[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58121-58123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28929]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 111301D]


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 Selection Committee, Scientific and 
Statistical Selection Committee, Information & Education Committee, 
Habitat Committee, Dolphin Wahoo Committee, Controlled Access 
Committee, Law Enforcement Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee and a 
joint meeting of the Snapper Grouper Committee, Snapper Grouper 
Advisory Panel and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). 
Public comment periods will be held during some of the meetings. There 
will also be a full Council Session.

DATES: The meetings will be held in December 2001. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Blockade Runner Beach 
Resort, 275 Waynick Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC; telephone: (1-800) 
541-1161 or (910) 256-2251.
    Copies of documents are available from Kim Iverson, Public 
Information Officer, and 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

1. Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting: December 3, 2001, 1 
p.m.-3 p.m.

    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will meet in a closed 
session to review membership applications and develop recommendations.

2. Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee Meeting: December 3, 
2001, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.

    The Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee will meet in a 
closed session to review candidates for appointment to the SSC and 
develop recommendations.

3. Information & Education Committee Meeting: December 3, 2001, 4 p.m.-
6 p.m.

    The Information & Education Committee will meet to review current 
materials, projects and activities, develop goals and objectives, and 
identify needs related to public outreach.

4. Habitat Committee Meeting: December 4, 2001, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

    The Habitat Committee will meet to review the status of the 
Sargassum Fishery Management Plan (FMP),

[[Page 58122]]

review recommendations from the Habitat Advisory Panel, review habitat 
and environmental policies and modify as necessary, evaluate allowing 
rock shrimp trawling in or near the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular 
Concern (HAPC) by vessels with Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and 
address Ecosystem FMP issues.

5. Dolphin Wahoo Committee Meeting: December 4, 2001, 10:30 a.m.-12 
noon

    The Dolphin Wahoo Committee will meet to review Draft Environmental 
Impact Statements (DEIS) and NMFS comments on the draft Dolphin Wahoo 
FMP, discuss new economic analytical requirements, discuss NMFS action 
on the emergency rule request regarding dolphin and wahoo management, 
and develop recommendations regarding the Dolphin Wahoo FMP for formal 
Secretarial review.

6. Controlled Access Committee Meeting: December 4, 2001, 1:30 p.m.-
5:30 p.m.

    Beginning at 1:30 p.m., a public hearing will be held on rock 
shrimp Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), Optimum Yield (OY) and status 
determination criteria.
    Following the public hearing, the Controlled Access Committee will 
meet to discuss new economic analytical requirements for FMPs and 
review the Qualitative Vessel Capacity Report from NMFS. The Committee 
will also review DEIS comments on Shrimp Amendment 5 (rock shrimp 
limited access), approve changes to the document and make 
recommendations for submission to the Secretary of Commerce.

7. Law Enforcement Committee Meeting: December 5, 2001, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 
a.m.

    The Law Enforcement Committee will meet to review and comment on 
Snapper Grouper Amendment 13, review and comment on proposed Marine 
Protected Area (MPA) sites, discuss the joint Law Enforcement Committee 
and Advisory Panel meeting, and discuss law enforcement options in 
light of the current world security situation (i.e., emergency rule 
request to require Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS).

8. Joint Snapper Grouper Committee, Advisory Panel and Assessment 
Group, and Scientific & Statistical Committee Meeting: December 5, 
2001, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon and 1:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

    The Snapper Grouper Committee, Advisory Panel, Assessment Group and 
the Scientific & Statistical Committee will meet to review the red 
porgy assessment and projections, review Snapper Grouper Amendment 13 
options, review Snapper Grouper Amendment 14 options (marine protected 
area sites) and discuss additional stock assessment updates.

9. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: December 6, 2001, 8:30 a.m.-12 
noon.

    The Snapper Grouper Committee will meet to review and comment on 
the following; Proposed actions for Amendment 13 to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan including permit transfers, snowy grouper and 
golden tilefish management, prohibition of the sale of mutton snapper 
in May and June, review of stock status for speckled hind and warsaw 
grouper and evaluation of current regulations, spawning site closures 
and other measures. The Committee will also reach a decision regarding 
the red porgy assessment and projections, and develop recommendations 
for the Council on Snapper Grouper Amendment 14 options (marine 
protected area sites).

10. Council Session: December 6, 2001, 1:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

    From 1:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m., the Council will have a Call to Order, 
introductions and roll call, adoption of the agenda, and approval of 
the June 2001 meeting minutes.
    From 1:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m., the Council will hold elections for 
Chairman and Vice-Chairman and make presentations.
    From 2:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Snapper Grouper Committee regarding the red porgy assessment and 
projections, decisions on Snapper Grouper Amendments 13 and 14 options 
and finalize the Gray's Reef Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
    From 4:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m., Beginning at 4:15 p.m., a public comment 
period will be held on Shrimp Amendment 5 (rock shrimp). Immediately 
following the comment period, the Council will hear a report from the 
Controlled Access Committee regarding Shrimp Amendment 5 and make any 
necessary changes to the document for submission to the Secretary of 
Commerce for approval.
    From 5:15 p.m.-5:30 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee and appoint new members 
to the Scientific and Statistical Committee. (closed session)
    From 5:30 p.m.-6 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Advisory Panel Selection Committee and appoint new Advisory Panel 
members. (closed session)

11. Council Session: December 7, 2001, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

    From 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the Law 
Enforcement Committee regarding potential law enforcement action in 
light of the world security situation.
    From 9 a.m.-10 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Dolphin Wahoo Committee. Beginning at 9:45 a.m., a public comment 
period will be held regarding the proposed Dolphin Wahoo FMP. 
Immediately following the public comment period, the Council will make 
changes to the document as appropriate and approve it for submission to 
the Secretary of Commerce.
    From 10 a.m.-10:30 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Joint Executive and Finance Committees, and approve priority activities 
and the budget for Calendar Year (CY) 2002.
    From 10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Information & Education Committee.
    From 10:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Habitat Committee and make a decision on allowing rock shrimp trawling 
in or near the Oculina HAPC by vessels with VMS.
    From 11:15 a.m.-12 noon, the Council will hear a report regarding 
activities from the NMFS South East Fisheries Science Center and an 
update on the Atlantic Coast Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP).
    From 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m., the Council will hear NMFS status reports on 
Golden Crab Amendment 3, Allowable gear rule change request, and Calico 
Scallop Section 7 submissions. NMFS will also give 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 2 p.m.-3 p.m., the Council will hear agency and liasion 
reports, discuss other business and upcoming meetings.
    Documents regarding these issues are available from the Council 
office (see ADDRESSES).
    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.

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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 30, 2001.

    Dated: November 15, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-28929 Filed 11-19-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P