Notice2026-08729
Pacific Island Fisheries; Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review; Public Meeting
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) of the stock assessment update for American Samoa bottomfish management unit species (BMUS). The review will be conducted virtually.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24206-24207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08729]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF747]
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and
NMFS will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) of
the stock assessment update for American Samoa bottomfish management
unit species (BMUS). The review will be conducted virtually.
DATES: The WSPAR meeting will be held May 18-19, 2026, from 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held by web conference via WebEx. Audio
and visual portions for all web conferences can be accessed at <a href="https://www.wpcouncil.org">https://www.wpcouncil.org</a>. Web conference access information and instructions
for providing public comments will be posted on the Council website at
<a href="https://www.wpcouncil.org">https://www.wpcouncil.org</a>. For assistance with the web conference
connection, contact the Council office at (808) 552-8220.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Malloy, (808) 725-5000, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#14677566757c3a797578787b6d547a7b75753a737b62"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="03706271626b2d6e626f6f6c7a436d6c62622d646c75">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science
Center (PIFSC) developed a benchmark stock assessment for the American
Samoa BMUS in 2023. PIFSC developed an update to this assessment, and
the purpose of this WPSAR meeting is to convene an expert panel to
conduct a peer review of the updated assessment. The 2026 assessment
update uses the same modeling methodology as the 2023 benchmark
assessment with updated data through 2025. The 2026 assessment update
will provide new information to inform management pursuant to the
Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, including
updates on biomass and fishing mortality relative to thresholds used to
determine stock status, and new projections to inform recommendations
of catch limits. Public comment periods will be provided in the agenda.
The order in which agenda items are addressed may change. The meetings
will run as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.
Meeting Agenda for WPSAR Review
The meeting schedule and agenda are as follows:
Day 1
Monday, May 18, 2026 (11 a.m.-5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time)/Monday, May
18, 2026 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Samoa Standard Time)/Tuesday, May 19, 2026 (7
a.m.-1 p.m. Chamorro Standard Time)
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Objectives and Terms of Reference
3. Overview of Previous Benchmark Stock Assessment and Management
Framework
4. Presentation on Updates and Data Additions to the Assessment
5. Questions to Presenters
6. Public Comment
Day 2
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 (11 a.m.-5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time)/Tuesday,
May 19, 2026 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Samoa Standard Time)/Wednesday, May 20,
2026 (7 a.m.-1 p.m. Chamorro Standard Time)
1. Panel Presentation on the Review Results and Recommendations
2. Questions to Reviewers
3. Public Comment
4. Closing Comments and Adjourn
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Please direct requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids to Sarah Malloy, (808) 725-5000 (voice) or (808) 725-
[[Page 24207]]
5215 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 1, 2026.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-08729 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 5, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.