[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 94 (Monday, May 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 23172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11472]



[[Page 23172]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XP26


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 
joint meeting of the Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC).

DATES: The meeting will convene at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2009 and 
conclude by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton, 2225 N. Lois Ave., 
Tampa, FL 33607, telephone: (813) 877-6688.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. 
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 SSC will meet jointly with the Reef Fish 
Advisory Panel (AP) on the first day of the meeting. The SSC and AP 
will receive a brief orientation for new members, and will hear 
presentations on update assessments for gag and red grouper. The last 
full benchmark assessments for these stocks were completed in 2007 
(SEDAR 10 for gag and SEDAR 12 for red grouper). The SSC and AP will 
also hear a presentation on the issues and preferred alternatives in 
Reef Fish Amendment 31 that address bycatch of sea turtles in the 
bottom longline reef fish fishery.
    Following the presentations, the SSC and AP will reconvene 
separately. The SSC will review the role of the SSC as described in the 
Council's Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures (SOPPs) 
and proposed changes in the operations and administration of SSCs that 
are in a NMFS Proposed Rule (74 FR 13386), including financial 
disclosure requirements.
    The SSC will also discuss the gag and red grouper update 
assessments, and determine if they are the best available scientific 
information. They will recommend an allowable biological catch (ABC) 
for each stock that must be equal to or less than the overfishing limit 
(OFL) specified in the update assessments after taking into account 
scientific uncertainty. The SSC may also make other comments and 
recommendations concerning the update assessments.
    The SSC will also discuss and provide recommendations on the issues 
and preferred alternatives in Reef Fish Amendment 31. In addition, they 
will review a recently published scientific report that suggests that 
venting of fish may decrease rather than increase survival of fish 
caught from deeper waters, and will consider recommending that they 
convene a future workshop to review current research on venting and 
other safe release methods. The SSC will also elect a new Chair and 
Vice-chair. The comments and recommendations of the SSC will be 
presented to the Council at its June 15-18, 2009 meeting in Tampa, FL.
    Copies of the agenda and other related materials can be obtained by 
calling (813) 348-1630.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before the SSCs 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 SSCs 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.

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 O'Hern at the Council (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: May 13, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-11472 Filed 5-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S