Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 21, 1998 / Notices 3093

b. Extension of overfishing and

rebuilding considerations to species

outside fishery management plans.

4. Deferral of scallop management to

State of Alaska and discussion of

limited entry considerations for the

scallop fishery.

5. Report on Steller sea lion research.

6. Reports on bycatch estimation.

7. Discuss need to continue

requirement for salmon bycatch

retention until counted by an observer.

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. A report from NMFS on the current

status of the fisheries off Alaska, and a

report from the International Pacific

Halibut Commission on 1998 halibut

quotas.

2. Final action on a third-party

arrangement (joint project agreement)

for observer procurement services.

3. Preliminary review of analysis for

the allocation of pollock between

inshore and offshore fisheries; direct

staff on further development of

alternatives.

4. Preliminary review of an

amendment to the fishery management

plans to incorporate essential fish

habitat information as required by the

Magnuson Act; direction to staff.

5. Final action on research priorities.

6. Review the local area management

plan for Sitka Sound halibut, and

discuss area management plans in

general; determine how to proceed;

direction to staff.

7. Under the Council’s license

limitation program for groundfish and

crab, the following items will be

discussed:

a. Crab buyback program: status report

and discussion;

b. Discussion and direction to staff on

potential amendments to the program;

c. Discussion of multi-species

community development quota

regulations with regard to vessel

exemptions; direction to staff; and

d. Discussion and direction to staff on

extension of the current moratorium on

entry to the groundfish and crab

fisheries off Alaska.

8. Status report on Amendment 3 to

the Scallop Fishery Management Plan,

and discussion of future limited entry

program; direction to staff.

9. Groundfish amendments scheduled

for action are as follows:

a. Final action on a regulatory

amendment to revise Gulf of Alaska

(GOA) trimester pollock allocations;

b. Final action on an amendment for

stand-down and/or preregistration

requirements in the Western and Central

GOA;

c. Initial review of options to

streamline the setting of total allowable

catches; directions to staff to release for

public review and/or revise;

d. Final action on an amendment to

allocate shortraker/rougheye quota to

fixed gear in the Bering Sea/Aleutian

Islands;

e. Initial review of an amendment to

revise boundaries for Eastern GOA

regulatory area; and

f. Discussion and direction to staff on

possible bycatch amendments.

9. Other groundfish issues scheduled

for discussion are: a. Trip limits in the

Western and Central GOA; direction to

staff;

b. Salmon bycatch retention issues;

direction to staff;

c. Catch and bycatch measurement;

direction to staff; and

d. Vessel bycatch accounts; direction

to staff.

Although other issues not contained

in this 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 the

meeting. Council action will be

restricted to those issues specifically

identified in the agenda listed in this

notice.

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: January 14, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1342 Filed 1-15-98; 1:31 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 011398B]

Marine Mammals; Scientific Research

Permit (PHF# 369–1440)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr.

Bruce Mate, Hatfield Marine Science

Center, Oregon State University, 2030

South Marine Science Drive, Newport,

OR 97365–5296, has applied in due

form for a permit to take humpback

(Megaptera novaeangliae), blue,

(Balaenoptera musculus), gray

(Escrichtius robustus), northern right

(Eubalaena glacialis), bowhead (Balaena

mysticetus), fin (Balaenoptera

physalus), and sperm whales (Physeter

macrocephalus) for purposes of

scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments

must be received on or before February

20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment.

Written comments or requests for a

public hearing on this application

should be mailed to the Chief, Permits

and Documentation Division, F/PR1,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13822,

Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those

individuals requesting a hearing should

set forth the specific reasons why a

hearing on this particular request would

be appropriate.

Comments may also be submitted by

facsimile at (301) 713–0376, provided

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy

submitted by mail and postmarked no

later than the closing date of the

comment period. Please note that

comments will not be accepted by email

or other electronic media.

Concurrent with the publication of

this notice in the Federal Register,

NMFS is forwarding copies of this

application to the Marine Mammal

Commission and its Committee of

Scientific Advisors.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

subject permit is requested under the

authority of the Marine Mammal

Protection Act of 1972, as amended

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the

regulations governing the taking and

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR

part 216) and the Endangered Species

Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations

governing the taking, importing, and

exporting of endangered fish and

wildlife (50 CFR 222.23).

The applicant seeks authorization to

tag and collect a skin sample from 100

each of various large whale species in

the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and

Gulf of Mexico over a five-year period.

Approximately 1,000 additional whales

of each species may be harassed during

these activities. In addition, the

applicant wishes to conduct noninvasive, opportunistic research on

various pinniped and cetacean species.

The application and related

documents are available for review
3094 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 21, 1998 / Notices

1Category 313–O: all HTS numbers except

5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035 and 5209.51.6032.

