[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8342-8343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3927]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021100E]


South Atlantic 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold meetings of its Golden Crab, Red Drum, Advisory Panel Selection 
(closed), Scientific and Statistical Selection (closed), Marine 
Reserves, Dolphin/Wahoo, Snapper Grouper, and Habitat and Environmental 
Protection Committees. An informal public meeting regarding marine 
reserves will be held. There will also be a Council Session.

DATES: The meeting will be held from March 6-10, 2000. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Ocean Plaza Beach Resort, 
Oceanfront at 15th Street, Tybee Island, GA 31328; telephone: (1-800) 
215-6370 or (912) 786-7777.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    March 6, 2000, 1:30-3:30 p.m.--Golden Crab Committee Meeting;
    The Golden Crab Committee will review public hearing comments and 
consider emergency action to waive the 5,000 pound permit renewal 
requirement.
    March 6, 2000, 3:30-5:30 p.m.--Red Drum Committee Meeting;
    The Red Drum Committee will meet to hear a presentation on the 
southern portion of the Atlantic stock assessment, a summary of the red 
drum stock assessment group meeting and develop committee 
recommendations.
    March 6, 2000, 6:00 p.m.--Informal Public Meeting;

[[Page 8343]]

    The Georgia Coastal Resources Division asked the Council to hold an 
informal meeting on marine reserves. Individuals interested in 
discussing the use of marine reserves as a fisheries management tool 
will be given the opportunity to ask questions and express their views.
    March 7, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.--Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (Closed Meeting);
    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will review membership 
applications and develop recommendations.
    March 7, 2000, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon--Scientific and Statistical 
Selection Committee Meeting;
    The Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee will review 
membership resignations and develop recommendations for appointment of 
new members.
    March 7, 2000, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Marine Reserves Committee 
Meeting;
    The committee will review a status report on informal meetings and 
receive the informal meeting presentation, make recommendations on the 
public information document, discuss future informal meetings and make 
recommendation on the Gray Reef Memorandum of Understanding.
    March 7, 2000, 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Dolphin/Wahoo Committee 
Meeting;
    The committee will hear a report on the joint South Atlantic, 
Caribbean and Gulf Committee meeting, the status of NMFS development of 
maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for dolphin and wahoo and take action 
on the fishery management plan (FMP) public hearing draft.
    March 8, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 noon--Joint Shrimp Committee and 
Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) Advisory Panel Meeting;
    The committee and advisory panel will hear recommendations for BRD 
protocol from NMFS, review and recommend modification to BRD protocol 
if needed, discuss development of a rock shrimp limited access 
amendment and discuss other shrimp issues.
    March 8, 2000, 1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.--Snapper Grouper Committee 
Meeting;
    The committee will review SEIS comments and recommend action on 
Amendment 12 if needed, review the Snapper Grouper Assessment Group 
Report, develop recommended actions via framework where appropriate and 
develop recommendation for Wreckfish total allowable catch (TAC) and 
other framework actions as needed.
    March 9, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Habitat and Environmental 
Protection Committee Meeting;
    The committee will hear clarification of NMFS position on Sargassum 
FMP disapproval, review the NMFS' MSY recommendation and Endangered 
Species Section 7 Conservation recommendations, review options for the 
Sargassum FMP and hear an update on the Coral Reef Taskforce's 
activities.
    March 9, 2000, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.--Council session;
    From 11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda and approve minutes from the Nov/Dec meeting.
    From 11:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m., the Council will hear the Marine 
Reserves Committee report.
    From 11:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m., the Council will hear the Dolphin/Wahoo 
Committee report.
    From 11:45 a.m.-12:00 noon, the Council will hear the Red Drum 
Committee report.
    Beginning at 1:30 p.m., public comment will be taken on (1) the 
Golden Crab emergency rule to waive the 5,000 pound permit renewal 
requirement; (2) action on the BRD protocol for the shrimp fishery; (3) 
any necessary modifications to Snapper Grouper Amendment 12 (Red 
Porgy), any framework actions necessary to meet the requirements of the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act and setting the wreckfish TAC or other 
wreckfish actions; (4) in addition, comment will be taken on the 
resubmission of the Sargassum FMP.
    At 2:30 p.m. or immediately after public comment ends, Council will 
hear the Snapper Grouper Committee Report including any recommended 
revisions of Snapper Grouper Amendment 12 (if necessary), the 
establishment of the Wreckfish TAC and decisions on other appropriate 
framework actions.
    From 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., the Council will hear the Habitat 
Committee report and make a decision on the Sargassum FMP.
    From 4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m., the Council will hear the Shrimp 
Committee report and make a decision on the BRD protocol.
    From 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m., the Council will hear the Golden Crab 
Committee report and decide on the emergency rule request to waive the 
5,000 pound permit renewal requirement.
    March 10, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon; Council Session;
    The Council will hear the Advisory Panel Selection Committee report 
and appoint advisory panel members (Closed Session); hear the 
Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee report and appoint new 
members (Closed Session); hear a briefing on Economic Impact Assessment 
Guidelines; a briefing on Social Impact Assessment Guidelines; an 
update on the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program and a 
report on the status of national policy on vessel monitoring systems. 
The Council will also receive status reports from NMFS on the 1999/2000 
Mackerel Framework, Mackerel Amendment 9 final rule, Comprehensive 
Habitat Amendment final rule, response to South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council operations plan requested work, and landings for 
Atlantic king mackerel, Gulf king mackerel (eastern zone), Atlantic 
Spanish mackerel, snowy grouper and golden tilefish, wreckfish, greater 
amberjack and South Atlantic octocorals. The Council will hear agency 
and liaison reports and discuss other business and upcoming meetings.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice 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 final action 
to address the emergency.

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 February 25, 2000.

    Dated: February 15, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-3927 Filed 2-17-00; 8:45 am]
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