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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13035-13036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5000]

[[Page 13035]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 022101A]

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and 
Hearing

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

ACTION:  Notice of public meetings/public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a joint meeting of its Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Team (CREPT) and 
Ecosystem and Habitat Advisory Panel (EHAP) on March 8, 2001, in 
Honolulu, HI, and hold its 109th meeting of the full Council on March 
13, 2001, in Honolulu, HI.
     At the full Council meeting, a public hearing will be held prior 
to the Council taking final action on its Coral Reef Ecosystem Fishery 
Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (CREFMP/DEIS).

DATES: The joint meeting of the CREPT and EHAP (non-Hawaii members by 
telephone conference call) will be held on March 8, 2001, from 12 noon 
to 5 p.m. The full Council meeting (non-Hawaii members by telephone 
conference call) will be held on March 13, 2001, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific telephone link locations.

ADDRESSES: The joint CREPT/EHAP meeting, Council meeting, and public 
hearing will be held at the Council Office Conference Room, Western 
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, 
Honolulu, HI, 96813; telephone: 808-522-8220. Copies of the CREFMP/DEIS 
are available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council. The 
following locations have been identified for telephone conference call 
links to the 109th Council meeting in Honolulu, HI on March 13, 2001: 
American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), 
and Guam. For specific telephone link locations see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
telephone: 808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On March 8, 2001, the Plan Team/Advisory 
Panel (CREPT/EHAP) will consider public comments during the public 
comment period on the CREFMP/DEIS and make recommendations to the 
Council. On March 13, 2001, the Council will consider comments and 
recommendations from the CREPT/EHAP on the CREFMP/DEIS and take final 
action on the CREFMP. Dates, Times, and Locations for telephone 
conference call links to the Council meeting and public hearing are as 
follows:
    1. Honolulu, HI: March 13, 2001, local meeting time, 12 noon to 5 
p.m., public hearing time, 3 p.m., Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, Council Office Conference Room, 1164 Bishop Street, Honolulu, 
HI 96813; contact Kitty Simonds (see ADDRESSES) for further 
information.
    2. Fagatogo, AS: March 13, 2001, local meeting time, 11 a.m. to 4 
p.m., public hearing time, 2 p.m., Department of Marine and Wildlife 
Resources (DMWR) conference room, Fagatogo, AS. Local phone contact c/o 
DMWR at 684-633-4456.
    3. Saipan, CNMI: March 14, 2001, local meeting time, 8 a.m. to 1 
p.m., public hearing time, 11 a.m., Division of Fish and Wildlife, P.O. 
Box 10007, Saipan, MP 96950. Local phone contact 670-664-6000.
    4. Tamuning, Guam: March 14, 2001, local meeting time, 8 a.m. to 1 
p.m., public hearing time, 11 a.m., Guam Economic Development 
Authority, Suite 511, ITC Building, 590 S. Marine Drive, Tamuning, 
Guam. Local phone contact 671-475-0321.

CREPT/EHAP Meeting

    The CREPT/EHAP will meet on March 8, 2001, from 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Background

    The DEIS was prepared to examine the impacts of implementing the 
proposed CREFMP. The DEIS also addresses potential problems due to 
human interactions with coral reefs in the Western Pacific exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ). Although local regulations control many of the 
impacts of harvesting nearshore coral reef resources in settled areas, 
exploitation of coral reef ecosystem remains relatively uncontrolled in 
Federal waters of the EEZ. Although these areas have been minimally 
exploited to date, there has been interest expressed for fisheries to 
expand in these areas. In addition, the DEIS was prepared to provide 
for better understanding of impacts due to natural environmental 
changes, other FMP managed fisheries, and non-fishing related impacts 
such as dredging. To address these problems, four alternatives were 
examined: (1) No action or status quo; (2) minimal additional 
protection for coral reef resources;(3) substantial additional 
protection to coral reef resources (preferred alternative); and (4) 
maximum additional protection for coral reef resources. The 
environmental effects of each of the alternatives, management measures, 
components, and options have been analyzed in the DEIS. In June 2000, 
the Council adopted a preferred alternative and management options. 
Management measures proposed in the FMP represent a combination of 
choices made by the Council based on a comparison of alternatives. 
Alternatives were a product of numerous public meetings and meetings of 
the Council's various advisory bodies. The proposed management measures 
include: (a) Designating marine protected areas (MPAs), including no-
take marine reserves and areas zoned for specific fishing activities 
allowed only with a special permit; (b) establishing fishing permit and 
reporting requirements for fishing for coral reef resources in the EEZ; 
(c) specifying the use of selective, non-destructive gears and methods 
for harvesting management-unit species; and (d) establishing a 
framework process to allow for future regulatory adjustments to the 
coral reef ecosystem management program. In addition, the Council 
recommends that a formal procedure be established for assessing and 
controlling ecosystem effects of reef-related fisheries managed under 
the Fishery Management Plan for the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish 
Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region, the Fishery Management Plan 
for the Crustacean Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region, and the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Precious Corals Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific Region.

CREPT/EHAP Meeting

    The agenda for the joint CREPT/EHAP meeting on March 8, 2001, will 
include the items listed below:
1. Introduction
2. CREFMP/DEIS
    A. Review of public comments
    (1) MPAs
    (2) Permits and Reporting
    (3) Fishing Gear and Methods
    (4) Framework Actions
    (5) Non-regulatory Actions
    (6) Research, Monitoring and Assessment
    (7) Enforcement
    (8) Other
3. Relation of Executive Orders (E.O.s 13178 and 13196) on the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve to 
CREFMP
4. Discussion Recommendation

[[Page 13036]]

    A. CREPT
    B. EHAP
Full Council Meeting
    The agenda for the Council meeting on March 13, 2001, will include 
the items listed below:
1. Introduction
2. Approval of 107th Meeting Minutes
3. CREFMP/DEIS
    A. Review of public comments
    (1) MPAs
    (2) Permits and Reporting
    (3) Fishing Gear and Methods
    (4) Framework Actions
    (5) Non-regulatory Actions
    (6) Research, Monitoring and Assessment
    (7) Enforcement
    (8) Other
4. Relation of E.O.s 13178 and 13196 on NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Reserve to CREFMP
5. Review of CREPT and EHAP comments and recommendations
6. Review of comments from other advisory body members
7. Council discussion and action
8. Crustacean Fisheries
    A. Preferred alternative for Crustaceans DEIS
    B. Consideration of long-term closure of Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands (NWHI) lobster fishery
    C. Council discussion and action
9. Community Demonstration Project Program (CDPP)
     A. Approval of draft Federal Register notice for CDPP
     B. Appointment of new CDPP Advisory Panel member from American 
Samoa
10. Other Business
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any 
issue arising after publication of this document that requires 
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 the meeting 
date.

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

    Dated: February 26, 2001.
Dean Swanson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-5000 Filed 2-27-01; 2:35 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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