[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 88 (Thursday, May 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25373-25374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1031]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042904A]


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 meetings.

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SUMMARY:  The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene public meetings.

DATES:  The meetings will be held on May 17-20, 2004.

ADDRESSES:  These meetings will be held at the Westin Beach Resort, 
97000 South Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL; telephone: (305) 852-5553.
    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

May 19, 2004

    8:30 a.m.--Convene.
    8:45 a.m.-11 a.m.--Receive public testimony on the Draft Reef Fish 
Amendment 22 (Red Snapper Rebuilding Plan) and Applications for 
Exempted Fishing Permits (if any).
    11 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive a report of the National Mercury 
Working Group.
    1 p.m.-1:30 p.m.--Receive the Habitat Protection Committee report.
    1:30 p.m.-4 p.m.--Receive the Reef Fish Management Committee 
report.
    4 p.m.-4:30 p.m.--Receive the Shrimp Management Committee report.
    4:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.--(Closed Session) Receive the report of the 
Advisory Panel (AP) Selection Committee.
    4:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m.--(Closed Session)--Receive the report of the 
Personnel Committee.
    5:15 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--(Closed Session)--Receive the report of the

[[Page 25374]]

Council's Southeast Data and Review (SEDAR) Committee.

May 20, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.--Receive the AP Selection Committee Report.
    9 a.m.-9:15 a.m.--Receive the Personnel Committee report.
    9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Receive the Council SEDAR Committee report.
    9:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m.--Receive the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel 
Management Committee report.
    9:45 a.m.-10 a.m.--Receive a report on the Gulf States Marine 
Fishery Commission's Red Drum Meeting.
    10 a.m.-10:15 a.m.--Receive a report on the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory 
Committee meeting.
    10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Receive the report on Council Chairs 
meeting.
    10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.--Receive Enforcement Reports.
    10:45 a.m.-11 a.m.--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's 
Report.
    11 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    11:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.--Other Business

Committees

May 17, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.--Convene the AP Selection Committee to appoint 
members of an Ad Hoc Advisory Panel for Offshore Marine Aquaculture.
    9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to 
receive a presentation by NMFS on impacts of liquefied natural gas 
facilities; receive a report on the Kemp's Ridley turtle meeting; and 
discuss the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP).
    10:30 a.m.-12 noon--Convene the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel Management 
Committee to review hearing comments on the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel 
Limited Access Scoping Document. The committees will also review and 
revise a Draft Scoping Document for Extension of the Charter Vessel 
Permit Moratorium.
    1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Convene with the Reef Fish Management 
Committee to discuss the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center's 
(SEFSC) bycatch reduction device (BRD) analyses. The committee will 
also review and take final action on the Final Reef Fish Amendment 22 
(red snapper rebuilding program) and review the Public Hearing Draft of 
Vermilion Snapper Amendment 23 that contains alternatives for arresting 
overfishing of that stock by commercial and recreational fishermen. An 
options paper for Reef Fish Amendment 18 pertaining to the grouper 
fishery will be discussed. The committee will also consider using the 
current red snapper individual fishing quota (IFQ) profile as a scoping 
document. The Committee will develop recommendations for consideration 
by full Council on Wednesday afternoon.

May 18, 2004

    8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Continue with the Reef Fish Management 
Committee.
    10:30 a.m.-12 noon--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to 
review Draft Shrimp Amendment 13.
    1:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m.--(Closed Session)--Receive a briefing on 
Litigation.
    2:15 p.m.-4 p.m.--Convene the Personnel Committee.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the Council and Committees for discussion, in accordance with 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those 
issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. 
Actions of the Council and Committees will be restricted to those 
issues specifically identified in the agendas and any issues arising 
after publication of this notice that require emergency action under 
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has 
been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the 
emergency. The established times for addressing items on the agenda may 
be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the untimely completion of 
discussion relevant to other agenda items. In order to further allow 
for such adjustments and completion of all items on the agenda, the 
meeting may be extended from or completed prior to the date established 
in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Trish Kennedy at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) by May 10, 2004.

    Dated: April 30, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-1031 Filed 5-5-04; 8:45 am]
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