[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 46000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23184]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 082098J]


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 
public meetings of the Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP) and the Standing 
and Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

DATES: The meeting of the Reef Fish AP will begin at 8:30 a.m. on 
Tuesday, September 8, 1998, and conclude by 4:00 p.m. The Standing and 
Special Reef Fish SSC will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 
9, 1998, and conclude by 12:00 noon. A meeting of the Standing SSC will 
begin at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 1998, and conclude by 
12:00 noon on Thursday, September 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza New Orleans, 
333 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA 70130; telephone: 504-525-9444.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida, 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 
813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AP, consisting of recreational and 
commercial fishermen, will review stock assessments of gag and 
vermilion snapper that were prepared by the NMFS and reports from the 
Council's Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel and Socioeconomic Panel that 
include biological, social, and economic information related to the 
range of acceptable biological catch (ABC). Based on these reports, the 
AP may recommend levels of total allowable catch (TAC) for these 
species and appropriate management measures.
    The Standing and Special Reef Fish SSC, consisting of economists, 
biologists, sociologists, and natural resource attorneys, will also 
review the above reports, comment on their scientific adequacy, and may 
make recommendations regarding TAC and management measures. In 
addition, the Standing SSC will review a report of an Ad Hoc Finfish 
Stock Assessment Panel on additional alternatives for potential proxies 
for maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for at least red snapper, king 
mackerel, and red drum. The Standing SSC will also consider the 
feasibility of using the ratio of natural mortality rate to growth rate 
(the M/K ratio) as a basis for setting the appropriate level of 
spawning potential ratio (SPR) that should be used as a proxy for MSY. 
Generation times for jewfish and Nassau grouper may also be considered. 
In addition, the Standing SSC will review a presentation from NMFS on 
the effectiveness of shrimp trawl bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) with 
respect to reducing juvenile red snapper bycatch mortality. The results 
of the NMFS BRD study will be a major factor in the decision by NMFS on 
whether to release additional red snapper TAC in 1998.
    Although other issues not on the agenda may come before the panels 
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. Actions will be restricted to those 
issues specifically identified in the agenda listed as available by 
this notice.

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 September 1, 1998.

    Dated: August 21, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23184 Filed 8-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F