82 FR 49787 - Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review; Public Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 207 (October 27, 2017)

Page Range		49787-49787
FR Document		2017-23422

NMFS and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) of a 2017 Benchmark Stock Assessment for the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Deep 7 Bottomfish Complex.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 207 (Friday, October 27, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 207 (Friday, October 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 49787]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23422]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF780


Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment 
Review; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review 
(WPSAR) of a 2017 Benchmark Stock Assessment for the Main Hawaiian 
Islands (MHI) Deep 7 Bottomfish Complex.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting dates and times and 
daily agenda.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the NMFS Honolulu Service Center 
at Pier 38, 1129 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 220, Honolulu, HI 96817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Seki, Director--Pacific 
Islands Fisheries Science Center, telephone: (808) 725-5360, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scientists from the NMFS Pacific Islands 
Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) conducted a benchmark stock assessment 
of the MHI Deep 7 bottomfish complex. This benchmark assessment 
incorporated new data in the form of fishery-independent biomass 
estimates, and also followed data filtering recommendations from a 
series of five community workshops that involved fishermen, managers, 
and scientists on best practices for filtering bottomfish commercial 
catch and effort data from State of Hawaii commercial catch reports. 
Because of these workshops, PIFSC scientists are now able to better 
link individual fishermen's catch reports further back in time, and 
this linking is newly applied in this benchmark stock assessment.
    This assessment used commercial data for the years 1948-2015, and 
assessed Deep 7 bottomfish by building on the modeling framework from 
the previous three assessments, but with improved data and data 
filtering as previously described, along with improvements to catch-
per-unit-effort (CPUE) standardization, and other modeling approaches. 
The assessment also estimates unreported catches using catch and effort 
data following methods similar to those applied in previous 
assessments. After applying best practices from the workshop 
recommendations for filtering for CPUE calculation, PIFSC scientists 
applied model selection techniques to select the best structural form 
to standardize CPUE. CPUE in the model was split into two time series, 
fishing years 1948-2003, and fishing years 2003-2015 to accommodate new 
effort reporting from a change in reporting form by the State in 
October 2002.

Meeting Agenda for WPSAR Review

    The meeting schedule and agenda are as follows (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 
every day):

Monday, November 13, 2017

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Background information--Objectives and Terms of Reference
3. Fishery
    a. Operation
    b. Management
4. History of stock assessments and reviews
5. Data
    a. State of Hawaii Fisher and Dealer Reporting Systems
    b. Life history information
    c. Fishery-independent survey

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

6. Presentation and review of stock assessment

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

7. Continue review of stock assessment

Thursday, November 16, 2017

8. Continue review of stock assessment
9. Public comment period
10. Panel discussions (Closed to the public)

Friday, November 17, 2017

11. Continue panel discussions (Closed; morning)
12. Present results (afternoon)
13. Adjourn

    The agenda order may change. The meeting will run as late as 
necessary to complete scheduled business.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Please direct requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids to Michael Seki, Director--Pacific Islands Fisheries 
Science Center, (808) 725-5360 (phone) (808) 725-5360 (fax), at least 5 
days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: October 24, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-23422 Filed 10-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2017 / Notices 49787

