[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 52086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26430]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 092997B]


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 Billfish Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: The meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. on October 21, 1997 and will 
end by 3:00 p.m. on October 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the at the Radisson Hobby 
Airport, 9100 Gulf Freeway, Houston, TX 77017; telephone: 713-943-7979.
    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 Dynamics 
Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 
813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Billfish AP will review a draft scoping 
document on issues and options for the management of Atlantic billfish. 
The scoping document was prepared by the Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division of NMFS, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, which is 
responsible for the management of billfishes, swordfish, marlin, tuna, 
and sharks. The purpose of the scoping document is to inform the public 
of NMFS' intent to gather information and to provide a mechanism by 
which the public can consider and comment on issues and alternatives 
relative to the management of Atlantic highly migratory species. 
Accordingly, the views of the commercial fishing, recreational fishing, 
conservation and scientific communities, and the general public are 
being sought by NMFS through publication of the draft scoping document.
    The AP will also review a petition submitted to NMFS by the Coastal 
Conservation Association to declare Atlantic white and blue marlin 
stocks overfished. If these stocks are declared to be overfished, NMFS 
will be required to develop and implement a rebuilding plan.
    The recommendations of the Billfish AP will be presented to the 
Council at their November 10-13, 1997 meeting in Longboat Key, FL, at 
which time the Council may decide whether to provide comment to NMFS on 
the above issues.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the AP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal AP 
action during this meeting. AP action will be restricted to those 
issues specifically identified in the agenda listed in this notice.

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 
October 14, 1997.

    Dated: September 30, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-26430 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F