U.S. Department of Commerce / NOAA	/ OAR /  PMEL  / OERD\  \ NMFS / AFSC / RACE/	FOCI
	Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations

Art Kendall, Jeff Napp, Allen Macklin, Phyllis Stabeno, Ann Matarese, Carrie Hadden, Cindy Tynan, Jerry Adams (rapporteur)

• 21 manuscripts have been received for the Bering Sea special issue (http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/sebscc/special_issue/) of Deep-Sea Research II (Topical Studies in Oceanography).  Two manuscripts already have been accepted.  Two more manuscripts as well as the Introduction and Wrap-up papers, are expected.  Issues concerning the integration of papers were discussed.  The possibility of password-protected, web-based dissemination of the draft special issue was agreed to be worth pursuing.  Lead authors will be asked to provide Allen Macklin with PDF versions of their manuscripts.

• SEBSCC Annual PI Meeting: The first synthesis-phase meeting of Southeast Bering Sea Carrying Capacity is scheduled for 1/29-30/2001, Building 3, Room 2104. An agenda will be distributed to participants early in January.

• Gulf of Alaska Fishing Season:  In general there is a 3-mile limit on mobile gear fishing in the Gulf of Alaska due to Steller sea lion issues.  There are plans to extend the moratorium to 20 nautical miles, which will include all of Shelikof Strait and waters further offshore.  These plans are still unknown and subject to change.
• Proposed Season Dates
• Pollock - Two week openings on 1/2, 3/15, 8/20, and 10/1
• Cod - 1/20 to mid March.
• Flatfish - Opens after cod and pollock close, open for ~6 months
• Rockfish - 7/2 to 8/7
• Regulations for the Bering Sea are currently unknown

• Miller Freeman 2001 Operations Meeting:  A meeting to discuss the upcoming field season with Miller Freeman personnel is currently scheduled for 1/10, aboard the ship.  Chief scientists for winter and spring 2001 cruises aboard the Freeman should attend and bring appropriate documents.

• Employees update:  AFSC is still seeking replacements for Lisa Rugen and Ric Brodeur.  PMEL is evaluating two candidates for a post-doctoral position.  It could be filled by February 2001.

• The Coastal Ocean Program has announced two research opportunities.  One is for research into harmful algal blooms, the other is for career development.  Contact Allen Macklin for further information.

• There will be a half-day symposium on the Bering Sea ecosystem at the 10th Anniversary PICES meeting in Victoria, October 2001.  Oral and poster presentations will be accepted.  The proceedings from this symposium will be published in Progress in Oceanography

• FOCI has been encouraged to inform the North Pacific Fishery Management Council of its research plans.  The council meets five times a year, and the October 2001 meeting in Seattle may be an appropriate occasion.  The FOCI coordinator will pursue this plan.

2001 FIELD SEASON OUTLOOK

The next FOCI PI meeting will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 18 January 2001, in the AFSC Director's Conference Room (4/2143). Please submit to Allen Macklin, no later than the day before the meeting, agenda items and fax-ready copies of figures or handouts that you intend to present at the meeting. Alternately, presentation materials may be posted on the WWW or e-mailed to remote participants before the meeting.

Mail corrections and addenda to the FOCI Coordinator.