[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39283-39284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15589]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XI96


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 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 will convene a 
Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: The meeting will convene at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 
and conclude no later than 12 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Quorum Hotel, 700 N. 
Westshore Blvd., Tampa, FL 33609; telephone: (813) 289-8200.

[[Page 39284]]

    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 
(813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reef Fish AP will review and comment on 
two draft amendments to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan. 
Amendment 29 proposes to rationalize effort and reduce overcapacity in 
the commercial grouper and tilefish fisheries in order to achieve and 
maintain optimum yield (OY). Effort management approaches considered in 
this amendment include:
     Permit endorsements
     Implementation of an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) 
Program
    Amendment 30B contains alternatives that propose to:
     Set management thresholds and targets for gag
     Set total allowable catch (TAC) for gag and red grouper
     Set commercial and recreational allocations for gag and 
red grouper
     Establish accountability measures for gag and red grouper
     Adjust commercial quotas for gag red grouper and the 
shallow-water grouper aggregate
     Adjust recreational management measures for groupers, 
which includes:
    a. bag limits
    b. size limits
    c. closed seasons
     Address bycatch and bycatch mortality of groupers
     Create new area closures and/or extend the duration of 
existing closed areas
     Address regulatory compliance of federally permitted reef 
fish vessels when fishing in state waters
    Copies of the agendas and other related materials can be obtained 
by calling (813) 348-1630.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas 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 these meetings. 
Actions of the SSC 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 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the 
Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Tina O'Hern at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: July 3, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-15589 Filed 7-8-08; 8:45 am]
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