[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 59 (Thursday, March 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14671-14672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7822]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 032097D]


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Meetings.

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold meetings of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Joint 
Mackerel Committee and Mackerel Advisory Panel, Mackerel Committee, 
Highly Migratory Species Committee, Statement of Organization Practices 
and Procedures (SOPPs) Committee, Bluefish Committee, Snapper Grouper 
Committee, Habitat and Environmental Committee, Advisory Panel 
Selection Committee (closed session), and a Council session.

DATES: The meetings will be held from April 14-18, 1997. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Tybee Island Town Hall, 403 
Butler Avenue, Tybee Island, GA: telephone: (912) 786-4573.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One 
Southpark Circle, Suite 306; Charleston, SC 29407-4699.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Buchanan, Public Information 
Officer; telephone: (803) 571-4366; fax: (803) 769-4520; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    April 14, 1997, 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.--Scientific and Statistical 
Committee;
    The SSC Committee will meet to receive a report on the Mackerel 
Stock Assessment, discuss the Assessment and formulate recommendations 
to the Council, review Snapper Grouper Amendment 9 options, review the 
Bluefish Assessment and proposed actions, and revisit the Amberjack 
Assessment.
    April 14, 1997, 6:30 p.m. until all business is complete--Atlantic 
Coast Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP)

Scoping Meeting

    As a partner in the ACCSP, the Council will hold a scoping meeting 
to solicit public input on ways to improve commercial and recreational 
fisheries data collection.

[[Page 14672]]

    April 15, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Joint Mackerel Committee 
and Mackerel Advisory Panel;
    The advisory panel will develop recommendations for setting total 
allowable catch and bag limits and other framework items as necessary.
    April 15, 1997, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.--Mackerel Committee; The 
Committee will meet to hear the status of last year's framework action, 
Amendment 8 and current landings, develop recommendations on 
formulating total allowable catches and bag limits, develop 
recommendations on other framework items as necessary, discuss mackerel 
Amendment 9, and receive an update on mackerel tournament data.
    April 15, 1997, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.--Highly Migratory Species 
Committee;
    The Committee will meet to review and comment on Amendment 1 to the 
Shark Fishery Management Plan, which deals with implementing limited 
access for the shark fishery, and Amendment 1 to the Swordfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), and to hear the status of NMFS highly migratory 
species advisory panels.
    April 16, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.--SOPPs Committee; The 
Committee will meet to discuss the Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates 
requiring changes to the Council's SOPPs, and will approve necessary 
changes.
    April 16, 1997, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Bluefish Committee;
    The Committee will review the Bluefish Assessment, Review Amendment 
1 to the Bluefish FMP, and approve Amendment 1 for public hearing.
    April 16, 1997, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.--Snapper Grouper Committee;
    The Committee will review new material in the Snapper Grouper 
Amendment document, review the SSC position on the Greater Amberjack 
Assessment, and approve Amendment 9 for public hearing.
    April 17, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.--Habitat and Environmental 
Protection Advisory Panel;
    The Committee will review previous Habitat Advisory Panel 
recommendations and develop Council options for addressing essential 
fisheries habitat.
    April 17, 1997, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (closed session);
    The Committee will develop recommendations for advisory panel 
member appointments.
    April 17, 1997, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.--Council Session; The full 
Council will meet at 1:45 p.m. to hear the Mackerel Committee Report, 
take public comment on mackerel total allowable catches (TACs), bag 
limits and other framework actions, set mackerel TACs and bag limits, 
and take action on other framework items as necessary; at 3:00 p.m., to 
hear the Highly Migratory Committee Species report and formulate 
Council comments on Shark Amendment 1 and Swordfish Amendment 1; at 
3:30 p.m., to hear the SOPPs Committee report and approve changes in 
the Council SOPPs for submission to the Secretary of Commerce; at 4:00 
p.m., to hear the Habitat Committee report and develop council options 
for addressing essential fisheries habitat; at 4:30 p.m., to hear the 
Snapper Grouper Committee report and approve Snapper Grouper Amendment 
9 for public hearing.
    April 18, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Council Session; The full 
Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. to hear the Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee report in closed session and appoint advisory panel members; 
at 9:00 a.m., to hear the Bluefish Committee report and approve 
Bluefish Amendment 1 for public hearing; at 9:30 a.m., to hear the 
Executive Committee report, approve an implementation schedule for 
Sustainable Fisheries Act provisions; hear a request from the 
Department of the Navy; and approve guidelines for holding informal 
meetings with fishermen. From 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, the Council 
will hear a status report of the ACCSP, agency and liaison reports, and 
discuss other business.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
by April 7, 1997.

    Dated: March 21, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7822 Filed 3-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F