[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 49438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24078]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 091296C]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene a public meeting of the Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel.

DATES: This meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. on October 15, and will 
conclude at 5:00 p.m. on October 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the NMFS Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 
West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel will 
review a new stock assessment for vermilion snapper, an update to the 
1995 stock assessment for red snapper, and available biological 
information and landings data for amberjack species. For red snapper, 
the panel will recommend a range of allowable biological catch (ABC) 
which is consistent with a rebuilding schedule for this stock. For the 
other species, the panel may recommend an ABC range if there is 
sufficient biological information available to determine an ABC range 
for achieving optimum yield, or they may identify future research 
needs.
    Under the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan's framework procedure 
for setting total allowable catch (TAC), the Council may implement 
through a regulatory amendment, for species where an ABC range has been 
specified, a TAC which is allocated between the recreational and 
commercial sectors, and quotas, bag limits, size limits, and other 
measures needed to attain TAC. If an ABC range and TAC is not 
specified, the Council must use the more lengthy plan amendment process 
to implement any changes to management measures.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Anne Alford at (see ADDRESSES) by October 8, 
1996.

    Dated: September 13, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24078 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F