[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 37802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16088]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 062003B]


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 joint public meeting via conference call of the Standing and 
Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

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

ADDRESSES: Listening stations will be available at the following 
locations:
    National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, 9721 
Executive Center Drive, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, Contact: Peter 
Hood at 727-570-5305;
    National Marine Fisheries Service, 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. 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 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).
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the agenda may come 
before the 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 July 3, 2003.

    Dated: June 20, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-16088 Filed 6-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S