[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 25460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12254]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042998D]


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.

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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 1:00 
p.m. on Monday, June 1, 1998, and will conclude by 12:00 noon on 
Thursday, June 4, 1998. A meeting of the Finfish SAP will be held 
beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 1998, and will conclude by 
12:00 noon on Thursday, June 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The Crustacean SAP meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza 
Hotel, 333 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA. The Finfish SAP meeting 
will be held at the Atlantic Oceanographic Meteorologic Center, 4301 
Rickebacker Causeway, Miami, FL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Leard, Senior Fishery 
Biologist; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Panels 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 (FMP) for shrimp, stone crab, and 
spiny lobster (Crustacean SAP), and for migratory coastal pelagics, 
reef fish, and red drum (Finfish SAP).
    The Panels 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 Panels will also 
develop alternatives for rebuilding periods for stocks that have been 
classified as overfished by NMFS. The Panels may suggest modifications 
to the framework procedures for specifying acceptable biological catch 
and total allowable catch where appropriate. Each panel will develop a 
report to the Council setting forth their recommendations.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the Panels 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 Gulf Council 
(see ADDRESSES).

Special Accommodations

    These meeting 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 May 22, 1998.

    Dated: May 1, 1998.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-12254 Filed 5-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F