[Federal Register: January 14, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 9)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 2467] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr14ja99-22] [[Page 2467]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 660 [I.D. 010699C] Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce ACTION: Public hearings; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene four public hearings on Draft Amendment 14 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Plan and its draft supplemental environmental impact statement (draft SEIS). DATES: Written comments will be accepted at the Council office until March 3, 1999. The hearings will be held from February 1-3, 1999. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times. ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings and special accommodations. Comments should be sent to Mr. Lawrence D. Six, Executive Director, Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201; telephone (503) 326-6352. Written comments received at the Council office by Thursday, February 18, 1999, will be copied and distributed to the Council approximately 1 week before final consideration of the Amendment. Copies of the draft amendment and the appendices are available from the Council office. Comments may also be provided during the Council meeting, March 8- 12, 1999, at the Doubletree Hotel-Columbia River, 1401 North Hayden Island Drive, Portland, OR. The hearings will be held in California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings and special accommodations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence D. Six, Executive Director, Pacific Fishery Management Council, at (503) 326-6352. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council is convening four public hearings to discuss Draft Amendment 14 to the salmon fishery management plan (FMP) under the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Draft Amendment 14 and its accompanying draft SEIS would comprehensively update the salmon FMP. The changes are necessary to make the FMP responsive to the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) of 1996, to reflect increased listings of salmon stocks under the Endangered Species Act, and to include issues identified in amendment scoping sessions. The draft amendment includes a complete updating of the fishery description and identification of what the salmon FMP covers. To be consistent with the SFA, draft Amendment 14 redefines optimum yield, provides new criteria to prevent or end overfishing, describes and defines essential fish habitat, and establishes salmon bycatch reporting specifications. In response to harvest allocation issues, the draft amendment modifies the FMP section on non-Indian harvest allocations north of Cape Falcon, Oregon to (1) allow more flexibility in implementing selective fisheries that target on hatchery fish and (2) formally recognize a recreational allocation for the La Push port area which has been essentially implemented for several years during the preseason management process. The draft amendment also contains many other editorial changes to help clarify the FMP. Dates, Times, and Locations Monday, February 1, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources Building, Room 172, 1111 Washington Street NE, Olympia, WA. Tuesday, February 2, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, South Umpqua Room, 1313 North Bayshore Drive, Coos Bay, OR. Tuesday, February 2, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Commission Room, 600 South Walnut Street, Boise, ID. Wednesday, February 3, 1999, 7:00 p.m., California Department of Fish and Game, First Floor Auditorium, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA. Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to John Rhoton at (503) 326-352 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: January 8, 1999. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 99-839 Filed 1-13-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F