[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9064-9065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4564]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022103A]


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 will convene 
public meetings on management issues regarding Gulf fisheries.

DATES: The meetings will be held on March 11-14, 2003. For specific 
dates and times see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Adam's Mark Hotel, 64 
South Water Street, Mobile, AL 36602; telephone: 251-438-4000.
    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:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    The Council will meet to discuss the following items:

March 11:

    8:30-10 a.m.--(Closed Session) Convene the Advisory Panel (AP) 
Selection Committee to appoint members of the APs. The committee will 
make recommendations for full Council review in closed session on 
Thursday afternoon and be presented to the public on Friday morning.
    10-11:30 a.m.--(Closed Session) Convene the Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) Selection Committee to appoint members of 
the SSCs, stock assessment panels, and socioeconomic panel. The 
committee will make recommendations for full Council review in closed 
session on Thursday afternoon and be presented to the public on Friday 
morning.
    1-2 p.m.--Convene the Data Collection Committee to hear a 
presentation of a proposed Florida State University economic study.
    2-3:30 p.m.--Convene the Administrative Policy Committee to discuss 
revisions to guidelines for National Standard 1.
    3:30-5:30 p.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to 
discuss the Reef Fish Amendment 21 Public Hearing Document and hear a 
presentation by NMFS Enforcement on grouper fishery violations.
    March 12:
    8:30-10 a.m.--Convene the Mackerel Management Committee to review a 
draft regulatory amendment/environmental assessment which addresses 
maximum sustainable yield (MSY), optimum yield (OY), minimum stock size 
threshold (MSST), and maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) for 
the coastal migratory pelagic species, and a scoping document for draft 
Amendment 15 to include size and bag limit alternatives for cobia, and 
commercial landings for blue runner.
    10-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management
    Committee to discuss the Shrimp Amendment 13 Options Paper 
addressing MSY, OY, MSST, and MFMT for shrimp stocks; vessel monitoring 
systems; and bycatch reduction.
    1-2 p.m.--Convene a joint meeting of the Reef Fish, Mackerel, and 
Red Drum Management Committees to discuss the proposed scoping document 
and meetings on an aquaculture generic amendment.
    2-5 p.m. -Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to review and 
comment on the alternatives for specifying essential fish habitat 
(EFH), habitat areas of particular concern, and impacts of fishing on 
EFH in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the EFH Generic 
Amendment.

March 13:

    8:30 a.m.--Convene.
    8:45-9:30 a.m.--Hear a presentation by the Gulf States Marine 
Fisheries Commission on accessing the Fisheries Information Network.
    9:30-9:45 a.m.--Hear a request for fishing vessel designation from 
the Worldwide Water Foundation.
    9:45-12 noon--Receive public testimony on the Draft Coastal 
Pelagics (CMP) Regulatory Amendment. The draft CMP Regulatory Amendment 
sets standards for MSY, OY, overfished and overfishing for king and 
Spanish mackerel, and cobia. Final action to approve the regulatory 
amendment will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
    1:30-2 p.m.--Receive the Habitat Protection Committee report.
    2-2:30 p.m.--Receive the Shrimp Management Committee report.
    2:30-2:45 p.m.--Receive the Mackerel Management Committee report.
    2:45-3 p.m.--Receive the Reef Fish Management Committee report.
    3-3:30 p.m.--Receive the Administrative Policy Committee report.
    3:30-4:15 p.m.--(Closed Session) Receive the report of the AP 
Selection Committee.
    4:15-5:30 p.m.--(Closed Session) Receive the report of the SSC 
Selection Committee.

March 14:

    8:30-8:45 a.m.--Receive the Data Collection Committee Report.
    8:45-9 a.m.--Receive the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum 
Management Committee report.
    9-9:15 a.m.--Receive a report from the Logo Selection Committee.
    9:15-9:30 a.m.--Receive the AP Selection Committee Report.
    9:30-9:45 a.m.--Receive the SSC Selection Committee Report.
    9:45-10 a.m.--Receive a report of the NMFS Billfish AP.
    10-10:15 a.m.--Receive a report of the NMFS Highly Migratory 
Species AP.
    10:15-10:30 p.m.--Receive the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council liaison report.
    10:30-10:45 a.m.--Receive a report of the Summit for Gulf of Mexico 
Shrimp Industry.
    10:45-11 a.m.--Receive a report of the Gulf Safety Committee.
    11-11:15 a.m.--Receive Enforcement Reports.
    11:15-11:30 a.m.--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's Report.
    11:30-11:45 a.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    11:45-12 noon--Other Business
    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 (MSFCMA), 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 
MSFCMA, 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.

[[Page 9065]]

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 March 4, 2003.

    Dated: February 21, 2003.
Theophilus R. Brainerd,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-4564 Filed 2-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S