[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 221 (Monday, November 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64864-64865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E3-00249]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 111003B]


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council); Public 
Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of the Southeastern Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 
Workshops for Atlantic and Gulf King Mackerel.

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SUMMARY: The SEDAR assessment of the South Atlantic and Gulf King 
mackerel will consist of a series of three workshops, a Data Review 
Workshop, an Assessment Workshop, and a Review Workshop.

DATES: The Data Workshop will take place December 1-5, 2003; the 
Assessment Workshop will take place February 16-20, 2004; and the 
Review Workshop will take place April 5-9, 2004. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The three workshops will be held at NOAA Fisheries' 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 
33149, phone: (305) 361-4200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One Southpark 
Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699; phone: (843) 571-4366 or 
toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; fax: (843) 769-4520.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The workshops will take place: December 1-5, 
2003; February 16-20; 2004; and April 5-9, 2004.

[[Page 64865]]

    The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in conjunction with 
NOAA Fisheries, has implemented the SEDAR process, a multi-step method 
for determining the status of fish stocks. SEDAR includes three 
workshops: (1) Data Workshop, (2) Stock Assessment Workshop, and (3) 
Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop and the Stock 
Assessment Workshop is a stock assessment report. This report is then 
peer reviewed at the Review Workshop, and a final consensus report and 
an advisory report are prepared that includes strengths and weaknesses 
in the stock assessment and recommendations to fishery managers for 
future data and research needs. The process includes data collectors, 
biologists, fishermen, environmental representatives, database 
managers, stock assessment scientists, and Council members and staff.

Atlantic and Gulf King Mackerel SEDAR Workshop Schedule

December 1-5, 2003--SEDAR Data Workshop

    December 1, 2003, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; December 2-4, 2003, 8:30 a.m.-5 
p.m.; and December 5, 2003, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
    An assessment data set will be developed during the Data Workshop 
for Atlantic and Gulf King mackerel. The assessment data set will 
include catch statistics, fishery sampling, independent monitoring, 
life history, and logbook information.

February 16-20, 2004--SEDAR Assessment Workshop

    February 16, 2004, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; February 17-19, 2004, 8:30 a.m.-
5:30 p.m.; and February 20, 2004, 8:30 a.m.- 12 noon
    Using the data set resulting from the Data Workshop, participants 
will develop population models, evaluate the status of the stock, and 
create a report for review.
    April 5-8, 2004--SEDAR Review Workshop
    April 5, 2004, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. and April 6-8, 2004, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
    The Review Workshop involves a peer review of the report created 
from the earlier two workshops. Two reports will be produced: (1) a 
consensus report and (2) an advisory report.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, 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 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
at least 5 business days prior to each workshop.

    Dated: November 12, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E3-00249 Filed 11-14-03; 8:45 am]
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