[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2231-2232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1148]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 011796B]


North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its 
advisory bodies will meet the week of January 29, 1996, in Anchorage, 
AK. The Council will also hold a joint meeting with the Alaska Board of 
Fisheries (ABOF) on January 30. Other committee and workgroup meetings 
may be held on short notice during the week; notices will be posted at 
the meeting site. All meetings are open to the public with the 
exception of Council executive sessions to discuss personnel issues, 
international issues, and litigation.

DATES: The Advisory Panel and Scientific and Statistical Committee 
meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. on January 29, 1996, and continue 
through January 31. The Council will meet jointly with the ABOF on 
January 30, tentatively set to begin at 10:30 a.m., and begin their 
normal plenary session at 8:00 a.m. on January 31, 1996, continuing 
into February 4.

ADDRESSES: These 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The agenda for the joint meeting of the 
Council and the ABOF on January 30, 1996, includes the following 
subjects.
    1. Reports on the North Pacific Fisheries Research (Observer) Plan, 
crab stocks 1995/96 fishery updates, and an update on Bering Sea/
Aleutians Islands (BSAI) crab research.
    2. A report on the use of length base-analysis to estimate Bristol 
Bay red king crab abundance.
    3. Discussion of Council action on Bering Sea trawl closures to 
protect crab.
    4. Discussion of Tanner crab bycatch cap transfers between Zones 1 
and 2 in the BSAI.
    5. Proposals before the Board of Fisheries that require Council 
consultation.
    6. Report on plans by the State of Alaska for managing groundfish 
and scallops in 1996.
    The agenda for the Council's plenary session, beginning on January 
31, 1996 includes:
    1. Report from NMFS on domestic fisheries and the Sablefish and 
Halibut Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) fisheries.
    2. Review of management actions under the Sablefish and Halibut IFQ 
program, including:
    (a) Final review of a ``buydown'' amendment.
    (b) Initial review of a ``sweep-up'' amendment.
    3. Under the Council's Comprehensive Rationalization Plan, the 
Council will discuss:
    (a) Further consideration of pollock IFQs.
    (b) Further development of a work plan and alternatives for vessel 
bycatch allowances.
    4. Discussion of Council operations.
    5. Discussion of any issues on crab raised during the joint 
Council/ABOF meeting.
    6. Final review of research priorities.
    7. Status reports on the analytical efforts toward improved 
retention and utilization amendments.
    8. The following amendments and groundfish management issues will 
also be discussed:
    (a) Initial review of overfishing definition amendments.
    (b) Final action on a halibut gridsorting amendment.
    (c) Final action on pollock trimester allocations in the Gulf of 
Alaska.
    (d) Council direction to staff for analysis of a change in the 
opening date for the BSAI pollock ``B'' season.
    (e) A report on activities of the Salmon Foundation.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language 

[[Page 2232]]
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 19, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-1148 Filed 1-22-96; 1:37 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F