[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 183 (Thursday, September 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55616-55617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-5152]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 091605E]


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 to convene a 
joint meeting of the Standing and Special

[[Page 55617]]

Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs).

DATES: The meeting will be on October 12, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Quorum Hotel Tampa, 700 
North Westshore Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33609, telephone 813.289.8200.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813.348.1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council (Council) will convene a joint meeting of the Standing and 
Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs) to 
review draft Amendment 26 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) that contains alternatives to establish an individual fishing 
quota (IFQ) program for the commercial red snapper fishery in the Gulf 
of Mexico that has been declared to be overfished and undergoing 
overfishing. The IFQ program is being considered to address existing 
and emerging problems resulting from overcapitalization in this fishery 
while it recovers. Actions being considered as part of the IFQ program 
include: its duration, eligibility for shares, initial allocation of 
shares, potential caps and/or restrictions on shares, and 
transferability of shares. Other actions being considered include: 
whether or not shares must be used; how adjustments to the commercial 
quota will affect allocations and shares; the possible requirement of 
vessel monitoring systems (VMS) on participating vessels; and a cost 
recovery plan. The SSCs will review this amendment and provide 
recommendations for the Council's Reef Fish Management Committee to 
review at their November 14 - 17, 2005 meeting.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the SSCs for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (M-SFCMA), those issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Actions of the 
SSCs 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 M-SFCMA, 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 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 Dawn Aring at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: September 16, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
 [FR Doc. E5-5152 Filed 9-21-05; 8:45 am]
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