[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5284-5285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2151]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XU18


Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council's (Council) Shrimp Review Panel via conference call.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 
meeting of its Shrimp Review Panel via conference call.

DATES: The call will take place February 19, 2010, beginning at 2 p.m. 
(EDT).

ADDRESSES: The call will be facilitated at the office of the 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. Persons interested in listening to 
the discussions may call (877) 774-6707, PIN  294.

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: The meeting is being convened to discuss: 
(1) a potential closure of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters 
adjacent to South Carolina and Georgia to protect overwintering penaeid 
shrimp and, (2) the condition of the pink shrimp stock in the South 
Atlantic Region.
    The Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South 
Atlantic Region (Shrimp FMP) allows for concurrent closure of the EEZ 
adjacent to those South Atlantic states that have closed their waters 
to the harvest of penaeid shrimp to protect overwintering stocks when 
they have been depleted by cold weather. South Carolina and

[[Page 5285]]

Georgia have closed their waters to shrimp harvest and may request that 
the Council recommend concurrent closure of the EEZ off those states. 
The Review Panel will review available data to assess whether a 
recommendation to close EEZ waters is warranted.
    Amendment 6 to the Shrimp FMP established a proxy for a minimum 
stock size threshold (MSST) as a parent stock size capable of producing 
maximum sustainable yield (MSY) the following year. Sampling data 
indicate that the stock is again below the MSST. A recommendation from 
the Review Panel is needed as to whether management action is necessary 
to bring the pink shrimp stock back above the MSST level.
    The Panel will prepare a report regarding its recommendations and 
forward it to the Council's Shrimp Committee to determine if further 
action is needed.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group 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 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 Act, provided the public has been notified of the 
Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

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

    Dated: January 28, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2151 Filed 2-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S