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Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 29924-29926]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my06-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 051706E]
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings and hearings.
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SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will
hold its 133rd meeting to consider and take actions on fishery
management issues in the Western Pacific Region.
DATES: The 133rd Council meeting and public hearings will be held on
June 12 - 15, 2006. For specific times and the agenda, see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: The 133rd Council meeting and public hearings will be held
at the Utulei Convention Center, Utulei, American Samoa; telephone:
(684) 633-5155.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director;
telephone: (808) 522-8220.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In addition to the agenda items listed here,
the Council will hear recommendations from other Council advisory
groups. Public comment periods will be provided throughout the agenda.
The order in which agenda items are addressed may change. The Council
will meet as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.
Schedule and Agenda for Council Standing Committee Meetings
Monday, June 12, 2006
Standing Committee
1. 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.-Enforcement/Vessel Monitoring System Standing
Committee
2. 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.-Pelagics &International Standing Commmittee
3. 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.-Bottomfish Standing Committee
4. 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.-Ecosystems & Habitat Standing Committee
5. 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.-Program Planning, Executive, and Budget Standing
Committee
The agenda during the full Council meeting will include the items
listed here.
Schedule and Agenda for Council Meeting
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 13, 2006
1. Samoan Opening
2. Greetings from the Governor
3. Presentation to American Samoa Poster Winners
4. Introductions
5. Approval of Agenda
6. Approval of 131st and 132nd Meeting Minutes
7. Island Agency Administration, Program and Enforcement Reports
A. American Samoa
B. Guam
C. Hawaii
D. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
8. Agency Reports
A. National Marine Fisheries Service
1. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
2. Pacific Islands Regional Office
B. United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
C. NOAA General Counsel Report
D. Department of State
E. NOAA Sanctuary Program Update
1. Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
2. Proposed American Samoa Marine Laboratory
9. American Samoa Advisory Panel Report
10. Enforcement/vessel monitoring systems
A. United States Coast Guard Report
B. National Marine Fisheries Service Office for Law Enforcement Report
C. Status of Violations
D. Standing Committee Recommendations
Guest Speaker
11. Fishery Rights of Indigenous People
A. American Samoa Village-based Marine Protected Areas Program
[[Page 29925]]
B. Ahupuaa Conference Planning
C. Update on Marine Conservation Plans
D. Status of Community Demonstration Project Program and Community
Development Program
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, 2006
12. Pelagic and International Fishery Issues
A. Local Small-Boat Fisheries
1. Commercial Fisheries
2. Recreational Fisheries
B. Small Boat Longline Area Closure
C. Bigeye and Yellowfin Overfishing Measures (ACTION ITEM)
D. Options for Swordfish Seasonal Closure (ACTION ITEM)
E. American Samoa Tuna Cannery Issues
F. American Samoa Longline Limited Entry Update
G. American Samoa & Hawaii Longline Reports
H. Bycatch
1. Shark Bycatch in Longline Fisheries
2. Side-setting to Avoid Seabirds
I. International Fisheries
1. International Scientific Committee
2. Secretariat of the Pacific Community Heads of Fisheries Meeting
3. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Annual Meeting
4. Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission Scientific
Committee Meeting
5. Council South Pacific Albacore Workshop
J. Recreational Fisheries Data Task Force Report
K. Plan Team Recommendations
L. Scientific and Statistical Committee Recommendations
M. Standing Committee Recommendations
N. Public Hearing
13. Protected Species Issues
A. Local Protected Species Programs
B. Native Observer Program Report
C. Scientific and Statistical Committee Recommendations
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday, June 15, 2006
14. Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Issues
A. American Samoa Bottomfish Fishery Review
B. Report on Hawaii Monitoring and Research Plan
C. Update on Bottomfish Stock Assessment
D. Plan Team Recommendations
E. Scientific and Statistical Committee Recommendations
F. Standing Committee Recommendations
15. Ecosystems and Habitat Issues
A. American Samoa Coral Reef Fisheries Report
B. American Samoa Coral Reef Conservation Grants
C. American Samoa Rapid Assessment Monitoring Program
D. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Fishery Regulations (ACTION ITEM)
E. Update on Fishery Ecosystem Plans and Projects
F. Plan Team Recommendations
G. Scientific and Statistical Committee Recommendations
H. Standing Committee Recommendations
I. Public Hearing
16. Program Planning
A. Update on Legislation and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act Reauthorization
B. Update on Fishery Management Actions
C. Education and Outreach Report
D. Update on Disaster Relief
1. 2003 Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
Disaster Relief Requests
2. Update on Hawaii Disaster Relief Program
E. Standing Committee Recommendations
17. Administrative Matters and Budget
A. Financial Reports
B. Administrative Reports
C. Meetings and Workshops
D. Council Family Changes
E. Standing Committee Recommendations
18. Other Business
A. Next Meeting
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
1. Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna Overfishing Measures(ACTION ITEM)
In response to the identification of overfishing by the Secretary
of Commerce, at its 126th meeting held March 14-17, 2005 in Honolulu
the Council reviewed a background document on Pacific bigeye fisheries,
listened to public comments and took initial action to direct its staff
to continue its development of Amendment 14 to the Pelagics Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). This amendment contains comprehensive background
information and analyses as well as recommendations for international
management and a range of alternatives for the management of domestic
fisheries. Following extensive review by the Council's Pelagics Plan
Team, Science and Statistical Committee and Advisory Panels, as well as
public comment solicited at meetings through out Hawaii, the Council
took final action in June 2005 to recommend a suite of non-regulatory
measures for the international management of fisheries which harvest
bigeye tuna. The Council also reviewed and recommended a range of
regulatory and non-regulatory measures for fisheries managed under the
Pelagics FMP.
