40512 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 145 /Wednesday, July 29, 1998 / Notices

expected to impact subsistence hunting

of bowhead whales prior to that date.

After August 31, 1998, Western

Geophysical will initiate aerial survey

flights for bowhead whale assessments,

and take other actions to avoid having

an unmitigable adverse impact on

subsistence uses. Appropriate

mitigation measures to avoid an

unmitigable adverse impact on the

availability of bowhead whales for

subsistence needs is the subject of

consultation between Western

Geophysical and subsistence users. As a

result of discussions between the two

parties, a C&AA has been completed.

This Agreement consists of three main

components: (1) Communications, (2)

conflict avoidance, and (3) dispute

resolution.

Summer seismic exploration in the

U.S. Beaufort Sea has a small potential

to influence seal hunting activities by

residents of Nuiqsut. However, NMFS

believes that, because (1) the peak

sealing season is during the winter

months, (2) the main summer sealing is

off the Colville delta, and (3) the zone

of influence by seismic sources on

beluga and seals is fairly small, the 1998

Western Geophysical seismic survey

will not have an unmitigable adverse

impact on the availability of these

stocks for subsistence uses.

Since NMFS is assured that the taking

would not result in more than the

incidental harassment (as defined by the

MMPA Amendments of 1994) of small

numbers of certain species of marine

mammals, would have only a negligible

impact on these stocks, would not have

an unmitigable adverse impact on the

availability of these stocks for

subsistence uses, and would result in

the least practicable impact on the

stocks, NMFS has determined that the

requirements of section 101(a)(5)(D) of

the MMPA have been met and the

authorization can be issued.

Authorization

Accordingly, NMFS has issued an

IHA to Western Geophysical for the

above described seismic survey during

the 1998 open water season provided

the mitigation, monitoring, and

reporting requirements described in the

authorization are undertaken.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Patricia A. Montanio,

Deputy Director, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20280 Filed 7-28-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 072298B]

Mid-Atlantic 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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery

Management Council’s (Council)

Bluefish Advisory Panel, together with

the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries

Commission’s Bluefish Advisory Panel,

will hold a public meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Tuesday, August 11, 1998, from 10:00

a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at

the Four Points Hotel, 4101 Island

Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, telephone:

215–492–0400.

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery

Management Council, 300 S. New

Street, Dover, DE 19904, telephone:

302–674–2331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Acting

Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic

Fishery Management Council;

telephone: 302–674–2331, ext. 16.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of this meeting is to discuss the

public hearing document for

Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery

Management Plan and possible bluefish

management measures for 1999.

Although other issues not contained

in this agenda may come before the

Committee for discussion, in accordance

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act,

those issues may not be the subject of

formal action during this meeting.

Action will be restricted to those issues

specifically identified 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

Joanna Davis at the Council (see

ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the

meeting date.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20278 Filed 7–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 071098H]

New England Fishery Management

Council; Public Meetings; Correction

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Correction to a public meeting

notice.

SUMMARY: The agenda for the meetings

of the oversight committees and

advisory panels of the New England

Fishery Management Council (Council)

was published on July 16, 1998. The

document contained an incorect date.

DATES: The meetings will be held on

August 3 and August 7, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Howard, Executive Director;(781)

231–0422.

Correction

In the Federal Register issue of July

16, 1998, in FR Doc. 98–19010, on page

38390, in the third column, under

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, in the 1st

and the 14th lines, ‘‘July 3, 1998’’ is

corrected to read ‘‘August 3, 1998.’’

Dated: July 22, 1998.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20165 Filed 7-28-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 071598D]

Permits; Foreign Fishing

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of foreign

fishing application.

SUMMARY: NMFS publishes for public

review and comment a summary of a

foreign fishing application submitted

under provisions of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens

Act).

DATES: Comments must be received by

August 12, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments (or requests

for a copy of the application) to NMFS,