[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 66404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31661]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121801D]


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 of the Deep Water Crab Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: This meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 9, 2002 
and will conclude by 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL.
    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 Council will convene its Deep-water Crab 
AP to review a preliminary issues and options paper for the development 
of a Deep-water Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
    The species that would be managed under the Deep-water Crab FMP 
will be the golden crab (Chaceon fenneri) and red crab (Chaceon 
quinquedens). The preliminary issues and options paper for the 
development of a Deep-water Crab FMP examines fisheries issues 
including management needs, gear requirements and restrictions, crab 
size and sex limitations for harvest, and requirements for fishery 
participants. Based on its review, the Deep-water Crab AP may recommend 
to the Council management criteria that will benefit the fishery while 
preserving the resource under the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council will consider 
these recommendations at its January meeting to be held in Brownsville, 
TX, from January 21-24, 2002.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the AP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during these meetings. Actions of the AP 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 
January 2, 2002.

    Dated: December 19, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi.
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-31661 Filed 12-21-01; 8:45 am]
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