[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 164 (Tuesday, August 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 45228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22811]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081098C]


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 will convene a 
public meeting of an Ad Hoc Technical Review Panel (Panel).

DATES: This meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 
1998 and conclude by 3:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 333 
Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, 
Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The panel, consisting of Council members 
with technical backgrounds, will review analyses on the effectiveness 
of shrimp trawl bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) in reducing the number 
of juvenile red snapper taken as bycatch. NMFS will complete their 
analyses based on an ongoing observer program (63 FR 27485, May 19, 
1998) that is collecting data on the effectiveness of the BRDs being 
used in trawls on commercial shrimp vessels in the Gulf.
    NMFS will use the data collected to determine if all or a portion 
of an additional 3.12 million pounds (MP) of red snapper will be 
allocated to recreational and commercial fishermen in September. That 
action is based on an interim rule (63 FR 18144, April 14, 1998) 
implemented by NMFS whereby the 3.12 MP allocation was withheld 
contingent upon the BRDs reducing the bycatch of juvenile red snapper 
by 60 percent. Ten percent of the allocation will be released for each 
percent of bycatch reduction over 50 percent, as determined by the 
observer program.
    Copies of the agenda can be obtained by calling 813-228-2815.
    Although other issues not on the agenda may come before the Panel 
for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of 
formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those 
issues specifically identified in the agenda listed as available by 
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 
August 26, 1998.

    Dated: August 17, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22811 Filed 8-20-98; 4:05 pm]
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