[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 222 (Friday, November 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 58535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29245]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 110596B]


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 Red Snapper Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: This meeting will be held on December 11, 1996, from 8:00 a.m. 
to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Doubletree Guest Suites 
Hotel, 4400 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: 813-873-
8675.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 
West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the meeting will be to review 
the 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 AP 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 AP 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.
    The AP is comprised of fishermen and other user groups who advise 
the Council on fishery issues.

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 the Council (see ADDRESSES) by 
December 4, 1996.

    Dated: November 7, 1996.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-29245 Filed 11-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F