Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 13 / Thursday, January 20, 2000 / Notices 3207

Dated: January 11, 2000.

Karen H. Brown,

Deputy Director.

[FR Doc. 00–1298 Filed 1–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 011400A]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management

Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery

Management Council will convene a

public meeting of the Red Drum Stock

Assessment Panel (RDSAP).

DATES: This meeting will begin at 9:00

a.m. on Monday, February 7, 2000 and

will conclude by 3:00 p.m. on

Wednesday, February 9, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science

Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami,

FL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Hood, Fishery Biologist, Gulf of

Mexico Fishery Management Council,

3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite

1000, Tampa, FL 33619; telephone: 813–

228–2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

RDSAP will convene to re-evaluate a

stock assessment on the status of the red

drum stocks in the Gulf of Mexico

prepared by NMFS. The RDSAP will

consider available information,

including but not limited to,

commercial and recreational catches,

natural and fishing mortality estimates,

recruitment, fishery-dependent and

fishery-independent data, and data

needs. These analyses will be used to

determine the condition of the stocks

and the levels of acceptable biological

catch (ABC). If time allows for the

assessment to be run, the RDSAP may

also review estimates of stock size

(biomass at maximum sustainable yield

(Bmsy)) and minimum stock size

thresholds (MSST). Otherwise estimates

of stock size and minimum stock size

thresholds will be discussed at a later

meeting. Currently it is illegal to harvest

or possess red drum in Federal waters.

Although other non-emergency issues

not on the agendas may come before the

RDSAP for discussion, in accordance

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act,

those issues may not be the subject of

formal action during these meetings.

Actions of the RDSAP will be restricted

to those issues specifically identified in

the agendas 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 action to

address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to

Anne Alford at the above address by

January 31, 2000.

Dated: January 14, 2000.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–1349 Filed 1–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 011400B]

North Pacific Fishery Management

Council; Public 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 committees will hold public

meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held the

week of February 7, 2000. See

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific

dates and times.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held

at the Hilton Hotel, 500 W. Third

Avenue, Anchorage, AK.

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: The

Scientific Committee and Advisory

Panel will begin at 8:00 a.m. on

Monday, February 7, continuing

through Wednesday and Thursday,

February 9 and 10, respectively.

The Council will meet jointly with the

Alaska Board of Fisheries beginning at

9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, and

begin their normal plenary session at

8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 9,

continuing through Monday, February

14.

All meetings are open to the public

except Executive Sessions which may

be held during the week to discuss

litigation and/or personnel matters.

Alaska Board of Fisheries/Council:

The agenda for the Council’s joint

meeting with the Alaska Board of

Fisheries will include the following

subjects:

1. Preseason gear restrictions.

2. Crab management issues.

3. Management proposals of mutual

concern.

4. Habitat areas of particular concern.

5. Halibut management issues.

Council: 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) NMFS Management Report

2. Halibut Charterboat Guideline

Harvest Level/Management Measures:

Final action.

3. Steller Sea Lions:

(a) Status report on implementation of

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives.

(b) Review regulatory amendment for

Chiniak closures required for research

on pollock fishery effects off Kodiak.

4. American Fisheries Act:

(a) Comment on proposed rule for

2000, and initiate regulatory action as

appropriate.

(b) Analysis of Groundfish Processor

Sideboards/Pollock Excessive Share:

Initial review.

5. License Limitation Program: Pacific

cod species/area endorsements: Initial

review.

6. Groundfish Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS):

Status report.

7. Council/Board of Fisheries Issues:

(a) Summary of joint meeting.

(b) Comment on Board of Fisheries

management proposals, including state

water Pacific cod closure.

(c) Further direction to staff on standdown measures and Crab Fishery

Management Plan revisions.

8. Research Priorities: Review and

approve.

9. Habitat Areas of Particular Concern:

Initial review of analysis.

10. Staff Tasking: Review proposals

for changes in management groundfish

fisheries and the sablefish and halibut

individual fishery quota program.

Advisory Meetings

Advisory Panel: With the exception of

the reports listed under Item 1, and the