[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58567-58568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23627]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XK94


Gulf of Mexico 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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene 
public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held October 27-30, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Renaissance Riverview 
Plaza, 64 S. Water St., Mobile, AL 36602.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Leard, Interim Executive 
Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 
348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Council

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

    1 p.m. - The Council meeting will begin with a review of the agenda 
and minutes.
    From 1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., the Council will approve the 2009 
Committee Rosters.
    From 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., the Council will receive public 
testimony on exempted fishing permits (EFPs), if any; the Final 
Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan (FMP); and hold an Open Public 
Comment Period regarding any fishery issue of concern. People wishing 
to speak before the Council should complete a public comment card prior 
to the comment period.
    From 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., the Council will review and discuss 
reports from the previous two days' committee meetings as follows: 
Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum, Ad Hoc Allocation, and Reef Fish 
Management.
    The following will be, in part, CLOSED SESSIONS - Joint Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) Selection/Administrative Policy and 
Budget/Personnel.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

    From 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., the Council will continue to review 
and discuss reports from the committee meetings as follows: Joint SSC 
Selection/Administrative Policy; Budget/Personnel; Operator Permits; 
Law Enforcement; Outreach & Education (O&E); Habitat Protection; 
Migratory Species; and Marine Reserves.
    From 10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the SSC of its Review of the 5-year Research Plan.
    From 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., other business items will follow. The 
Council will conclude its meeting at approximately 12 p.m.

Committees

Monday, October 27, 2008

    1 p.m. - 3 p.m. - The Ad Hoc Allocation Committee will meet to 
discuss Draft Allocation Principles.
    3 p.m. - 4 p.m. - The Operator Permits Committee will meet to 
discuss a Draft Scoping Document for Generic Operator Permit Amendment.
    4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - The Law Enforcement Committee will meet to 
discuss the 2009-12 Strategic Plan and the 2009-10 Operations Plan.
    4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. - The Outreach and Education Committee will meet 
to discuss proposed agenda for the O&E Advisory Panel (AP) Meeting.
    5 p.m. - 7 p.m. - There will be an Open Public Question and Answer 
Session and Public Hearing on the Aquaculture FMP.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

    8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. - The Reef Fish Management Committee will meet 
to discuss the Ad Hoc Recreational Red Snapper AP Recommendations, 
review an Update on Endangered Species Act (ESA) Biological Opinion on 
sea turtle bycatch, consider red snapper recreational seasons and 
establishing a Vessel Monitoring System AP.
    11 a.m. - 12 p.m. - The Budget/Personnel Committee will meet to 
discuss the status of 2008 budget; FY 2009 budget; and will have a 
CLOSED SESSION to discuss the Executive Director search status.
    1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - The Joint Reef Fish/Mackerel/Red Drum 
Management Committee will meet to discuss the Final Aquaculture FMP.
    3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. - The Joint SSC Selection Committee/
Administrative Policy Committee will meet to Review the SSC's role and 
appointment process and in a CLOSED SESSION review the SSC membership.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

    8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - The Migratory Species Committee will 
receive a presentation on Amendment 3 to the HMS FMP (Small Coastal 
Sharks) and Amendment 4 to the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) FMP 
(Caribbean Issues).
    9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - The Marine Reserves Committee will receive 
a presentation on marine protected area (MPA) Framework and Proposed 
Nomination Process and may comment on an advanced notice of proposed 
rule (ANPR) for consultations under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act 
(NMSA).
    10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - The Habitat Protection Committee will 
receive a presentation on Amendment 1 to the HMS EFH FMP.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the Council and Committees 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 Council and Committees 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. The established times for addressing 
items on the agenda may be

[[Page 58568]]

adjusted as necessary to accommodate the timely completion of 
discussion relevant to the agenda items. In order to further allow for 
such adjustments and completion of all items on the agenda, the meeting 
may be extended from, or completed prior to the date established in 
this notice.

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: October 2, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-23627 Filed 10-6-08; 8:45 am]
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