Groundfish Allocation Committee to Meet

Meeting Dates: February 20-22, 2008

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Allocation Committee (GAC) will hold a working meeting, which is open to the public. The GAC meeting will be held Wednesday, February 20, 2008, from 1 p.m. until business for the day is completed. The GAC will reconvene Thursday, February 21, 2008, and Friday, February 22, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. each day until their business is completed.

Purpose of the Meeting

The purpose of the GAC meeting is to consider draft alternatives and other material for rationalizing the Pacific Coast limited entry groundfish trawl industry (trawl rationalization); consider alternatives, preliminary analyses, and other material for allocating Pacific Coast groundfish stocks and stock complexes to the various Pacific Coast fishery sectors (intersector allocation); and consider draft alternatives and preliminary analyses associated with a contemplated limited entry licensing system for West Coast open access groundfish fisheries (open access license limitation). No management actions will be decided by the GAC. The GAC's role will be development of recommendations and refinement of draft alternatives for analysis in a contemplated environmental impact statement for trawl rationalization and two contemplated environmental assessments for intersector allocation and open access license limitation. The GAC recommendations will be provided for consideration by the Council at its March 2008 meeting in Sacramento, California, and at its April 2008 meeting in Seattle, Washington.

Meeting location

The GAC meeting will be held at the following location:

Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
Cascade A and B Room
8235 N.E. Airport Way
Portland, OR 97220
Telephone: 503-281-2500

For further information

If you have received this notice by mail, but would like to be notified of future meetings via email, please contact Ms. Carrie Montgomery at (503) 820-2280 to provide your email address.

The 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 five days prior to the meeting date.

For more information on the February 20-22, 2008, Groundfish Allocation Committee meeting, please contact Mr. John DeVore at (503) 820-2280 ext. 413, or toll free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC
01/23/08