public meetings June 3-12, 2002, in Dutch 
Harbor, AK.

DATES: The Council's Advisory Panel will begin at 8 a.m., Monday, June 
3, and continue through Saturday, June 8, 2002. The Scientific and 
Statistical Committee will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 3, and 
continue through Wednesday, June 5, 2002.
    The Council will begin its plenary session at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 
June 5, continuing through noon Wednesday, June 12. All meetings are 
open to the public except executive sessions.

ADDRESSES: The Grand Aleutian Hotel, 498 Salmon Way, Dutch Harbor, AK 
99692.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council staff, telephone: 907-271-
2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    1. Reports:
    (a) Executive Director's Report.
    (b) State Fisheries Report by Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game.
    (c) NMFS Management Report.
    (d) NMFS & U.S. Coast Guard Enforcement Surveillance reports.
    2. Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Rationalization: Receive committee 
report and provide direction, as necessary.
     3. Essential Fish Habitat: Receive committee report and provide 
direction, as necessary.
    4. Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization:
    (a) Identify preferred alternative for rationalization.
    (b) Finalize alternatives for the Environmental Impact Statement 
for the BSAI King and Tanner Crab Fishery Management Plan.
    5. Community Development Quotas: Final action on alternatives for 
program policy changes.
    6. Draft Programmatic Groundfish Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement: finalize alternatives for analysis.
    7. Steller Sea Lion Issues: final action on two proposed 
amendments.
    8. American Fisheries Act:
    (a) Initial review of improved retention/utilization adjustments.
    (b) Final action on single geographic location amendment.
    (c) Review committee report on pollock bycatch measures, if 
available, and provide further direction.
    9. Research Priorities: review and recommend research priorities.
    10. Groundfish Management:
    (a) Initial review of proposed changes to the annual harvest 
specification process.
    (b) Review workplan and provide direction for an analysis of 
differential gear impacts.
    (c) Final action on alternatives to allocate BSAI Pacific cod 
harvests between pot catcher processors and pot catcher vessels.
    11. Review staff tasking and provide direction.
    12. Discuss annual management cycle. Scientific and Statistical 
Committee (SSC): The SSC agenda will include the following issues:
    1. Research priorities (Item 9 on the Council agenda)
    2. Harvest specification process (Item 10(a) on the 
Council agenda)
    3. Draft Groundfish Programmatic SEIS (Item 6 on the 
Council agenda)
    4. Review data collection information.
    5. Review impacts methodology. Advisory Panel: The Advisory Panel 
will address the same agenda issues as the Council, with the exception 
of the Reports under Item 1 of the Council agenda.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, these issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during the meeting. Action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda 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 Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

[[Page 35102]]

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Helen Allen at 907-271-2809 at 
least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: May 13, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-12477 Filed 5-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S