[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 195 (Monday, October 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52438-52439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25590]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 092796J]
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will
convene a public meeting.
DATES: The meetings are scheduled as follows: Standing and Special
Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), October 29, 1996,
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC), October 30, 1996, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Grand Casino, 265 Beach
Boulevard, Biloxi, MS 39530; telephone: 800-946-2946.
Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401
West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Richard L. Leard, Senior Fishery
Biologist; telephone: 813-228-2815.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 29, beginning at 8:00 a.m., the
Shrimp SSC will review Draft Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan
for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Waters with
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), Regulatory Impact
Review (RIR), Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and
Social Impact Assessment (SIA). The amendment addresses the Council's
commitment to reduce the bycatch mortality of juvenile red snapper from
[[Page 52439]]
shrimp trawls. The amendment includes a review of previous actions and
their effects on bycatch as well as various alternatives.
The Shrimp SSC will review the draft amendment which includes
various management alternatives for bycatch reduction, including the
Council's ``preferred alternatives.'' Measures being considered
include: (1) Status Quo - no change to existing regulations; and (2)
Require installation of Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) in all trawls
used in the penaeid shrimp fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ), except test or try nets. They will also review area-specific
usage of BRDs, including requiring BRDs: (1) inside the 100-fathom
contour; (2) inside the 100-fathom contour and west of Cape San Blas,
FL; (3) between the 10- and 100-fathom contours, and (4) between the
10- and 100-fathom contours and west of Cape San Blas, FL. Other
alternatives that will be discussed include: bycatch reduction
criteria; seasonal closures; a framework procedure for modifying
bycatch reduction criteria, BRD certification, and testing
requirements. The Shrimp SSC will also consider an RIR, which mainly
reviews the economic ramifications of the proposed amendment; an SIA;
and any environmental consequences. Also considered will be the effects
of other Federal laws and regulations.
On October 30, beginning at 8:00 a.m. the Reef Fish SSC will review
Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel (RFSAP) and Socioeconomic Panel (SEP)
reports regarding a new stock assessment for vermilion snapper, an
update of the 1995 stock assessment for red snapper, and discussions
regarding biological information and landings data for amberjack
species. The SSC will review any recommendations of the RFSAP and SEP
regarding allowable biological catch (ABC) ranges for these species,
and they may develop recommendations of ABC or total allowable catch
(TAC) for submission to the Council. The SSC may also recommend future
data gathering and research needs.
Under the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan's framework procedure
for setting TAC, when an ABC range has been specified, the Council may
implement through a regulatory amendment a TAC, which is then 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 are not specified, the Council must use the more lengthy
process of a full plan amendment to implement any changes to management
measures.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see
ADDRESSES) by October 21, 1996.
Dated: September 30, 1996.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-25590 Filed 10-4-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F