[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 71 (Monday, April 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17924-17925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9061]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040903A]


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 will convene a 
joint public meeting via conference call of the Reef Fish Advisory 
Panel (AP) and Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

DATES: The meeting will be via conference call on April 28, 2003 
beginning at 10 a.m. EDT.

ADDRESSES: Listening stations will be available at the following 
locations:
    1. NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 9721 Executive Center Drive, 
North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, Contact: Larry Kelley at 727-570-5301;
    2. NMFS Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama 
City, FL, Contact: Gary Fitzhugh at 850-234-6541, extension 214.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S.

[[Page 17925]]

 Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 
813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AP and Reef Fish SSC will be convened to 
review and comment on a proposed Amendment 21 to the Reef Fish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) to extend the time period for the Madison/Swanson 
and Steamboat Lumps marine reserves beyond their June 16, 2004 
expiration date.
    The Madison/Swanson and Steamboat Lumps marine reserves were 
implemented on June 19, 2000 with a 4-year sunset provision. The 
Madison/Swanson site is approximately 115 square nautical miles in size 
and is located about 40 nautical miles southwest of Apalachicola City, 
FL. Steamboat Lumps is approximately 104 square nautical miles in size 
and is located about 95 nautical miles west of Tarpon Springs, FL. 
Within each area, fishing is prohibited for all species except for 
highly migratory species, i.e., tunas, marlin, oceanic sharks, 
sailfishes, and swordfish. These marine reserves were created primarily 
to protect a portion of the gag spawning aggregations and to protect a 
portion of the offshore population of male gag. The areas are also 
suitable habitat and provide protection for many other species, such as 
scamp, red grouper, warsaw grouper, speckled hind, red snapper, red 
porgy, and others. If action is not taken to continue the reserves, 
they will cease to exist after June 16, 2004.
    A copy of the agenda can be obtained by contacting the Council (see 
addresses above).
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the agenda may come 
before the AP/SSC for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), those issues 
may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 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.
    The listening stations 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 April 21, 2003.

    Dated: April 9, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-9061 Filed 4-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S