[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7234-7236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3112]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XU35


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 7235]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold meetings of its Information and Education Advisory Panel, a Catch 
Shares Workshop, Catch Shares Committee, Mackerel Committee, Southeast 
Data Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee, Ecosystem-Based 
Management Committee, joint Shrimp Committee and Shrimp and Deepwater 
Shrimp Advisory Panels, joint Executive and Finance Committees, 
Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session), Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) Selection Committee (Closed Session), 
Information and Education Committee, joint Law Enforcement Committee 
and Advisory Panel, Snapper Grouper Committee, and a meeting of the 
full Council. The Council will also hold an informal public question 
and answer session, and a public comment session regarding agenda 
items. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional details.

DATES:  The meeting will be held March 1-5, 2010. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 
371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527; Telephone: 800/535-9547 
or 912/635-2600; Fax 912/635-2818. Copies of documents are available 
from Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North 
Charleston, SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer; telephone: 843/571-4366 or toll free at 866/SAFMC-10; fax: 
843/769-4520; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    1. Information and Education Advisory Panel Meeting: March 1, 2010, 
10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; March 2, 2010, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., (Concurrent 
Session)
    The Information and Education Advisory Panel will discuss outreach 
activities relevant to management issues, review current tools and 
materials, and develop recommendations based upon outreach, media and 
educational needs.
    2. Catch Shares Workshop: March 1, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    A workshop for Council members will be held prior to the Catch 
Shares Committee meeting to provide an overview of the NOAA draft catch 
share policy, updates on all catch share draft amendments, and a 
discussion on catch share issues in the South Atlantic.
    3. Catch Shares Committee Meeting: March 1, 2010, 1:30 p.m. until 4 
p.m.
    The Catch Shares Committee will develop comments in response to the 
NOAA draft catch share policy, receive information on the economic 
impact of management decisions in the South Atlantic snapper grouper 
fishery, receive an update on the wreckfish shareholders meeting, and 
provide direction to staff.
    4. Mackerel Committee Meeting: March 1, 2010, 4 p.m. until 5 p.m.
    The Mackerel Committee will review recommendations from the Gulf of 
Mexico Fishery Management Council regarding Amendment 18 (being 
developed jointly with the Gulf Council) outlining Annual Catch Limits 
(ACLs) and Accountability Measures for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, 
and cobia, and addressing other management measures. The Committee will 
develop recommendations and provide direction to staff.
    5. SEDAR Committee Meeting: March 1, 2010, 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.
    The SEDAR Committee will review the SEDAR steering committee 
report, the SEDAR participant appointment process, and discuss conflict 
of interest policies. The Committee will develop recommendations for 
SEDAR 23 participants, schedule, and Terms of Reference and take action 
as appropriate. SEDAR 23 is an assessment of the South Atlantic's 
speckled hind and Warsaw grouper fisheries. The Committee will also 
develop recommendations for the May 2010 SEDAR steering committee 
meeting.
    6. Ecosystem-Based Management Committee Meeting: March 2, 2010, 
8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will meet to review 
Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2, take action as appropriate 
and provide direction to staff. The Committee will receive an update on 
the National Center for Coastal Ocean Research's Eat Lionfish Campaign, 
review draft policy on invasive species, and receive an ecosystem 
update.
    7. Joint Shrimp Committee and Shrimp and Deepwater Shrimp Advisory 
Panels Meeting: March 2, 2010, 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
    The Shrimp Committee, Shrimp Advisory Panel, and Deepwater Shrimp 
Advisory Panel will receive a presentation on the economic data 
collection program, review the status of overwintering white shrimp 
stocks, discuss biological opinion issues, and provide recommendations.
    8. Joint Executive and Finance Committee Meeting: March 2, 2010, 
3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.
    The Executive Committee and Finance Committee will meet jointly to 
review the status of the Calendar Year (CY) budget, the status of the 
Fiscal Year 2011 President's / Congressional budget, and approve the CY 
2010 budget. The Committees will also develop details of a Council and 
SSC member compensation policy relative to webinars and provide 
recommendations.
    9. Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting (Closed Session): 
March 3, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.
    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will review applications and 
develop recommendations for appointments.
    10. SSC Selection Committee Meeting (Closed Session): March 3, 
2010, 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
    The SSC Selection Committee will receive a joint SSC and SSC 
Selection Committee report, discuss the SSC Code of Conduct, review 
conflict of interest policies, discuss regional representation on the 
SSC, discuss interaction between the SSC and the Interdisciplinary Plan 
Team, and provide recommendations.
    11. Information and Education Committee Meeting: March 3, 2010, 
10:30 a.m. until 12 noon
    The Committee will receive an update on information and education 
activities, review outreach tools including the Council's Web site, 
discuss needs, review the Information and Education Advisory Panel 
report, and develop recommendations.
    12. Joint Law Enforcement Committee and Advisory Panel Meeting: 
March 3, 2010, 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
    The Law Enforcement Committee and Advisory Panel will discuss 
monitoring and enforcement of area closures, review allowable gear 
regulations in proposed snapper grouper closed areas, discuss 
enforceability and analysis of proposed regulations, and take action as 
appropriate. The Committee and AP will finalize development of a Law 
Enforcement Officer of the Year Award program and provide 
recommendations.
    13. Council Session: March 3, 2010, 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., 
March 4, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and March 5, 2010, 8:30 a.m. 
until 3:30 p.m.

