[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8385-8386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-353]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021704C]


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.

DATES: The meetings will be held on March 8-12, 2004.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Adam's Mark Hotel, 64 
South Water Street, Mobile, AL; 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:
Council

March 11, 2004

    8:30 a.m.--Convene.
    8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive public testimony on the Draft Reef 
Fish Amendment 22 (Red Snapper Rebuilding Plan) and the final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Essential Fish Habitat (EFH).
    1 p.m.-4:30 p.m.--Receive the Reef Fish Management Committee 
report.
    4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--(Closed Session) Receive the report of the 
Joint Personnel/Administrative Policy Committee.

March 12, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.--Receive the Habitat Protection Committee report.
    9 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Receive the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum 
Management Committee report.
    9:30 a.m.-10 a.m.--Receive the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel Management 
Committee report.
    10 a.m.-11 a.m.--Receive the Shrimp Management Committee report.
    11 a.m.-11:15 a.m.--Receive the Budget Committee Report.
    11:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive the Joint Personnel/Administrative 
Committee report.
    1 p.m.-1:15 p.m.--Receive the report on the Marine Recreational 
Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS) meeting.
    1:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.--Receive the report on the Southeast Data and 
Review (SEDAR) Steering Committee meeting.
    1:45 p.m.-2 p.m.--Receive the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (SAFMC) Liaison Report.
    2 p.m.-2:15 p.m.--Receive a report on the Gulf Safety Committee.
    2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Receive a report on the Joint Council meeting.
    2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.--Receive the NMFS Billfish/Highly Migratory 
Species Advisory Panel (HMS AP) meeting reports.
    2:45 p.m.-3 p.m.--Receive Enforcement Reports.
    3 p.m.-3:15 p.m.--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's Report.
    3:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    3:30 p.m.-3:45 p.m.--Other Business

March 8, 2004

    8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to review 
Draft Shrimp Amendment 13.
    9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Budget Committee in a closed 
session to review bids to hire a court reporter. The Budget Committee 
meeting will then be open to the public to discuss the cost of new 
microphones and a Florida State University economic data collection 
proposal.
    1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to 
review the Public Hearing Draft of Vermilion Snapper Amendment 23 that 
contains alternatives for arresting overfishing of that stock by 
commercial and recreational fishermen. The committee will also review 
and take final action on the Final Reef Fish Amendment 22 (red snapper 
rebuilding program). An options paper for Reef Fish Amendment 18 
pertaining to the grouper fishery will be discussed. The following 
issues will also be reviewed: The Southeast Fisheries Science Center 
(SEFSC) recommendations on grouping amberjacks, tilefish, and deepwater 
groupers; U.S. Coast Guard rules for crew size of inspected 
recreational for-hire vessels; the SAFMC's action on yellowtail 
snapper; and a status report on the red snapper IFQ referendum. The 
Committee will ratify and/or add to the SEDAR pool and panel membership 
for each of the SEDAR workshops during 2004 and 2005 for stocks of king 
mackerel, red snapper, vermilion snapper, and greater amberjack. The 
Committee will develop recommendations for consideration by full 
Council on Thursday afternoon.

[[Page 8386]]

March 9, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Continue with the Reef Fish Management 
Committee.
    1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to 
review the final EIS for the Generic EFH Amendment; and to discuss 
Council participation in the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership 
(SARP).
    2:30 p.m.-5 p.m.--Convene the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel Committees 
to review hearing comments on the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel Limited 
Access Scoping Document. The committees will also review the Scoping 
Document for Extension of the Charter Vessel Permit Moratorium.

March 10, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-12 noon--Convene the Joint Personnel/Administrative 
Policy Committees in a closed session to address personnel issues and 
review the Administrative Handbook and Statement of Organizational 
Practices and Procedures (SOPPs).
    1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.--Convene the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red 
Drum Committees to receive a presentation on a Cage Culture Study; 
review hearing comments on the Offshore Aquaculture Amendment Scoping 
Document; and receive a presentation on the NMFS Regional Bycatch Plan.
    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.

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 1, 2004.

    Dated: February 18, 2004.
Tracey Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-353 Filed 2-23-04; 8:45 am]
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