[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 76276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21623]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121406E]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council); Public 
Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene a public meeting of the Ad Hoc Shrimp Effort Management 
Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: The Ad Hoc Shrimp Effort Management AP meeting is scheduled to 
begin at 1 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2007, recess at 5 p.m., reconvene 
at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 9, 2007 and adjourn by 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Houston Hobby 
Airport, 8181 Airport Blvd., Houston, TX 77061.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Richard Leard, Deputy Executive 
Director; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ad Hoc Shrimp Effort Management AP will 
receive brief presentations on current levels of effort and the levels 
that could optimize yield from the shrimp fishery. The AP will receive 
similar briefings on the current level of shrimp trawl bycatch of 
juvenile red snapper and the maximum level of allowable bycatch that 
will maintain the current targets for rebuilding the red snapper stock 
in the Gulf of Mexico. Specifically, the Council has charged the Ad Hoc 
Shrimp Effort Management AP with the following task:
    To develop management recommendations for the shrimp fishery to:
    a. Manage effort to reduce red snapper bycatch mortality in the 
shrimp fishery by 50% from the 2001-03 base line in 2007.
    b. Develop additional measures to reach the red snapper bycatch 
mortality reduction goals for the shrimp fishery established in the red 
snapper rebuilding plan.
    The Ad Hoc Shrimp Effort Management AP consists of commercial 
shrimp fishermen, dealers, processors, and association representatives 
as voting members, as well as a NMFS scientist, two representatives of 
environmental non-government organizations, a NOAA enforcement 
representative, and a representative of the Sea Grant Cooperative 
Extension Service as nonvoting members.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before the AP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those 
issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 
Actions of the AP will be restricted to those issues specifically 
identified in the agenda 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. Copies of the 
agenda can be obtained by calling (813) 348-1630.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Tina Trezza at the Council (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: December 14, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-21623 Filed 12-19-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S