[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 104 (Friday, May 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30626-30627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1226]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 051904C]


South Atlantic 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a joint meeting of the Council's Mackerel Committee and the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Mackerel Committee, a joint 
meeting of the South Atlantic Council's Mackerel Committee and Mackerel 
Advisory Panel, and meetings of its Mackerel Committee, Scientific and 
Statistical Committee, Advisory Panel Selection Committee, Standard 
Operating Policy and Procedure (SOPPs) Committee, Shrimp Committee and 
Ecosystem-Based Management Committee. In addition, there will be a 
meeting of the full Council.

DATES: The meetings will be held in June 2004. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Pier House, 1 Duval Street, 
Key West, FL 33040; telephone: (1-800) 327-8340 or (305) 296-4600, fax: 
305/296-7569.
    Copies of documents are available from Kim Iverson, Public 
Information Officer, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One 
Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer; telephone: 843-571-4366 or toll free at 866/SAFMC-10; fax: 
843-769-4520; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    1. Joint South Atlantic and Gulf Mackerel Committees Meeting: June 
14, 2004, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and June 15, 2004, 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 
p.m.
    There will be a joint meeting of the South Atlantic and Gulf 
Mackerel Committees to review public comment on Amendment 15 to the 
Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan regarding the 
current mackerel permit moratorium. Each committee will develop 
recommendations for Amendment 15 for public hearing. The Committees 
will also receive presentations regarding the Southeast Data, 
Assessment and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment process for mackerel, 
including reviews by the Scientific and Statistical Committees from 
each council, and discuss recommendations. During the joint meeting, 
the committees will also review items to be included in Amendment 16 
and make recommendations to staff for amendment development.
    2. Joint Mackerel Committee and Advisory Panel Meeting: June 16, 
2004, 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
    There will be a joint meeting of the South Atlantic Council's 
Mackerel Committee and Advisory Panel to review Amendment 15 (permit 
moratorium), mackerel SEDAR stock assessment results and Amendment 16. 
The Advisory Panel will develop recommendations for the Committee to 
consider for each agenda item and the Committee will then finalize its 
recommendations for the full Council. In addition, the meeting 
participants will receive an update on the status of bycatch data 
collection and analysis and an overview on the Council's current 
efforts regarding ecosystem-based management.
    3. South Atlantic Mackerel Committee Meeting: June 17, 2004, 8:30 
a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
    The Mackerel Committee will discuss and consider any additional 
committee action needed for Amendment 15 (permit moratorium) and 
Amendment 16 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics FMP.
    4. Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee Meeting (Closed 
Session): June 17, 2004, 10:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    The Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee will discuss the 
role and structure of the SSC, review current membership, develop

[[Page 30627]]

recommendations for new appointments, and develop recommendations for 
new sub-committees.
    5. Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting (Closed Session): 
June 17, 2004, 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will meet to review 
applications for open seats on the Council's advisory panels and 
develop recommendations for appointments.
    6. SOPPs Committee Meeting: June 17, 2004, 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 
p.m.
    The SOPPs Committee will meet to review Standard Operating Policy 
and Procedures and develop recommendations for modification as needed.
    7. Shrimp Committee Meeting: June 18, 2004, 8:30 a.m. until 12 
noon.
    The Shrimp Committee will receive an update on the status of the 
Shrimp Business Plan from NOAA Fisheries. The Committee will also 
review Amendment 6 to the Shrimp FMP involving federal shrimp permits 
and approve the document for public hearing.
    8. Ecosystem-Based Management Committee Meeting: June 18, 2004, 
1:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.
    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will receive presentations 
on the status of the South Atlantic Council's work regarding ecosystem-
based management, the South Atlantic ecopath model, the Chesapeake Bay 
Ecopath Model, and the Cooperative Internet Mapping Server and 
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)/Ecosystem Homepage. The Committee will 
also review and discuss a draft action plan and provide direction and 
recommendations for future Committee and staff work.
    9. Demonstration of Ecosystem Computer Models, Servers and 
Homepage: June 18, 2004, 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.
    There will be an open meeting to view a demonstration of the 
ecosystem computer models, internet map servers and the EFH/Ecosystem 
homepage.
    10. Council Session: June 19, 2004, 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
    From 8:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, make introductions and roll call, and adopt the meeting agenda.
    From 8:45 a.m.-9:45 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Mackerel Committee and approve Amendment 15 for public hearing, 
consider recommendations on Mackerel SEDAR and take action as 
appropriate, and consider recommendations on Amendment 16 and take 
action as appropriate.
    From 9:45 a.m.-10 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the SSC 
Committee, consider Committee recommendations and take action to 
appoint members if necessary.
    From 10 a.m.-10:30 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Advisory Panel Selection Committee and take action to appoint members 
to the advisory panels.
    From 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
SOPPs Committee and modify the SOPPs as appropriate.
    From 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Shrimp Committee, consider recommendations, and approve Amendment 6 to 
the Shrimp FMP for public hearing.
    From 11:30 a.m. until 12 noon, the Council will hear a report from 
the Ecosystem-Based Management Committee.
    From 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m., the Council will receive an update from the 
Information and Education Committee.
    From 2 p.m.-2:30 p.m., the Council will hear a presentation on the 
Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) and discuss action to 
sign the SARP Memorandum of Understanding.
    From 2:30 p.m.-3 p.m., the Council will hear a presentation 
regarding Snapper/Grouper management issues and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 3 p.m.-3:30 p.m., the Council will hear status reports from 
NOAA Fisheries.
    From 3:30 p.m.-4 p.m., the Council will hear agency and liaison 
reports, discuss other business and upcoming meetings.
    Documents regarding these issues are available from the Council 
office (see ADDRESSES).
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the 
subjects of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action 
will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice 
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 
final action to address the emergency.
    Except for advertised (scheduled) public hearings and public 
comment, the times and sequence specified on this agenda are subject to 
change.

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) 
by June 11, 2004.

    Dated: May 25, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-1226 Filed 5-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S