56556 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 189 / Monday, September 29, 2008 / Notices 

fishery develop beyond the scope of this 

analysis. Alternative 1 would close the 

current west-coast-based DSLL fishery 

operating on the high seas, which 

currently consists of one vessel. To 

implement this alternative the HMS 

FMP would need to be amended and the 

implementing regulations published. 

There could be some minor positive 

impacts on protected species and fish 

populations; however, many of these 

species are highly migratory with a 

Pacific-wide distribution. Thus, they 

would not necessarily benefit from the 

reduction of effort associated with 

closing the west-coast-based DSLL 

fishery because the effort may be shifted 

to other fisheries to continue meeting 

domestic demand for fish. Tuna 

formerly caught in the west-coast-based 

DSLL fishery are likely to be caught by 

other nations and imported back into 

the nation with the closed fishery. There 

may also be some negative impacts on 

the socio-economics of the participant, 

fishing communities and the fishing 

industry in general if this alternative 

was implemented. 

Alternative 2, the preferred 

alternative, would allow the west-coastbased DSLL fishery to continue 

operating on the high seas and expand 

to a maximum of six vessels. At six 

vessels, there could be some minor 

negative impacts to protected resource 

and finfish populations and some 

positive socioeconomic impacts for the 

participants and the fishing industry in 

general if this alternative was 

implemented. However, as discussed 

previously, this may just result in a shift 

in effort from one fishery to another, if 

demand for tuna remains the same. All 

U.S. longline vessels operating on the 

high seas outside of the U.S. EEZ are 

currently subject to the same controls 

that applied to Hawaii-based longline 

fishing vessels holding longline permits 

in 2003. The limitations and 

specifications for the fishing area, gear 

configurations, sea turtle and seabird 

mitigation measures, skipper 

workshops, etc. are consistent with 

current Federal regulations applicable to 

longline vessels targeting tuna under the 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council’s Pelagics FMP (implemented at 

50 CFR part 665) and the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s HMS FMP 

(implemented at 50 CFR part 660). 

Other Documents 

As required in Section 7(a)(2) of the 

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), NMFS is engaged in formal 

consultations with NMFS’s Protected 

Resource Division to determine if the 

proposed action is likely to jeopardize 

the continued existence and recovery of 

any endangered or threatened species or 

result in the destruction or adverse 

modification of critical habitat. 

Request for Comments 

NMFS requests public comment on 

the draft environmental assessment of 

the West Coast Deep-set Longline 

Fishery Operating Outside of the U.S. 

Exclusive Economic Zone. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: September 23, 2008. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–22818 Filed 9–26–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XK76 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) 

Salmon Technical Team (STT), 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC) Salmon Subcommittee, and 

Model Evaluation Workgroup (MEW) 

will review proposed salmon 

methodology changes in a joint work 

session, which is open to the public. 

DATES: The work session will be held 

Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 9 

a.m. to 4 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The work session will be 

held at the Marriott Courtyard Portland 

Airport, Columbia Ballroom, 11550 NE 

Airport Way, Portland, OR 97220; 

telephone: (503) 252–3200. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Chuck Tracy, Salmon Management Staff 

Officer, Pacific Fishery Management 

Council, (503) 820–2280. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the work session is to brief 

the STT and SSC Salmon Subcommittee 

on proposed changes to methods and 

standards used to manage ocean salmon 

fisheries. The work session will include 

review of proposed changes to the 

Sacramento River fall Chinook 

abundance forecast and harvest model, 

and a preliminary sensitivity analysis of 

the Chinook and Coho Fishery 

Regulation Assessment Models (FRAM). 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may 

come before the STT, SSC Salmon 

Subcommittee, and MEW for 

discussion, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

notice and any issues arising after 

publication of this notice that require 

emergency action under Section 305(c) 

of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the intent to take final action to address 

the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Ms. 

Carolyn Porter at (503) 820–2280 at least 

5 days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: September 24, 2008. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–22751 Filed 9–26–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XK31 

Small Takes of Marine Mammals 

Incidental to Specified Activities; 

Seabird and Pinniped Research 

Activities in Central California 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental 

harassment authorization; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from PRBO Conservation Science 

(PRBO) for a one-year authorization to 

take small numbers of marine mammals 

by harassment incidental to conducting 

seabird and pinniped research activities 

on Southeast Farallon Island, An ̃ o 

Nuevo Island, and Point Reyes National 

Seashore in central California. Pursuant 

to the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA), NMFS requests comments on 

its proposal to authorize PRBO to take, 

by Level B harassment, small numbers 

of several species of pinnipeds at 

Southeast Farallon Island, An ̃ o Nuevo 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES