[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 165 (Thursday, August 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51592-51593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21683]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081700D]


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 meetings of its Advisory Panel (AP) Selection Committee (closed), 
Shrimp Committee, Controlled Access Committee, Snapper Grouper 
Committee, Habitat Committee, Marine Reserves Committee, Dolphin Wahoo 
Committee and a joint meeting of the Executive and Finance Committees. 
Public comment periods will be held on the proposed Dolphin Wahoo 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) 
Testing Protocol Manual. There will also be a Council Session.

DATES: The meetings will be held from September 18-22, 2000. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Town & Country Inn, 2008 
Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; telephone: (843) 571-1000 or 1-
800-334-6660.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One 
Southpark Circle, Suite 306; Charleston, SC 29407-4699.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    September 18, 2000, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Joint Executive/Finance 
Committee Meeting;
    The Executive and Finance Committees will meet jointly to review an 
update on the CY (Calendar Year) 2000 budget, review and approve the 
proposed CY 2001 activities schedule, budget and Operations Plan. The 
committees will also discuss Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistic 
Program (ACCSP) funding.
    September 18, 2000, 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.--Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (closed);
    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will meet to review 
membership applications and develop recommendations.
    September 19, 2000, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.--Shrimp Committee 
Meeting;
    The Shrimp Committee will meet to develop recommendations on the 
revised NMFS BRD Protocol, review input from the Rock Shrimp AP and 
discuss controlled access for the rock shrimp fishery, develop 
recommendations for the Controlled Access Committee, review the 
proposal to use traps to fish for royal red shrimp in the Exclusive 
Economic Zone and develop a committee recommendation.
    September 19, 2000, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon--Controlled Access 
Committee Meeting;
    The Controlled Access Committee will meet to hear a presentation on 
vessel capacity issues and develop committee recommendations regarding 
vessel capacity issues. The Committee will also develop options for 
rock shrimp controlled access and provide direction to Council staff.
    September 19, 2000, 1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.--Snapper Grouper Committee 
Meeting;
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will meet and hear an update on 
Maximum Sustainable Yield and overfishing definitions, discuss the 
status of the red porgy assessment and projections peer review, and 
review the status of data available on the harvest of snapper grouper 
species with powerheads.
    September 20, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Habitat Committee 
Meeting;
    The Habitat Committee will meet to review and comment on permits as 
required, hear a report on the Habitat Advisory Panel meeting, discuss 
development of an ecosystem plan and discuss development of a beach 
renourishment policy.
    September 20, 2000, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--
Marine Reserves Committee Meeting;
    The Marine Reserves Committee will meet to review informal meeting, 
public scoping meeting and Marine Reserves AP input and comments and 
develop recommendations to Council and staff, develop Committee 
recommendations on the Gray's Reef Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), 
develop Committee comments/recommendations on NMFS White Paper and 
discuss the closed area law suit in the Gulf of Mexico.
    September 20, 2000, 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Dolphin Wahoo Committee 
Meeting;
    The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will meet to review comments on the 
Dolphin Wahoo FMP from the public hearings, written material received, 
advisory panel members and NMFS. The Committee will also review Gulf 
and Caribbean Council actions.
    September 21, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 noon--Dolphin Wahoo Committee 
Meeting (continued);
    The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will continue its meeting and develop 
final Committee recommendations on the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management 
Plan.
    September 21, 2000, 1:30 p.m.-6:15 p.m.--Council Session;
    From 1:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda and approve minutes from the June 2000 meeting.
    From 1:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m., the Council will hold elections to decide 
on a new Chairman and Vice-Chairman and make presentations.
    From 2:15 p.m.- 2:45 p.m., the Council will hear a Coast Guard 
presentation from Admiral Allen.
    From 2:45 p.m.-3:15 p.m., the Council will consider a request from 
the South Carolina Aquarium for an extension of their Exempted 
Fisheries Permit (EFP).
    From 3:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m., the Council will hold a public comment 
period regarding the Dolphin Wahoo FMP (beginning at 3:15 p.m.), hear a 
report from the Dolphin Wahoo Committee, finalize the FMP and approve 
it for submission to the Secretary of Commerce.
    From 5:15 p.m.-5:45 p.m., the Council will hold a public comment 
period on the BRD Testing Protocol Manual (beginning at 5:15 p.m.), 
hear a report from the Shrimp Committee, finalize and approve the 
revised BRD Testing Protocol Manual and make a decision on the proposal 
to use traps to fish for royal red shrimp.
    From 5:45 p.m.-6:15 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Executive/Finance Committee, approve CY 2001 Activities Schedule, 
approve the CY

[[Page 51593]]

2001 budget and approve the Council Operations Plan.
    September 22, 2000, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.--Council Session
    From 8:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Advisory Panel Selection Committee and appoint new advisory panel 
members.
    From 8:45 a.m.-9:00 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Snapper Grouper Committee.
    From 9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Controlled Access Committee, make recommendations on vessel capacity 
issues and make a decision on proceeding with rock shrimp controlled 
access.
    From 9:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Habitat Committee and consider permits as required.
    From 9:45 a.m.-10:15 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Marine Reserves Committee, take action on considering the Gray's Reef 
MOU, develop comments and recommendations on the NMFS White Paper and 
direct Council staff on how to proceed.
    From 10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m., the Council will hear a presentation on 
the Southeast Region's Permitting System.
    From 10:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m., the Council will hear a report on the 
southeastern shark drift net fishery.
    From 11:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m., the Council will hear an update on 
ACCSP.
    From 11:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, the Council will hear updates on 
economic and social issues.
    From 12:00 noon-12:30 p.m., the Council will hear NMFS Status 
Reports on 2000/2001 Mackerel Framework, Mackerel Amendment 12, Greater 
Amberjack trip limit resubmittal and Georgia Special Management Zones 
(SMZs). Council will also hear NMFS Status Reports on Landings for 
Atlantic king mackerel, Gulf king mackerel (eastern zone), Atlantic 
Spanish mackerel, Snowy grouper & Golden tilefish, wreckfish, greater 
amberjack and south Atlantic Octocorals.
    From 12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m., 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 
subjects 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 September 8, 2000.

    Dated: August 17, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-21683 Filed 8-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F