October 12, 2006

2006 IPHC INTERIM MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

The International Pacific Halibut Commission’s 2006 Interim Meeting will be held in Seattle, Washington, from November 30 to December 1, 2006.  On Thursday, November 30, the Commissioners and Commission staff will meet in private to discuss administrative and financial issues internal to the Commission.  The Thursday session will not be open to external agency staff.  The following day, Friday, December 1st, the Commission will meet in Administrative Session to hear staff discussion and reports on 2006 research projects and proposed future research projects, as well as stock assessment and recommended catch limits.  The meeting is for administrative purposes only and not open to the general public. Commission delegates from each government determine attendance at the Administrative Session meeting (Dec. 1st session only) and should be contacted for information and attendance requests.  Results from the meeting, including staff assessment of the fishery and catch limit recommendations, will be made public in a news release after the Interim Meeting.

2007 IPHC ANNUAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Eighty-third Annual Meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission will be held in Victoria, B.C. from Tuesday, January 16 through Friday, January 19, 2007.  The sessions will be held at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort.  A block of rooms has been reserved for attendees at the hotel until December 15, 2006 at a special rate of $119 CDN for a single or double room, or $149-179 USD for upgraded harbor rooms, plus taxes.  After the cut-off date, the rate may not be available (regular rate $189 CDN).  The Delta Ocean Point Resort is located at 45 Songhees Road, Victoria, B.C. Canada.  Please use the Group Code of International Pacific Halibut to receive the special rate and ensure room availability.  For reservations please call (250) 360-2999 or (800) 667-4677.  Reservations can also be faxed to (250) 360-1041.  Additional information on the meeting site is available at http://www.deltahotels.com/hotels/hotels.php?hotelId=51.

The Commission will distribute a brief summary of stock assessment information and staff recommendations to the public in December.  This information will also be available on the Commission's web page at http://www.iphc.washington.edu.  Requests for 2007 catch limit changes should be submitted to the Commission by December 31, 2006.  All information pertaining to the 2007 Annual Meeting, including regulation and catch limit proposal forms, can be located by following the Annual Meeting hyperlink on the Commission's web site or by calling the IPHC office at (206) 634-1838.

The Commission invites the public to submit requests for 2007 regulatory changes (season length, clearances in Area 4, logbook reporting measures, etc.) or management actions for review at the Annual Meeting.  The deadline date for submission is October 31, 2006.  The Commission will not guarantee consideration of proposals received after this date.  The submission form can be downloaded from the IPHC web site or can be requested by calling the Commission offices at (206) 634-1838.  A summary of all recommendations will be distributed to industry and will also be posted on the IPHC web site prior to the Annual Meeting.

2007 IPHC Annual Meeting Schedule

Monday - Canadian and United States Sectional Meetings will be held on Monday, January 15, 2007.  These meetings are informal and run by each respective government to solicit opinions prior to the IPHC Annual Meeting.  The U.S. Section meeting will occur at 2:30 p.m. and the Canadian Section meeting will follow at 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday - Please note that the Public Session will be Tuesday morning and that the Conference Board and the Processor Advisory Group (PAG) will begin their deliberations on Tuesday afternoon.  This schedule will again allow more time for discussion between the Commission, the Conference Board, and the PAG.

Tuesday, January 16th the Commission will meet in private session from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  The public session will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon or longer, as required.  Fishers, vessel owners, processors, and all other interested parties are welcome to attend the public session and are encouraged to ask questions of the Commission and Commission staff.  At this session the Commission staff will present the results of recent research, summarize results of the 2006 halibut fishery, and present its regulatory proposals for the 2007 halibut fishery.  Meeting materials will be available on the Commission's web page by early January and at the meeting.  The IPHC will be holding an evening reception at 7:00 p.m. on the resort grounds.

Wednesday – On January 17th, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Commission will meet privately in an administrative session.  The Conference Board and the PAG will also meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to discuss their recommendations for the 2007 fishery.

Thursday - On January 18th, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the Conference Board and the PAG will present its report to the Commission.  From 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon the Commission will meet privately in an administrative session.  From 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. the Commission will meet with the Conference Board and the PAG, if necessary.

Friday - On January 19th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, the Commission will meet in a public session and adopt catch limits and other management measures for the 2007 halibut fishery.  

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