Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 172 / Friday, September 5, 1997 / Notices 46951

following is a summary of the survey for

1996. Management measures that

severely restricted the harvest of striped

bass by commercial and recreational

fisheries were further relaxed in 1996,

as the stocks continued to rebuild.

The 1996 commercial harvest of

striped bass was 5,400,000 lb(2,449 mt),

an increase of 42 percent above the

landings of 3,811,000 lb (1,729 mt) in

1995. The Chesapeake Bay area

(Maryland, Virginia, and the Potomac

River) accounted for 65 percent of the

1996 commercial landings, while

Massachusetts and North Carolina

accounted for 13 percent and 8 percent,

respectively.

The recreational catch in 1996 was an

estimated 14 million striped bass, of

which 1.3 million were harvested; the

remaining 12.7 million were released.

The estimated weight of the recreational

harvest was 14.7 million lb (6,668 mt).

Juvenile production varied among the

producer areas, in 1996. In New York,

the 1996 was lower than in 1995 but

near the long term average. In Maryland

and Virginia, the 1996 indices were the

highest of their respective time-series,

while the Delaware Bay index was the

third highest on record. The North

Carolina juvenile index increased in

1996, from a relative low in 1995, to

near record levels, as seen in 1993 and

1994.

Information from sampling the

population of striped bass shows an

increased relative abundance from

recent year classes. Copies of the survey

are available upon request (see

ADDRESSES).

Dated: August 28, 1997.

David L. Evans,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–23650 Filed 9–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 082997B]

North Pacific Fishery Management

Council; Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of committee meeting.

SUMMARY: The Pacific Northwest Crab

Industry Advisory Committee will meet

in Seattle, WA.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Wednesday, October 1, 1997, beginning

at 9:00 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Leif Erikson Lodge Hall, 2245 NW

57th Street, Seattle, WA.

Council address: North Pacific

Fishery Management Council, 605 W.

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK

99501–2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Garry Loncon, Committee Chairman;

telephone: 206–283–6605.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

agenda for the meeting will include the

following subjects:

1. Annual report to industry by the

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

(ADF&G).

2. Update on the ADF&G-managed

crab observer program.

3. Review results of the St. Matthew

and Pribilof king crab fisheries.

4. Review actions of the Alaska Board

of Fisheries regarding management of

the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery.

5. Discussion of the crab license

limitation program.

6. Discussion of any other crab issues

of importance to the committee.

Although other issues not contained

in this agenda may come before this

Committee for discussion, in accordance

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation Act, those issues may not

be the subject of formal Committee

action during this meeting. Committee

action will be restricted to those issues

specifically identified in the agenda

listed 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

Helen Allen, 907–271–2809, at least 5

working days prior to the meeting date.

Dated: August 29, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–23563 Filed 9–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 082997A]

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.

SUMMARY: Staff of the Western Pacific

Fishery Management Council (Council)

will hold a meeting to discuss eligibility

criteria for communities under a

Western Pacific Community

Development Program.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

September 22, 1997, from 9:00 a.m. to

12:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Council office, 1164 Bishop St.,

Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI; telephone:

808–522–8220.

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: Council

staff will hold a meeting to discuss

elgibility criteria for communities

seeking to participate in a Western

Pacific Community Development

Program. The authority to establish a

Community Development Program was

provided by the 1996 MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act. The intent of the

program is to increase the benefits that

the indigenous peoples of Hawaii,

American Samoa, Guam and the

Northern Mariana Islands receive from

fisheries within the jurisdiction of the

Council.

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.

Dated: August 29, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–23562 Filed 9–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

COMMITTEE FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE

AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Public Comment

Period on the Elimination of the Paper

Visa Requirement With the

Governments of Korea and Singapore

August 29, 1997.

AGENCY: Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements

(CITA).