Subsequently, in August 2005, the Scientific Committee of the
Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission reviewed stock
assessments for tuna species and found that yellowfin was likely being
subjected to overfishing. Consequently, at its 129th Council meeting,
the Council recommended applying to fishing for yellowfin tuna the same
management measures recommended by the Council for bigeye tuna. Reviews
received from NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office and the NOAA Office
of General Counsel on these actions have now indicated that the Council
must address the following three outstanding issues:
1. The amendment objectives need to be quantified where possible.
2. The recommendations need to be grouped as alternatives.
3. A recommendation regarding the management of purse seine vessel
targeting of bigeye tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean needs to be included.
The Council will consider and take action on these issues at its
133rd meeting.
2. Options for Swordfish Seasonal Closure (ACTION ITEM)
Management of the swordfish segment of the Hawaii-based longline
fishery is based on limiting interactions with loggerhead and
leatherback sea turtles, and on limits to the number of sets that the
fishery may make in a given year. The fishery operates under 'hard'
limits on the number of loggerhead (17) and leatherback (16) interactions.
In 2006, the Hawaii-based swordfish fishery reached its 'hard'
limit of 17 loggerhead turtle interactions compared to 12 interactions
in 2005. There were only 2 leatherback interactions in 2006 compared to
8 interactions in 2005. Oceanographic data suggests that in 2006 the
ocean habitat used by loggerheads was reduced, increasing loggerhead
densities and the likelihood of interactions with the fishery.
Current regulations provide for a seven day period to shut down the
swordfish fishery following reaching of a turtle limit. However, there
is a danger that continued fishing might catch additional turtles in
this seven day closure period.
The swordfish fishery was closed by emergency rule in 2006. Because
this
[[Page 29926]]
emergency rule is effective for 180 days (and may be extended for
another 180 days), it is unlikely to be in effect for the 2007 fishing
season. The Council will therefore consider changes to the Pelagics FMP
that would allow immediate closure of the fishery when either of the
turtle limits are reached.
Subsequently, the Pelagics Plan Team recommended in its May 2006
meeting that the Council also consider methods to smooth the adverse
markets effect of these closures. These include consideration of an
interim trigger level of turtle takes by the Hawaii swordfish longline
fishery that might be used to establish a short term (1-4 week)
temporary closures, to prevent the fishery reaching its limits
prematurely. The Council may, therefore, take action at this meeting to
amend the Pelagics Fishery Management Plan to modify the current
swordfish longline fishery closure mechanism. The Council will also
consider these measures at its 133rd meeting.
3. NWHI Fishing Regulations (ACTION ITEM)
On January 18, 2006, the Council was informed by the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, that NOAA is
developing alternatives in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for
the proposed Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) National Marine
Sanctuary that would enable the Council to continue to recommend
management measures to limit bottomfish and pelagic fisheries through
regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), consistent with the goals and
objectives of the proposed sanctuary.
In response to this notice, the Council, relying on guidance
provided by NOAA, took initial action at its 131st meeting held March
13-16, 2006 and recommended that limited commercial bottomfish and non-
longline pelagic fishing be allowed to continue in Federal waters of the
proposed NWHI National Marine under the following permit and catch limits:
1. Limited-entry NWHI bottomfish permits be capped at 14, with 7
permits for the Ho'omalu Zone and 7 permits for the Mau Zone (the two
Community Development Program permits for indigenous use to be included
in the latter and issued as previously recommended by the Council);
2. The annual bottomfish catch be limited to 381,500 lbs (85% of MSY);
3. Non-longline commercial pelagic fishing permits be capped at
three (3); and
4. The annual commercial pelagic catch by the non-longline pelagic
fishery and the limited-entry bottomfish fishery be limited to 180,000 lbs.
Subsequently, seven outstanding issues related to these action were
identified which require further Council consideration. These issues
are: (1) The design of a limited entry program for non-longline pelagic
fishing; (2) the designation of a fishing year(s) to be used for the
monitoring of the fishing catch limits (3) appropriate compensation for
displaced or negatively impacted individuals; (4) the importance and
role of the NOAA weather buoy #1 to sanctuary resources as well
as to pelagic fishing; (5) the accuracy of the data used by NOAA to
calculate the annual pelagic catch limit of 180,000 pounds;(6) whether
all fishing for a given species group should be prohibited following
closure of a commercial fishery; and (7) the role of the Council in the
formulation of NOAA's future NWHI ecosystem management plans. The
Council may therefore, consider actions to address these outstanding
issues at its 133rd meeting.
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: May 18, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-7877 Filed 5-23-06; 8:45 am]
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