2Category 314–O: all HTS numbers except

5209.51.6015.

3Category 315–O: all HTS numbers except

5208.52.4055.

4Category 317–O: all HTS numbers except

5208.59.2085.

5Category 326–O: all HTS numbers except

5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015.

upon written request or by appointment

in the following offices:

Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713–

2289);

Regional Administrator, Northwest

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way,

NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA

98115–0700;

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd.,

Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–

4213;

Regional Administrator, Alaska

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau,

AK 99802–1668;

Regional Administrator, Northeast

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, One Blackburn Drive,

Gloucester, MA 01930–2298; and

Regional Administrator, Southeast

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 9721 Executive Center

Drive, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702–

2432.

In compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial

determination has been made that the

activity proposed is categorically

excluded from the requirement to

prepare an environmental assessment or

environmental impact statement.

Dated: January 14, 1998.

Ann D. Terbush,

Chief, Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1343 Filed 1–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

COMMITTEE FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE

AGREEMENTS

Amendment of Quota and Visa

Requirements for Discharge Printed

Fabric Produced or Manufactured in

Egypt

January 14, 1998.

AGENCY: Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements

(CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the

Commissioner of Customs amending

quota and visa requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 22, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Helen L. LeGrande, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,

(202) 482–4212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854);

Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1862, as

amended.

In exchange of notes dated December

3, 1997 and December 29, 1997, the

Governments of the United States and

Egypt agreed that discharge printed

fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff

Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035,

5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category

313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 314),

5208.52.4055 (Category 315),

5208.59.2085 (Category 317),

5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and

5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is

produced or manufactured in Egypt and

imported on or after January 1, 1998

will no longer be subject to visa

requirements and will not be subject to

1998 limits. The new designation for

Categories 313, 314, 315, 317, 317 and

326 will be part-category 313–O, 314–O,

315–O, 317–O, and 326–O, respectively.

The 1998 quota levels established for

Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326

remain the same for the newly

established part-categories.

Also effective on January 22, 1998,

products in Categories 313, 314, 315,

317 and 326, produced or manufactured

in Egypt and exported from Egypt on or

after January 1, 1998 must be

accompanied by a 313–O, 314–O, 315–

O, 317–O and 326–O part-category visa.

There will be a grace period from

January 1, 1998 through January 31,

1998 during which products exported

from Egypt in Categories 313, 314, 315,

317 and 326 may be accompanied by the

whole or new part-category visa. A visa

will not be required for discharge

printed fabric in Categories 313, 314,

315, 317 and 326 beginning on January

1, 1998, regardless of the date of export.

In the letter published below, the

Chairman of CITA directs the

Commissioner of Customs to amend the

export quota and visa requirements.

A description of the textile and

apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the

CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel

Categories with the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States (see

Federal Register notice 62 FR 66057,

published on December 17, 1997). Also

see 52 FR 48857 published on December

28, 1987; 55 FR 49936, published on

December 3, 1990; and 62 FR 67829,

published on December 30, 1997.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements

January 14, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

20229.

Dear Commissioner: This directive

amends, but does not cancel, the directive

issued to you on December 22, 1997, by the

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements. That directive

concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and

man-made fiber textile products, produced or

manufactured in Egypt and exported during

the twelve-month period which began on

January 1, 1998 and extends through

December 31, 1998.

Effective on January 22, 1998, discharge

printed fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff

Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035,

5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313),

5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 5208.52.4055

(Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317),

5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and

5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is

produced or manufactured in Egypt and

imported on or after January 1, 1998 will no

longer be subject to visa requirements and

will not be subject to 1998 limits, pursuant

to exchange of notes dated December 3, 1997

and December 29, 1997 between the

governments of the United States and Egypt.

The new designation for Categories 313, 314,

315, 317 and 326 will be Categories 313–O 1,

314–O 2, 315–O 3, 317–O 4 and 326–O 5,

respectively.

The 1998 quota levels established for

Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 remain

the same for the newly established partCategories 313–O, 314–O, 315–O, 317–O and

326–O.

Also effective on January 22, 1998, you are

directed to amend further the directive dated

December 21, 1987 to require a part-category

visa for Categories 313–O, 314–O, 315–O,

317–O and 326–O, produced or

manufactured in Egypt and exported on or

after January 1, 1998. There will be a grace

period from January 1, 1998 through January

31, 1998 during which products exported

from Egypt in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317

and 326 may be accompanied by the whole

or new part-category visa. A visa will not be

required for discharge printed fabric in

Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326

beginning January 1, 1998, regardless of the

date of export.

Shipments entered or withdrawn from

warehouse according to this directive which