[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 82 (Monday, April 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 20958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10486]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042202F]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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 public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on May 13-16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Hilton Sandestin Beach & 
Golf Resort, 4000 Sandestin Boulevard South, Destin, FL 32550; 
telephone: 850-267-9500.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Council

May 15

    8:30 a.m.--Convene.
    8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive public testimony on Draft Shrimp 
Amendment 10/Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review (EA/
RIR), the Secretarial Greater Amberjack Rebuilding Amendment, and the 
Secretarial Red Grouper Amendment. Although the Council will hear 
public testimony on the Secretarial Red Grouper Amendment, final action 
will not be taken until the July 8-12, 2002 Council meeting in 
Sarasota, FL.
    1 p.m.-5 p.m.--Continue public testimony if necessary.

May 16

    8:30 a.m.- 9 a.m.--Receive a report of the Shrimp Management 
Committee.
    9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive the report of the Reef Fish Management 
Committee.
    1 p.m.-1:15 p.m.--Receive a report of the Spiny Lobster Management 
Committee.
    1:15 p.m.-2 p.m.--Receive a report of the Habitat Protection 
Committee.
    2 p.m.-2:15 p.m.--Receive a report of the Data Collection 
Committee.
    2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Receive a report of the Personnel Committee.
    2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.--Receive a report of the NMFS Billfish Advisory 
Panel (AP) meeting.
    2:45 p.m.-3 p.m.--Receive a report of the NMFS Highly Migratory 
Species AP meeting.
    3 p.m. -3:15 p.m.--Receive a report of the Gulf Safety Committee 
meeting.
    3:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Receive the Council Coral Grants report.
    3:45 p.m.--Receive Enforcement Reports.
    3:45 p.m.- 4 p.m.--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's 
Report.
    4 p.m.-4:30 p.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    4:30 p.m.- 4:45 p.m.--Other Business.

Committees

May 13

    9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to hear 
a staff presentation on a revised Draft Shrimp Amendment 10/EA/RIR and 
develop recommendations for final action by the full Council on 
Thursday morning. They will also have a presentation on the effects of 
shrimp trawling on the environment.
    1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Convene the Data Collection Committee to hear 
presentations on the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) 
Recreational Fisheries Information Network (RecFIN) and Commercial 
Fisheries Information Network (Com/FIN) Programs and the Marine 
Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS) Artificial Reef Data 
Program.
    2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to 
review an Options Paper for an Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) document.

May 14

    8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.--Convene the Spiny Lobster Management Committee to 
review a proposal to increase possession of undersized lobster.
    9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to 
hear a status report on jewfish (goliath grouper) and an evaluation of 
gag marine reserves. They will also make recommendations for the 
completion of Secretarial Amendment 2 for Rebuilding Amberjack, a Reef 
Fish Amendment 21 Scoping Document for Extension of Marine Reserves 
Rule, and a Regulatory Amendment for Gag and Greater Amberjack Status 
Determination Criteria. They will hear a progress report of the Ad Hoc 
Red Snapper AP on development of individual fishing quotas (IFQ) 
profile, and review Draft Secretarial Amendment 1 for Red Grouper/
Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The full Council 
will consider these recommendations on Thursday.
    1 p.m.-5 p.m.--Continue the Reef Fish Management Committee.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act), those 
issues may not be the subject of formal Council action during this 
meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically 
identified in this notice and any issues arising after publication of 
this notice that require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the 
Magnuson Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.
    A copy of the Committee schedule and agenda can be obtained by 
calling (813) 228-2815.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 May 6, 2002.

    Dated: April 24, 2002.
Theophilus R. Brainerd,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-10486 Filed 4-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S