[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 66 (Monday, April 7, 1997)] [Notices] [Page 16561] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-8740] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 033197G] 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 via conference call on April 22, 1997, beginning at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time (EST)/9:00 a.m. central standard time (CST) to resolve inconsistencies in their advice to the Council on vermilion snapper minimum size limits and allowable biological catch recommendations. The Council is considering an increase in the vermilion snapper minimum size limit from 8-inches to 10-inches total length in order to stop a decline in the vermilion snapper stock and prevent the stock from becoming overfished. In November 1996, the Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel (RFSAP) had stated that changes in the minimum size limit would have very little impact on the resource, but in February 1997, the RFSAP concluded that increasing the minimum size limit to 10-inches total length would reduce overall harvest by about 33 percent. DATES: The meeting will be held on April 22, 1997, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST/9:00 a.m. CST. ADDRESSES: A listening phone will be located at each of the following locations: 1. NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL; telephone: 813-570-5335; 2. NMFS Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL; telephone: 904-234-6541; 3. NMFS Miami Laboratory, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL; telephone: 305-361-4487. Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamic Statistician; telephone: 813-228-2815. Special Accommodations Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see ADDRESSES) by April 15, 1997. Dated: April 1, 1997. Richard W. Surdi, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 97-8740 Filed 4-4-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F