[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]


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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.

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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