Council Session: March 3, 2010, 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

    From 3:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda, and approve the December 2009 meeting minutes.

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    From 3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., the Council will receive presentations.
Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting of the Whole: March 3, 2010, 4:00 
p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will review management alternatives 
in Amendment 17A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 
addressing overfishing of red snapper, modify the document as 
necessary, and provide direction to staff.
    NOTE: There will be an informal public question and answer session 
with NOAA Fisheries Services' Regional Administrator and the Council 
Chairman on March 3, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Immediately following 
the informal session, the public will be provided an opportunity to 
officially comment on any of the agenda items.
    Council Session: March 4, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
    Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting of the Whole: March 4, 2010, 8:30 
a.m. until 6 p.m.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will continue to review management 
alternatives in Amendment 17A, modify the document as necessary, and 
provide direction to staff. The Committee will review Amendments 18 and 
20 to the Snapper Grouper FMP, modify the documents as necessary and 
provide guidance to staff. Amendment 18 to the Snapper Grouper FMP 
addresses several management measures relative to the management 
complex, including expansion of the management unit northward of the 
Council's current jurisdiction, limiting participation in the 
commercial fishery for golden tilefish, modifications of management for 
the black sea bass pot fishery, allocations, changes to the golden 
tilefish fishing year, improvements to fisheries statistics, and 
designation of Essential Fish Habitat in northern areas. Amendment 20 
to the Snapper Grouper FMP addresses changes to the Wreckfish 
commercial fishery Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program. The 
Committee also will receive a presentation from the SSC on the Control 
Rule relative to the Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment.

Council Session: March 5, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting of the Whole: March 5, 2010, 8:30 
a.m. until 10 a.m.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will continue to review the 
Comprehensive ACL Amendment and provide direction to staff.
    From 10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Catch Shares Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Mackerel Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the SEDAR Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Ecosystem-Based Management Committee and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 11 a.m. - 11:15 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Shrimp Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the joint Executive/Finance Committees meeting, approve the CY 
2010 budget (as necessary), consider other Committee recommendations 
and take action as appropriate.
    From 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Advisory Panel Selection Committee and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 11:45 a.m. - 12 noon., the Council will receive legal briefing 
on litigation (Closed Session).
    From 1 p.m. - 1:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
SSC Selection Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Information and Education Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Law Enforcement Committee and take action as appropriate.
     From 1:45 p.m. - 2 p.m., the Council will review and develop 
recommendations on Experimental Permit requests as necessary.
    From 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., the Council will receive status reports 
from NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries' 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, agency and liaison reports, and 
discuss other business including upcoming meetings.
    Documents regarding these issues are available from the Council 
office (see ADDRESSES).
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the 
subjects of formal final Council action during this meeting. Council 
action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed 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.
    Except for advertised (scheduled) public hearings and public 
comment, the times and sequence specified on this agenda are subject to 
change.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
by February 26, 2010.

    Dated: February 12, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-3112 Filed 2-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S