[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 14888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7887]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 032097C]


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory bodies will meet in Anchorage, Alaska. All meetings are open 
to the public with the exception of Council executive sessions to 
discuss personnel, international issues, and litigation.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 
W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.
DATES: The meetings will be held the week of April 14, 1997. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times of the meetings.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Panel (AP) and the Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) will begin on Monday, April 14, 1997, 
at 8:00 a.m. The AP and SSC should conclude their meetings by Thursday, 
April 17. The Council will begin their plenary session on Tuesday, 
April 15, at 8:00 a.m., concluding by Saturday, April 19, 1997. Other 
committee and workgroup meetings may be held on short notice during the 
week; notices will be posted at the meeting site. An executive session 
is tentatively scheduled for noon on Friday, April 18, 1997.
    The agenda for the meetings will include the following subjects:
    1. Reports from NMFS and Alaska Department of Fish and Game on the 
current status of the fisheries off Alaska, and reports on enforcement.
    2. Initial review of seabird avoidance measures for the halibut 
fisheries, changes to the halibut catch sharing plan for International 
Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4 and subsistence halibut regulations.
    3. Review and consider release for public review of analysis for 
halibut charterboat management.
    4. Initial review of proposed amendments to the halibut and 
sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. Status reports on the 
fee and loan programs and central title registry for the IFQ and 
Community Development Quota programs, and national IFQ panels. Status 
report on weighmaster requirements for the IFQ fisheries.
    5. Review and final action on regulations for halibut donations to 
food banks.
    6. Review committee recommendations on vessel bycatch allowance 
measures; task staff with further development.
    7. Approve analysis of Gulf of Alaska improved retention and 
utilization alternatives for public review.
    8. Begin development of alternatives for analysis to replace 
current inshore/offshore regulations.
    9. Review draft regulations for Council member recusal.
    10. Groundfish issues to be addressed include the following:
    (a) Discussion papers on rockfish directed fishing standards for 
the Gulf of Alaska and rolling closures to protect survey sites in the 
Gulf of Alaska;
    (b) Final action on amendment to prohibit directed fishing on 
forage fish species;
    (c) Initial review of an amendment to allocate 2 percent of the 
Atka mackerel total allowable catch to the jig fishery in the Bering 
Sea Aleutian Islands; and
    (d) Approve Vessel Incentive Program bycatch standards for the 
second half of 1997.
    11. Review the stock assessment and fishery evaluation report for 
the scallop fishery and approve catch allocations; review actions by 
the Board of Fisheries in managing the scallop fishery.

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, 907-271-2809, at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: March 21, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7887 Filed 3-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F