[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 33 (Friday, February 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8345-8346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-664]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021405D]


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 March 7-10, 2005.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 
Riverchase Galleria, Birmingham, Alabama.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
North U.S. Highway 301, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813.228.2815.

Council

Wednesday, March 9, 2005

    8:30 a.m. Convene.
    8:45 a.m.-10 a.m.-Receive public testimony on (a) Final Shrimp 
Amendment 13/EA and (b) Exempted fishing permits (if any).
    10 a.m.-10:30 a.m.-Receive report on Atlantic Sea Turtle Strategy 
by NMFS.
    10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.-Receive the Reef Fish Management Committee 
report.
    1:30 p.m.-2 p.m.-Receive the Shrimp Management Committee report.
    2 p.m.-2:30 p.m.-Receive the Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum 
Management Committee Report.
    2:30 p.m.-3 p.m.-Receive the Administrative Policy Committee 
Report.
    3 p.m.-3:30 p.m.-Receive the Sustainable Fisheries/Ecosystem 
Committee Report.
    3:30 p.m.- 4 p.m.-Receive the Migratory Species Committee Report.
    4 p.m.-5 p.m.-Receive the AP Selection Committee Report (CLOSED 
SESSION).
    5 p.m.-5:30 p.m.-Receive the SSC Selection Committee Report (CLOSED 
SESSION).

Thursday, March 10, 2005

    8:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m.-Receive the AP Selection Committee Report.
    8:45 a.m.-9 a.m.-Receive the SSC Selection Committee Report.
    9 a.m.-9:15 a.m.-Receive the Honolulu Meeting Report.
    9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.-Receive Enforcement Reports.
    9:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m.-Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's 
report.
    9:45 a.m.-10:15 a.m.-Receive Director's Reports.
    10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.-Other Business.

Committee

Monday, March 7, 2005

    8 a.m.-10 a.m.-The Advisory Panel (AP) Selection Committee will 
meet in closed session to appoint AP members.
    10 a.m.-11:30 a.m-The Scientific and Statistical (SSC) Selection 
Committee will meet in closed session to appoint SSC members.
    1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.-The Reef Fish Management Committee will meet to 
review Draft Reef Fish Amendment 18A, which addresses the grouper 
fishery. The Committee will review a revised draft of a red grouper 
regulatory amendment providing for commercial vessel trip limits and a 
revised total allowable catch (TAC). The Committee will then discuss an 
Options Paper for Reef Fish Amendment 26 (Red Snapper IFQ). The 
Committee will also review a biological opinion on the effect of the 
Gulf reef fish fishery, proposed by NMFS, under the Endangered Species 
Act. The Committee will discuss updated greater amberjack analyses and 
alternatives for reducing greater amberjack landings. The Committee 
will hear an assessment update for goliath grouper.

Tuesday, March 8, 2005

    8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.-The Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum 
Management Committees will review an Options Paper for a Generic 
Offshore Aquaculture Amendment. The Committees will then hear a status 
report on a Draft Generic Amendment for Extension of the Charter Vessel 
Permit Moratorium. The Committees will also discuss SEDAR Assessments 
for 2009 & 2010 and hear SEDAR Assessment Updates.
    9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.-The Administrative Policy Committee will meet to 
hear cost and budget analyses for video/teleconferencing of future 
meetings. The Committee will also hear a proposal on Intranet use at 
meetings and discuss incorporation of the Family Medical Leave Act 
(FMLA) standards.
    12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.-The Migratory Species Committee will meet to 
review scoping comments on Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Amendment 2 
after hearing a presentation by Russ Dunn.
    2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.-The Sustainable Fisheries/Ecosystem Committee will 
hear a report on the Ecosystem Scientific Meeting. The Committee will 
also review plans for tasks to be completed under the Ecosystem 
Cooperative Agreement.
    3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.-The Shrimp Management Committee will meet 
jointly with the Standing and Special Shrimp SSCs to review the 
Socioeconomic Panel (SEP) report and public comments on Final Shrimp 
Amendment 13 which addresses limited access in the shrimp fishery in 
order to make recommendations to Council. The Shrimp Management 
Committee will then discuss Shrimp Amendment 14.
    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 timely completion of 
discussion relevant to the agenda items. In order to further allow for 
such adjustments and completion of all items on the agenda, the meeting 
may be

[[Page 8346]]

extended from, or completed prior to the date established in this 
notice.
    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Dawn Aring at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) by February 23, 2005.

    Dated: February 15, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-664 Filed 2-17-05; 8:45 am]
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