[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 108 (Friday, June 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30727-30728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15028]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052798C]
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 30728]]
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene
public meetings of its Florida/Alabama, Mississippi/Louisiana, and
Texas Habitat Protection Advisory Panels (AP).
DATES: A meeting of the Florida/Alabama Habitat Protection AP will be
held on Wednesday, June 17, 1998. A meeting of the Mississippi/
Louisiana Habitat Protection AP will be held on Monday, June 22, 1998.
A meeting of the Texas Habitat Protection AP will be held on Tuesday,
June 30, 1998. The meetings in Florida and Texas will begin 10:00 a.m.
and conclude by 5:00 p.m.; the meeting in Louisiana will begin at 9:00
a.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting of the Florida/Alabama Habitat Protection AP
will meet at the Ramada Airport Inn & Conference Center, 5303 West
Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL; telephone: 813-289-1950. The Mississippi/
Louisiana Habitat Protection AP will meet at the New Orleans Airport
Radisson, 2150 Veterans Boulevard, Kenner, LA; telephone: 504-467-3111.
The Texas Habitat Protection AP will meet at the Hobby Airport Hilton,
8181 Airport Boulevard, Houston, TX; telephone: 713-645-3000.
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 APs will be convened to review the draft
generic amendment on essential fish habitat (EFH). The draft document
is mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson Act) and addresses EFH in all seven of the Council?s
Fishery Management Plans (FMP). Following is a summary of the
amendment:
1. Essential fish habitat (EFH) is identified and described based
on areas where various life stages of 21 selected managed species and
the coral complex commonly occur. The selected species are shrimp
(brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus; white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus; pink
shrimp, Penaeus duorarum); red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus; reef fish
(red grouper, Epinephelus morio; gag grouper, Mycteroperca microlepsis;
scamp grouper, Mycteroperca phenax; red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus;
gray snapper, Lutjanus griseus; yellowtail snappper, Ocyurus chrysurus;
lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris; greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili;
lesser amberjack, Seriola fasciata; tilefish, Lopholatilus
chamaeleonticeps; and gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus), coastal
migratory pelagic species (king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla;
Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus; cobia, Rachycentron canadum;
and dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus), stone crab, Menippe mercenaria;
spiny lobster, Panulirus argus; and the coral complex;
2. The selected species represent about a third of the species
under management by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
Collectively, these species commonly occur throughout all of the marine
and estuarine waters of the Gulf of Mexico. EFH for the remaining
managed species will be addressed in future FMP amendments, as
appropriate;
3. EFH is defined as everywhere that the above managed species
commonly occur. Because these species collectively occur in all
estuarine and marine habitats of the Gulf of Mexico, EFH is separated
into estuarine and marine components. For the estuarine component, EFH
includes all estuarine waters and substrates (mud, sand, shell, rock
and associated biological communities), including the sub-tidal
vegetation (seagrasses and algae) and adjacent inter-tidal vegetation
(marshes and mangroves). In marine waters of the Gulf of Mexico, EFH
includes virtually all marine waters and substrates (mud, sand, shell,
rock and associated biological communities) from the shoreline to the
seaward limit of the EEZ;
4. Threats to EFH from fishing and nonfishing activities are
identified;
5. Options to conserve and enhance EFH are provided and research
needs are identified;
6. No management measures and, therefore, no regulations are
proposed at this time. Fishing-related management measures to minimize
any identified impacts are deferred to future amendments when the
Council has the information necessary to decide if the measures are
practicable.
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 this meeting. Panel 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 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 June 10, 1998.
Dated: June 1, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-15028 Filed 6-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F