[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 223 (Thursday, November 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30900]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 110598E]


South Atlantic 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a meeting of its Marine Reserves, Snapper Grouper, Advisory 
PanelSelection, Dolphin/Wahoo, and Habitat Committees; and a Council 
Session.

DATES: The meetings will be held from November 30-December 4, 1998. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Ramada Inn, 1701 South 
Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC; telephone: (800) 635-1824; 
(252) 441-2151.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One 
Southpark Circle, Suite 306; Charleston, SC 29407-4699.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Buchanan, Public Information 
Officer; telephone: (843) 571-4366; fax: (843) 769-4520; email: 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    November 30, 1998, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.--Marine Reserves 
Committee;
    The Marine Reserves Committee will review results of the marine 
reserves workshop, review and revise the council's action plan 
regarding the use of reserves, revise the draft criteria for developing 
reserves, and develop committee recommendations regarding the Council's 
Marine Reserves Advisory Panel composition;
    December 1, 1998, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon; 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.--
Snapper Grouper Committee;
    The committee will hear presentations on assessments for red porgy, 
gag,and greater amberjack. The committee will also hear reports on the 
following: compliance with minimum size limits, information from last 
year's fishermen logbook reports, information concerning the 
experimental closed area of the Oculina Bank, and the status of golden 
tilefish and snowy grouper quotas. The committee will also take action 
on the seasonal framework as needed and hear the status of Snapper 
Grouper Amendments 8 and 9 and the emergency request for Amendment 9;
    December 1, 1998, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.--Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (Closed Session);
    The committee will review applications from those wishing to serve 
on Council advisory panels and develop recommendations for appointments 
to these panels;
    December 2, 1998, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Dolphin/Wahoo Committee;
    NMFS will present the committee with the status of the Council's 
request to be designated true lead in dolphin and wahoo management as 
well as the status of the data request the Council submitted for 
dolphin and wahoo landings. The committee will then review the Dolphin/
Wahoo Workshop Report and review and revise the options paper regarding 
possible dolphin/wahoo management actions;
    December 2, 1998, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; December 3, 1998, 8:30 
a.m. to 12:00 noon--Habitat Committee;
    NMFS will present the committee with the status of the Habitat Plan 
and the Habitat Comprehensive Amendment. The committee will then hear 
presentations on sargassum;
    December 3, 1998, 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.--Council Session;
    The Council will hear the following Committee reports: Habitat, 
Snapper Grouper, Marine Reserves, and Advisory Panel Selection (Closed 
Session):
    At 1:45 p.m., the Council will hear public comment on the Sargassum 
Plan before taking action to modify and approve the plan;
    At 2:45 p.m., the Council will hear public comment on any proposed 
framework measures for the snapper grouper fishery before approving 
such measures as necessary;
    At 4:15 p.m., the Council will review the Mackerel Advisory Panel 
request to allow the retention of Spanish mackerel in the gillnet 
fishery for spot and take action on this issue;
    At 5:15 p.m., the Council will meet in closed session to appoint 
new advisory panel members;
    December 4, 1998, 8:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.--Council Session;
    The Council will hear the Dolphin/Wahoo Committee report, hear the 
status of the live rock aquaculture program, and NMFS reports on: The 
Report to Congress on overfished species, implementation of Snapper 
Grouper Amendment 8, Snapper Grouper Amendment 9 and the emergency 
regulations on Amendment 9, Golden Crab Framework #1, the 1998-1999 
Mackerel Framework action, Mackerel Amendment 9, and status on quotas 
for the following species: Atlantic king mackerel, Gulf king mackerel 
(Eastern zone), Atlantic Spanish mackerel, snowy grouper, golden 
tilefish, wreckfish, and South Atlantic octocorals. The Council will 
also review the NMFS Hightly Migratory Species Swordfish and Billfish 
Amendments and comment on the proposed regulations.
    The Council will also hear reports on the International 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas program, the Atlantic Coastal 
Cooperative Statistics Program, the Council/NMFS operations plan 
meeting, and agency and liaison reports before discussing other 
business.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues will not be of 
formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those 
issues specifically listed in 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 the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
by November 23, 1998.

    Dated: November 13, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-30900 Filed 11-18-98; 8:45 am]
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