[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65954-65955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27510]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102402B]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 65955]]

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 November 12-15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Westin Beach Resort, 
97000 South Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037; telephone: 305-852-
5553.
    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

November 14

    8:30 a.m.--Convene.
    8:45 a.m.zn-9 a.m.--Appointment of Committee Members
    9 a.m.-9:15 a.m.--Election of Vice Chairman
    9:15 a.m.-;11:30 a.m.--Receive public testimony on the Secretarial 
Reef Fish Amendment 2.
    1 p.m.-4 p.m.--Receive the report of the Habitat Protection 
Committee.
    4 p.m.-5 p.m.--Receive the report of the Shrimp Management 
Committee.

November 15

    8:30 a.m.-11 a.m.--Receive the report of the Reef Fish Management 
Committee.
    11 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive the report of the Joint Reef Fish and 
Artificial Reef Committees.
    11:30 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. -Receive the International Commission for 
the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas Meeting report.
    11:40 a.m.-11:50 a.m.-Receive Enforcement Reports.
    11:50 a.m.-12 noon--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's 
Report.
    12 noon-12:15 p.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    12:15 p.m.-12:30 p.m.--Other Business.

Committees

November 12, 2002

    8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to 
review and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Generic Amendment. The committee 
will also consider the recommendations of Technical and User Review 
Panels, Habitat Protection Advisory Panels (APs) and the Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC). The Council will take final action on the 
DEIS in January 2003 and file the DEIS with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA).
    2 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to 
make its final recommendations to the Council on Secretarial Reef Fish 
Amendment 2 for amberjack. The amendment contains a rebuilding program 
for greater amberjack, which is largely based on actions previously 
taken by the Council in 2000 and 2001 for reducing the recreational bag 
limits to 1 fish and implementing a 3-month commercial closure. The 
committee will review new stock assessments on red and yellowedge 
grouper, but will defer taking action on this information to the 
January 2003 meeting. The committee will review comments from scoping 
meetings on Reef Fish Amendment 21 related to extending the duration of 
rules establishing the Madison/Swanson and Steamboat Lumps marine 
reserves. The Council will take final action on this amendment in May 
2003. The committee will also review a draft red snapper individual 
fishing quota profile and recommend changes to the Council. The profile 
when completed will be submitted by NMFS to fishermen for comments in a 
referendum conducted by NMFS. The committee will discuss with 
enforcement officials possible causes of violations of the reef fish 
bottom longline prohibited area in the western Gulf and potential 
remedies.

November 13, 2002

    8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m--Convene a joint meeting of the Reef Fish 
Management and Artificial Reef Committees to consider whether the 
Council should consider holding workshops to discuss establishing 
special management zones (SMZs) off Alabama where the number of hooks 
fished per line may be limited. If approved, these workshops will be 
scheduled in 2003.
    9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to 
review scoping comments on an options paper that eventually will become 
Shrimp Amendment 13. The draft amendment will address adding rock 
shrimp to the fishery management plan, alternatives to improve bycatch 
estimates, alternatives for reducing bycatch, the need for Vessel 
Monitoring Systems, and alternatives that could reduce effort.
    11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.--Council members will visit the U.S. Coast Guard 
air station and bases in the Miami area for an orientation and training 
session.
    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 November 4, 2002.

    Dated: October 24, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-27510 Filed 10-28-02; 8:45 am]
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