[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 166 (Monday, August 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50892-50893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14217]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081806D]


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 South Atlantic Council and Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Councils' King and Spanish Mackerel Committees. The 
Council will also hold a joint meeting of its Executive and Finance 
Committees, Personnel Committee (CLOSED SESSION), King and Spanish 
Mackerel Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (CLOSED SESSION), and a meeting of the full Council. In 
addition, the Council will hold a public hearing on Amendment 14 to the 
Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP), a public hearing 
regarding a regulatory amendment to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics FMP, 
and a public input session.

DATES: The meeting will be held September 18 through September-22, 
2006. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Westin Hotel, 2 Grasslawn 
Avenue, Hilton Head, SC 29928; telephone: (1-800) 937-8461 or (843) 
681-4000, fax: (843) 681-7004. 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: September 
18, 2006, 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. and September 19, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. 
- 12 noon

    The South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils' 
Mackerel Committees will meet jointly to receive and overview of issues 
affecting the mackerel fishery, review a draft decision document, and 
take action as appropriate. The Committees will also receive a review 
of the South Atlantic Council's regulatory amendment to reduce the 
Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Atlantic Group king and Spanish 
Mackerel and change the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel 
commercial trip limit to track recent changes in the fishing year.

2. Joint Executive Finance Committees Meeting: September 19, 2006, 1:30 
p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

    The Executive and Finance Committees will meet jointly to review 
the status of the Regional Operational Agreement (ROA) between the 
Council and NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office (SERO), receive 
an update on the Calendar Year 2006 budget, and status report of the 
Fiscal Year 2007 Congressional budget.

3. Personnel Committee Meeting: September 19, 2006, 3:30 p.m. - 5 
p.m.(CLOSED SESSION)

    The Personnel Committee will meet in Closed Session to discuss 
personnel issues.

September 19, 2006, 6 p.m. - The Council will hold two public hearings:

    (1) Amendment 14 to the Snapper Grouper FMP - Proposed marine 
protected areas.
    (2) Mackerel Regulatory Amendment - Changes in Total Allowable 
Catch for Atlantic group king and Spanish mackerel, and change to 
commercial trip limit for Atlantic group Spanish mackerel to reflect 
the new fishing year.

4. Mackerel Committee Meeting: September 20, 2006, 8:30 a.m. until 12 
noon

    The Council's Mackerel Committee will meet to review the regulatory 
amendment and develop recommendations. The Committee will also review 
the issues in the mackerel fishery included in the decision document 
and develop recommendations for public scoping for the mackerel 
fishery.

5. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: September 20, 2006, 1:30 p.m. 
until 4 p.m. and September 21, 2006, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon

    The Snapper Grouper Committee will receive an update on Oculina 
evaluation activities and develop recommendations to staff as 
necessary. The Committee will also receive a status report on Amendment 
14 to the Snapper Grouper FMP regarding marine protected areas and 
provide direction/clarification on issues relevant to the amendment. In 
addition, the Committee will receive an update on the development of 
Amendment 15 regarding rebuilding schedules for overfished species of 
snapper and grouper, and provide direction to staff as necessary. NOAA 
Fisheries' SERO will provide presentations on (1) Final 2005 landings 
for species in Amendment 13C, (2) the status of Amendment 13C Final 
Rule, and (3) the status of the quota monitoring program and a report 
on the level of 2006 landings for species in Amendment 13C. The 
Committee will develop recommendations as necessary.

September 20, 2006, 4:30 p.m. - The Council will hold a Public Input 
Session.

    Members of the public are invited to address the Council on items 
listed on the agenda or any other fishery issue that falls under the 
jurisdiction of the Council.

6. Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting: September 21, 2006, 1:30 
p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (CLOSED SESSION)

    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will review advisory panel 
applications and develop recommendations for Council consideration.

7. Council Session: September 21, 2006, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. and 
September 22, 2006, 8 a.m. - 12 noon

    From 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda, approve the June 2006 meeting minutes, and 
hold elections for Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

[[Page 50893]]

    From 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Mackerel Committee, take action on its Mackerel Regulatory 
Amendment following the public comment session, and take other actions 
as necessary.
    September 21, 2006, 4:30 p.m., the Council will hold a public 
comment session on the Mackerel Regulatory Amendment.

Council Session: September 22, 2006, 8 a.m. - 12 noon.

    From 8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m., the Council will receive a NOAA General 
Counsel briefing on litigation issues (CLOSED SESSION).
    From 8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Advisory Panel Selection Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 8:45 a.m. - 9 a.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Snapper Grouper Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
joint Executive/Finance Committees and take action as appropriate.
    From 9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report on 
the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment 
Steering Committee Meeting and take action as necessary.
    From 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon, the Council will receive a presentation 
regarding the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic 
Tunas (ICCAT), review requests for Experimental Fishing Permits as 
necessary, and 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 September 14, 2006.

    Dated: August 23, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-14217 Filed 8-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S