[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 12784-12785] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-6600] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 031098B] Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meetings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene public meetings of its Special Crustacean and Finfish Stock Assessment Panels (SAP). DATES: A meeting of the Crustacean SAP will be held beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 30, and will conclude by 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 1998. A meeting of the Finfish SAP will be held beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 1998, and will conclude by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 1998. [[Page 12785]] ADDRESSES: The Crustacean SAP meeting will be held at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, 701 Convention Center Boulevard, New Orleans, LA. The Finfish SAP meeting will be held at NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL. Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Leard, Senior Fishery Biologist; telephone: 813-228-2815. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SAPs will be convened to develop alternatives for the overfishing criteria as required by the Sustainable Fisheries Act. Separate criteria will be considered for each of the stocks or stock-complexes managed under the Council's existing Fishery Management Plans for shrimp, stone crab, and spiny lobster (Crustacean SAP), and for migratory coastal pelagics, reef fish, and red drum (Finfish SAP). The SAPs will develop proxies for expressing maximum sustainable yield and optimum yield in terms of spawning potential ratio, spawning stock biomass per recruit, or other credible analyses as appropriate for the stocks or stock complexes of each FMP. The SAPs will also develop alternatives for rebuilding periods for stocks that have been classified as overfished by NMFS. The SAPs may suggest modifications to the framework procedures for specifying acceptable biological catch (ABC) and total allowable catch (TAC) where appropriate. Each SAP will develop a report to the Council setting forth their recommendations. Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before these SAPs for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda listed in this notice. A copy of the agenda can be obtained by contacting the Council (see ADDRESSES). 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 March 23, 1998. Dated: March 10, 1998. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 98-6600 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F