[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 72678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24818]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE49


Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 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 Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel and Golden Crab 
Advisory Panel in Charleston, SC.

DATES: The meetings will take place January 27-29, 2008. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Radisson Resort at the 
Port, 8701 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920; telephone: (800) 
333-3333 or (321) 784-0000; fax: (321) 783-7718.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place 
Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 571-4366 
or toll free (866) SAFMC-10; fax: (843) 769-4520; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Members of the Golden Crab Advisory Panel 
will meet from 1 p.m.--5 p.m. on January 27, 2008, and from 8:30 a.m.--
12 noon on January 28, 2008. The Golden Crab Advisory Panel will meet 
jointly with the Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel from 1:30 p.m.--3:30 
p.m. on January 28, 2008. The Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel will meet 
from 4 p.m.--6 p.m. on January 28, 2008 and on January 29, 2008 from 8 
a.m.--3 p.m.
    Both the Rock Shrimp and Golden Crab Advisory Panels (APs) will 
receive the following presentations: (1) an overview of the Council's 
Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Comprehensive Amendment, (2) deepwater 
coral habitats in the South Atlantic Region, and (3) an update on 
recommendations from the recent joint meeting of the Council's Habitat 
and Coral Advisory Panels. Following the presentations, advisory panel 
members will discuss and provide recommendations on fishing operations 
relative to deepwater coral areas proposed as Habitat Areas of 
Particular Concern (HAPCs) included in the Council's Comprehensive 
Ecosystem Amendment 1. The Rock Shrimp AP and Golden Crab AP will meet 
jointly to discuss common fishing areas.
    In addition, the Deepwater Shrimp AP will provide recommendations 
regarding Amendment 7 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 
addressing the current landings requirement for the rock shrimp fishery 
for the South Atlantic region. The requirement, created as part of a 
limited access program for the rock shrimp fishery through Amendment 5 
to the Shrimp FMP for the South Atlantic Region, states that if a 
limited access rock shrimp endorsement is ``not active'' during a 48 
month period (4 calendar years), it will not be renewed. A rock shrimp 
limited access endorsement is defined as inactive when the vessel it is 
attached to has less than 15,000 pounds of documented rock shrimp 
harvest from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within the South 
Atlantic Council's area of jurisdiction within one of four calendar 
years beginning in 2004.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the 
council office (see ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meetings.
    Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject 
to change.

    Dated: December 18, 2007.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-24818 Filed 12-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S