[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 147 (Monday, July 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46694-46695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19278]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072000D]


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 (Council) will 
convene a public meeting via conference call of the Red Drum Stock 
Assessment Panel (RDSAP).

DATES: This meeting will be via conference call on August 14, 2000 
beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: A listening station will be available at the following 
location: NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 9721 Executive Center Drive, 
North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, Contact: Georgia Cranmore at 727-570-
5305.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood, Fishery Biologist, Gulf of 
Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The RDSAP will be convened via conference 
call on August 14, 2000 beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST. At the request of 
the Council, the RDSAP was asked to recommend how research needs listed 
in the RDSAP's most recent final report be accomplished, including cost 
estimates and a timeline for completion. Research needs included: 1) 
the age composition of the adults in offshore waters needs to be known, 
2) the absolute abundance of adult red drum

[[Page 46695]]

in the Gulf of Mexico needs to be accurately measured, 3) random 
sampling of the commercial and recreational catches for age composition 
data is needed, 4) standardized stock assessment methodology needs to 
be developed that can accept area (state)-specific data and work with 
these within the context of a Gulf-wide stock assessment, 5) the area 
(state)-specific contributions of red drum to the offshore adult stock 
needs to be determined, 6) angler-release and shrimp-trawl bycatch 
mortality and the ages or lengths of caught-and-released fish needs to 
be determined, and 7) the length composition of the commercial catch 
needs to be measured.
    The recommendations of the RDSAP will be reviewed by the Council at 
its next meeting held from September 11 to 14, 2000 in Mobile, AL.
    Currently it is illegal to harvest or possess red drum in Federal 
waters.
    A copy of the agenda can be obtained by contacting the Council (see 
ADDRESSES).
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before the RDSAP 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 of the 
RDSAP will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the 
agenda 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.
    The listening station 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 7, 2000.

    Dated: July 24, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-19278 Filed 7-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F