fish a maximum of thirty-two 50-fathom Islands (MHI) Deep 7 Bottomfish 2. Background information—Objectives
(91.44-m) gillnets in strings made up of Complex. and Terms of Reference
4 nets each. Two of the nets in each 3. Fishery
DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION a. Operation
four-net string would be standard 6.5- for meeting dates and times and daily
inch (16.51-cm) mesh and two would be b. Management
agenda. 4. History of stock assessments and
6.0-inch (15.24-cm) mesh. One net of
each mesh size (6.5-inch [16.51-cm] and ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at reviews
6.0-inch [15.24-cm]) in each string the NMFS Honolulu Service Center at 5. Data
Pier 38, 1129 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 220, a. State of Hawaii Fisher and Dealer
would be rigged with a 30-inch (76.2-
Honolulu, HI 96817. Reporting Systems
cm) raised webbing section along the b. Life history information
bottom. Two to three hauls of the nets FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: c. Fishery-independent survey
are expected during each day at sea with Michael Seki, Director—Pacific Islands
an average soak time of 6 hours for each Fisheries Science Center, telephone: Tuesday, November 14, 2017
set. (808) 725–5360, or michael.seki@ 6. Presentation and review of stock
A CFF researcher or technician would noaa.gov. assessment
accompany all trips that occur under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scientists
this EFP to identify all fish caught, as Wednesday, November 15, 2017
from the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries
well as measure and weigh catch. Science Center (PIFSC) conducted a 7. Continue review of stock assessment
Undersized fish would be discarded as benchmark stock assessment of the MHI Thursday, November 16, 2017
quickly as possible after sampling. All Deep 7 bottomfish complex. This
Northeast multispecies of legal size 8. Continue review of stock assessment
benchmark assessment incorporated 9. Public comment period
would be landed, and all catch and new data in the form of fishery-
estimated discards would be attributed 10. Panel discussions (Closed to the
independent biomass estimates, and public)
to the vessel’s sector annual catch also followed data filtering
entitlement, consistent with standard recommendations from a series of five Friday, November 17, 2017
catch accounting procedures. community workshops that involved 11. Continue panel discussions (Closed;
If approved, the applicant may fishermen, managers, and scientists on morning)
request minor modifications and best practices for filtering bottomfish 12. Present results (afternoon)
extensions to the EFP throughout the commercial catch and effort data from 13. Adjourn
year. EFP modifications and extensions State of Hawaii commercial catch The agenda order may change. The
may be granted without further notice if reports. Because of these workshops, meeting will run as late as necessary to
they are deemed essential to facilitate PIFSC scientists are now able to better complete scheduled business.
completion of the proposed research link individual fishermen’s catch
and have minimal impacts that do not Special Accommodations
reports further back in time, and this
change the scope or impact of the linking is newly applied in this This meeting is physically accessible
initially approved EFP request. benchmark stock assessment. to people with disabilities. Please direct
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. This assessment used commercial requests for sign language interpretation
data for the years 1948–2015, and or other auxiliary aids to Michael Seki,
Dated: October 24, 2017.
assessed Deep 7 bottomfish by building Director—Pacific Islands Fisheries
Emily H. Menashes,
on the modeling framework from the Science Center, (808) 725–5360 (phone)
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable (808) 725–5360 (fax), at least 5 days
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. previous three assessments, but with
improved data and data filtering as prior to the meeting date.
[FR Doc. 2017–23441 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am]
previously described, along with Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
improvements to catch-per-unit-effort Dated: October 24, 2017.
(CPUE) standardization, and other Emily H. Menashes,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE modeling approaches. The assessment
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
also estimates unreported catches using Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric catch and effort data following methods
[FR Doc. 2017–23422 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am]
Administration similar to those applied in previous
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
assessments. After applying best
RIN 0648–XF780
practices from the workshop
recommendations for filtering for CPUE
calculation, PIFSC scientists applied COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
Pacific Island Fisheries; Western PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
Pacific Stock Assessment Review; model selection techniques to select the
best structural form to standardize SEVERELY DISABLED
Public Meeting
CPUE. CPUE in the model was split into Procurement List; Deletions
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries two time series, fishing years 1948–
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 2003, and fishing years 2003–2015 to AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), accommodate new effort reporting from People Who Are Blind or Severely
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES

Commerce. a change in reporting form by the State Disabled.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting. in October 2002. ACTION: Deletions from the Procurement
Meeting Agenda for WPSAR Review List.
SUMMARY: NMFS and the Western
Pacific Fishery Management Council The meeting schedule and agenda are SUMMARY: This action deletes products
(Council) will convene a Western as follows (8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. every day): and service from the Procurement List
Pacific Stock Assessment Review previously furnished by such agencies.
(WPSAR) of a 2017 Benchmark Stock Monday, November 13, 2017 DATES: Date deleted from the
Assessment for the Main Hawaiian 1. Welcome and Introductions Procurement List: 11/26/2017.

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Document Created: 2017-10-27 02:05:54
Document Modified: 2017-10-27 02:05:54

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice; public meeting.
Dates		See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting dates and times and daily agenda.
Contact		Michael Seki, Director--Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, telephone: (808) 725-5360, or [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 49787
RIN Number		0648-XF78

82 FR 49787 - Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review; Public Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 207 (October 27, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration