[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55254-55255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26547]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 100599A]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings.

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene 
public meetings of the Red Snapper Advisory Panel (AP), Reef Fish AP 
and Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC).

DATES: The Red Snapper AP will meet on Monday, October 25, 1999, 
beginning at 8:00 a.m. and will conclude by 3:30 p.m.; the Reef Fish AP 
will meet on Tuesday, October 26, 1999, beginning at 8:00 a.m. and will 
conclude by 3:30 p.m; and the Standing and Special Reef Fish SSC will 
meet on Wednesday, October 27, 1999, at 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and 
again on Thursday, October 28, 1999, from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will all be held at the Tampa Airport Hilton 
Hotel, 2225 Lois Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33607; telephone (813) 877-
6688.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. 
Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619; telephone (813) 
228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Red Snapper AP, consisting of 
recreational and commercial red snapper fishermen, seafood dealers, a 
Sea Grant extension agent, a representative of the coastal fishing 
community tourist industry, and a conservation group representative 
will review a red snapper stock assessment that has been prepared by 
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

[[Page 55255]]

on these reports, the AP may recommend levels of total allowable catch 
(TAC) for red snapper in 2000 and other appropriate management 
measures.
    The Reef Fish AP, consisting of recreational reef fish fishermen, 
commercial reef fish fishermen, and seafood dealers will review a red 
grouper stock assessment that has been prepared by 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 ABC. Based on these reports, the AP may recommend 
levels of TAC for red grouper in 2000 and other appropriate management 
measures.
    The Standing SSC consists of economics biologists, sociologists, 
and natural resource attorneys; and the Special Reef Fish SSC consists 
of fishery biologists who specialize in reef fish biology. The joint 
SSC will review several reports containing scientific information about 
gag and gag fisheries that was recently presented to the Council by Dr. 
Chris Koenig of Florida State University and by Dr. Trevor Kenchington 
on behalf of the Southeastern Fisheries Association. Because some of 
the information in those reports is conflicting, the joint SSC is being 
asked to review and comment on them. The joint SSC will also review the 
red snapper and red grouper stock assessments and the Socioeconomic 
Panel report, comment on their scientific adequacy, and may make 
recommendations regarding red snapper and red grouper TAC and other 
management measures.
    A copy of the agenda can be obtained by contacting the Gulf Council 
(see ADDRESSES). Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas 
may come before the Red Snapper AP, Reef Fish AP, and Standing and 
Special Reef Fish SSC for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 
those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these 
meetings. Actions of the Red Snapper AP, Reef Fish AP, and Standing and 
Special Reef Fish SSC will be restricted to those issues specifically 
identified in the agendas and any issues arising after publication of 
this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the 
Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.

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 
October 18, 1999.

    Dated: October 5, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-26547 Filed 10-8-99; 8:45 am]
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