[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2363-2364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1051]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 010998B]


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 Council will hold public meetings 
(including hearings) in Hawaii on the islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai 
to

[[Page 2364]]

solicit comment on a limited access program proposed for the Mau Zone 
bottomfish fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

DATES: The schedule for the public meetings is as follows: Tuesday, 27 
January 1998, Lihikai Elementary School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Kahalui, 
Maui; Wednesday, 28 January 1998, Council Office, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm, 
Honolulu, Hawaii; and Thursday, 29 January 1998, Wilcox Elementary, 
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Lihue, Kauai.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at: Maui, Lihikai Elementary 
School, Kahalui, Maui, 335 Papa Street, 96732; Oahu, Council Office, 
1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813; Kauai, Wilcox 
Elementary School, 4319 Hardy Street, Lihue, Kauai, 96766. Telephone 
inquires can be made to (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: The Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council will be holding public meetings/hearings on Maui, Oahu, and 
Kauai to solicit comments on the proposed limited access system for the 
Mau Zone bottomfish fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In 
1989 the Mau Zone was established through Amendment 2 of the Council's 
Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The Mau 
Zone was created as an open access fishery but required a federal 
permit for participation. Currently, a 2 year moratorium is in place on 
the issuance of new permits for the Mau Zone fishery. The moratorium is 
scheduled to expire 27 March 1999, by which time the Council intend to 
establish a new management program for the fishery.
    Although other issues not on the agenda may come before this 
Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of 
formal Council action during these meetings. Council 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 Kitty M. Simonds, 808-522-8220 (voice) or 808-
522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to meeting date.

    Dated: January 9, 1998.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-1051 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am]
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