[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 10135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5320]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022602E]


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 Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP).

DATES: This meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2002, from 
8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Casino Magic Hotel - 
Biloxi, 195 East Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS; telephone: 228-386-4600.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The LEAP will convene to review management 
options for a Secretarial Amendment to the Reef Fish Fishery Management 
Plan that would establish a 10-year rebuilding period for red grouper 
in the Gulf of Mexico. The amendment contains various options for 
setting sustainable fishing parameters and rebuilding strategies/
scenarios. It also contains management options including quotas, trip 
limits, closed seasons, bag limits, and additional gear restrictions. 
The LEAP will also review the status regarding implementation of 
previous management actions taken by the Council, as well as an update 
of the implementation of the Cooperative 2002 Operations Plan, 
including Joint Enforcement Agreements (JEAs) among the Gulf states and 
NOAA Enforcement. Finally, the LEAP will discuss the possible 
development of an enforceability document that would gauge the relative 
ease/difficulty for enforcement of various types of management 
measures, and issues of safety regarding fishing around port and 
offshore structures, particularly oil and gas rigs.
    The LEAP consists of principal law enforcement officers in each of 
the Gulf states as well as NMFS, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA General 
Counsel. A copy of the agenda and related materials can be obtained by 
calling the Council office at 813-228-2815.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the LEAP 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 meetings. Actions of the LEAP 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.

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 
March 13, 2002.

    Dated: March 1, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-5320 Filed 3-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S