[Federal Register: February 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 38)]
[Notices]               
[Page 9476-9477]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26fe99-29]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 022299A]

 
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold its 99th meeting in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands (CNMI).

DATES: The Council will meet in Guam on March 15-16, 1999, from 8:30 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., each day. The Council will meet in Saipan, CNMI, on 
March 17, 1999, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.,and on March 18, 1999, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..

ADDRESSES: The 99th Council meeting will be held at the Guam Hilton 
Hotel, P.O. Box 11199, Tamunig, Guam, 96931, telephone: (671-646-1835); 
and at the Saipan Diamond Hotel, P.O. Box 66, Susupe, Saipan, CNMI, 
96950; telephone: (670-234-5900).
     Council address: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 
Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone: 808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will vote on whether to begin 
rule-making to address interactions between seabirds and the Hawaii-
based longline fishery. In addition, the Council will discuss 
alternatives for implementing a comprehensive federal permit and 
mandatory logbook program for all currently undocumented fishing 
activities in the EEZs of Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, Howland and 
Baker Island, Palmyra Island & Kingman Reef, and Jarvis Island. In 
addition, measures to require logbook submission where ever a vessel 
permitted under an FMP fishes in the Pacific will be discussed.
    Other items that the Council will discuss, and may take action on, 
include a cooperative NMFS enforcement agreement for Guam; U.S. Coast 
Guard fishing vessel safety for territorial registered vessels; illegal 
immigration related to the foreign fishing fleet; vessel monitoring 
system (VMS) activities in Guam and CNMI; South Pacific Commission tuna 
fisheries assessments for Guam and CNMI; Guam's fresh tuna 
transshipment industry; surveys of bottomfish stocks in Guam and CNMI; 
status of marine conservation plans; turtle research in Guam and CNMI; 
coral reef fisheries and management needs in Guam and CNMI; and review 
of a letter to NMFS from the Marine Mammal Commission regarding lobster 
fishing and monk seals at French Frigate Shoals.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted 
to those issues specifically identified in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, 808-522-8220 (voice) or 808-
522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to meeting date.


[[Page 9477]]


    Dated: February 23, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-4851 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F