[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69518-69520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6314]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 111005F]


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 meeting of its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, a joint meeting 
of its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and Snapper Grouper Committee, 
and a joint meeting of its Snapper Grouper

[[Page 69519]]

Advisory Panel, Snapper Grouper Committee, and Controlled Access 
Committee. The Council will also hold a meeting of its Snapper Grouper 
Committee, Controlled Access Committee, Scientific and Statistical 
Selection Committee, Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 
Committee, Joint Executive and Finance Committees, Personnel Committee 
(CLOSED SESSION) and a meeting of the full Council. In addition, the 
Council will hold a public hearing and public comment periods as part 
of the meeting.

DATES:  The meeting will be held in December 2005. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Courtyard Marriott, 100 
Charlotte Avenue, Carolina Beach, NC 28428; Telephone: (1-800) 458-3606 
or 910/458-2030, FAX 910/458-2050.
    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; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

1. Council Session: December 5, 2005, 10 a.m.-12 noon
    From 10:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m., the Council will call the meeting 
order, make introductions and roll call, adopt the meeting agenda, and 
approve earlier meeting minutes.
    From 10:15 a.m.-12 noon, the Council will meet to consider 
provisions in the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Essential 
Fish Habitat Amendment that amends the joint South Atlantic and Gulf 
Council Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Spiny Lobster Fishery Management 
Plans (FMPs). Public comment on the amendment will be held at 10:15 
a.m. The Council will also consider the Gulf of Mexico Council's 
Generic Amendment that amends the joint South Atlantic and Gulf Council 
Coastal Migratory Pelagics FMP (establishes a limited entry system for 
the Gulf reef fish and South Atlantic and Gulf coastal migratory 
pelagic charter/headboat permits). Public comment on the amendment will 
be held at 10:15 a.m. The Council is scheduled to take final action 
regarding these amendments. The Council will then recess until December 
8, 2005.
2. Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel Meeting: December 5, 2005, 1:30 p.m.-
5:30 p.m.
    The Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel will meet to review and develop 
recommendations regarding Amendment 13C to the Snapper Grouper Fishery 
Management Plan. The amendment addresses management measures for snowy 
grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, and red 
porgy. In addition, the Advisory Panel will review issues and provide 
recommendations relative to the draft of Amendment 13B to the Snapper 
Grouper Fishery Management Plan regarding mandates under the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act to address overfishing. The Snapper Grouper 
Advisory Panel will also discuss options for controlled access for the 
commercial fishery.
    6 p.m.-Public Hearing for Amendment 13C to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan
3. Joint Snapper Grouper Committee and Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel 
Meeting: December 6, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon
    The Snapper Grouper Committee and Advisory Panel will meet jointly 
to review and develop recommendations regarding Snapper Grouper 
Amendment 13C. During the joint meeting, members will review and 
discuss comments received during a series of public hearings, Law 
Enforcement Committee recommendations, Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel 
recommendations, and Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) input. 
The Committee and AP will also develop recommendations for final 
alternatives to be included in Amendment 13B to the Snapper Grouper FMP 
after reviewing reports from the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, Law 
Enforcement Committee, SSC, and staff.
4. Joint Snapper Grouper Committee, Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, and 
Controlled Access Committee Meeting: December 6, 2005, 1:30 p.m. until 
5 p.m.
    During the joint meeting, members will receive presentations on 
topics relevant to controlled access, including an introduction to 
Dedicated Access Privilege Programs (DAPPs), a review of the Council's 
Wreckfish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program, the Gulf of Mexico 
Council's Red Snapper IFQ Program, analysis of fishing effort shifts in 
North Carolina, and the potential for DAPPs for the south Atlantic. 
Members will discuss these issues and the Advisory Panel will formulate 
recommendations.
5. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: December 7, 2005, 8:30 a.m. until 
12 noon.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will develop recommendations for 
finalizing Amendment 13C to the Snapper Grouper FMP for submission to 
the Secretary of Commerce. In addition, the Committee will finalize its 
recommendations for management alternatives to be included in Amendment 
13B to the FMP, and develop recommendations based on input from the 
Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel regarding controlled access for the 
fishery. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Controlled Access 
Committee for consideration.
6. Controlled Access Committee Meeting: December 7, 2005, 1:30 p.m.-
3:30 p.m.
    The Controlled Access Committee will review recommendations from 
the Snapper Grouper Committee and the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel 
regarding controlled access and develop recommendations for a timeline 
for developing a snapper grouper IFQ program.
7. Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee Meeting: December 7, 
2005, 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
    The Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee will review 
policy recommendations and discuss.
8. SEDAR Committee Meeting: December 8, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
    The SEDAR Committee will receive a report on the status of the 
SEDAR stock assessment review process and the results of the August 
SEDAR Steering Committee meeting. The Committee will also review terms 
of reference for the gag full assessment and red porgy update, and 
discuss the use of stock assessment models.
9. Joint Executive/Finance Committees Meeting: December 8, 2005, 10:30 
a.m.-12 noon
    The Executive Committee will meet jointly with the Finance 
Committee and receive updates on the Council's Calendar Year (CY) 2005 
budget and the Fiscal Year 2006 Congressional budget. The Committees 
will then establish timelines for the Council's CY 2006 FMP/Amendment/
Framework schedule and develop the CY 2006 budget.
10. Personnel Committee Meeting (CLOSED SESSION): December 8, 2005, 
1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
11. Council Session: December 8, 2005, 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and December 
9, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon
    From 2:30 p.m.-3 p.m., the Council will receive a report from its 
Law

[[Page 69520]]

-Enforcement Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 3 p.m.-4 p.m., the Council will receive a report from its 
Snapper Grouper Committee and approve Amendment 13C for submission to 
the Secretary of Commerce. The Council will also finalize a list of 
management alternatives for Amendment 13B to the Snapper Grouper FMP. 
Note: A public comment period on Amendment 13C will be held at 2:00 
p.m.
    From 4 p.m.-4:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Controlled Access Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
Scientific and Statistical Selection Committee and take other action as 
appropriate.
    From 5 p.m.-5:30 p.m., the Council will hear a report from the 
SEDAR Committee and take action as appropriate.
    Council Session: December 9, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon.
    From 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Joint Executive/Finance Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9 a.m.-9:30 a.m., the Council will receive a briefing from 
NOAA General Counsel on Litigation issues. (CLOSED SESSION)
    From 9:30 a.m.-10 a.m., the Council will receive a report on the 
Council Chairmen/National Marine Fisheries Service Leadership meeting.
    From 10 a.m.-12 noon, the Council will receive status reports from 
NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries' Southeast 
Fisheries Science Center, agency and liaison reports, and discuss other 
business including 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 November 30, 2005.

    November 10, 2005.
Tracey Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-6314 Filed 11-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S