[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 166 (Friday, August 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52719-52721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21340]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XY52


South Atlantic 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 
meeting of its Spiny Lobster Committee, King and Spanish Mackerel 
Committee, Personnel Committee (Closed Session), Ecosystem-Based 
Management Committee, Law Enforcement Committee, Joint Executive and 
Finance Committees, Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 
Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (Closed Session), Golden Crab Committee, Standard Operating, 
Policy and Procedures (SOPPs) Committee and a meeting of the Full 
Council. The Council will take action as necessary.
    The Council will also hold an informal public question and answer 
session, and a public comment session regarding agenda items. As part 
of the meeting, newly appointed Council members will take the Oath of 
Office. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional details.

DATES:  The meeting will be held September 13-17, 2010. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES:  The meeting will be held at the Charleston Marriott Hotel, 
170 Lockwood Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29403; Telephone: 1-800/968-3569 
or 843/723-3000; Fax 843-266-1479. 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

New Council member Oath of Office: September 13, 2010, 1:30 p.m. until 
1:45 p.m.

    NOAA Fisheries' Regional Administrator will administer the Oath of 
Office to new members appointed to the Council by the Secretary of 
Commerce.

Spiny Lobster Committee: September 13, 2010, 1:45 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.

    The Spiny Lobster Committee will continue to review actions for 
Amendment 10 to the joint Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Spiny 
Lobster for Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Amendment 10 will 
address the requirements of the Reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (MSA) including establishment of Annual 
Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures (AMs). The Committee 
will review draft Spiny Lobster Amendment 10 and the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and provide direction to staff.

King and Spanish Mackerel Committee Meeting: September 13, 2010, 3:30 
p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

    The Mackerel Committee will continue to review actions for draft 
Amendment 18 to the FMP for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources for the 
Gulf

[[Page 52720]]

of Mexico and South Atlantic Region. Amendment 18 addresses 
requirements of the MSA to set ACLs and AMs for species managed in the 
FMP. The Committee will review the draft amendment and Environmental 
Assessment and provide direction to staff.

Personnel Committee Meeting (CLOSED SESSION): September 13, 2010, 5:30 
p.m. until 6 p.m.

    The personnel committee will meet in closed session to discuss the 
current status of staff positions and review the Executive Director's 
recommendations.

Ecosystem-Based Management Committee Meeting: September 14, 2010, 8:30 
a.m. until 10:30 a.m.

    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will receive an overview 
of the actions and alternatives currently in draft Comprehensive 
Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2, and the Comprehensive ACL Amendment, 
including the recommendations from the Council's Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC), and provide guidance to staff. The 
Committee will also discuss invasive species issues, including input 
from its advisory panels, and provide guidance to staff.

Law Enforcement Committee Meeting: September 14, 2010, 10:30 a.m. until 
12 noon

    The Law Enforcement Committee will review recommendations from its 
advisory panel relative to law enforcement issues and discuss other 
issues as appropriate.

Joint Executive/Finance Committees Meeting: September 14, 2010, 1:30 
p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

    The joint Executive/Finance Committees will receive updates on the 
Calendar Year 2010 budget and additional SEDAR funding, discuss a 
letter relative to Florida's management of spiny lobster, octocorals, 
and several reef fish species, and future timeliness of recreational 
data for management purposes.

SEDAR Committee Meeting: September 14, 2010, 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m.

    The SEDAR Committee will develop recommendations for SEDAR 
participants and approve sea bass update documents, review the 
Council's research plan, develop recommendations relative to Council 
stock assessment priorities and other issues for the next SEDAR 
Steering Committee meeting, and review and provide recommendations 
regarding a SEDAR participant disclosure form.

Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: September 14, 2010, 4 p.m. until 5 
p.m., and September 15, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

    The Snapper Grouper Committee will receive a report on outreach and 
research activities associated with the Oculina Bank Experimental 
Closed Area, a report from the Council's SSC, and a presentation on the 
analysis of closure alternatives relative to potential changes from the 
red snapper benchmark assessment. The Committee will provide direction 
to staff regarding approaches and mechanisms for consideration at the 
December 2010 Council meeting relative to red snapper.
    The Committee will review Amendment 18 to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and provide recommendations for approval 
of the amendment for public hearings. Amendment 18 includes actions to 
extend the range of the snapper grouper management complex northward, 
modifications to the golden tilefish and black sea bass pot commercial 
fisheries, and improvements for fisheries statistics.
    The Committee will review alternatives for Amendments 20, 24 and 
Regulatory Amendment 9 to the Snapper Grouper FMP and provide 
recommendations for staff. Amendment 20 will modify and update the 
current Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program for wreckfish. 
Amendment 24 addresses requirements under the MSA for red grouper and 
black grouper, including establishment of ACLs, AMs, and a rebuilding 
plan for red grouper. Regulatory Amendment 9 includes alternatives to 
specify trip limits for black sea bass, vermilion snapper, gag, and 
greater amberjack and to address possible changes for the requirement 
of sea turtle release gear within the snapper grouper fishery.
    The Committee will also review options papers for Amendments 21 and 
22, and provide guidance to staff. Amendment 21 addresses alternatives 
for management of the snapper grouper fishery including: implementation 
of trip limits, effort and participation reductions, endorsements, 
catch shares, and regional quotas.
    Amendment 22 includes options for long-term management measures for 
red snapper in the South Atlantic as the stock rebuilds. The Committee 
will also review management alternatives for the Comprehensive ACL 
Amendment that will specify ACLs, AMs and other values as mandated in 
the MSA for species managed by the Council and not subject to 
overfishing. This includes species in the Snapper Grouper, Coral, 
Golden Crab, Sargassum, and Dolphin Wahoo fishery management units.
    The Committee will also review a letter from the Florida Fish and 
Wildlife Conservation Commission to Dr. Bob Shipp, Chairman of the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council relative to Florida management and 
provide guidance to staff.
    NOTE: There will be an informal public question and answer session 
with NOAA Fisheries Services' Regional Administrator and the Council 
Chairman on September 15, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting: September 16, 2010, 8:30 
a.m. until 10 a.m. (CLOSED SESSION)

    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will review applications for 
open seats and provide recommendations to Council.

Golden Crab Committee Meeting: September 16, 2010, 10 a.m. until 11 
a.m.

    The Golden Crab Committee will discuss SSC actions relative to the 
golden crab fishery, review the results of the Golden Crab AP meeting, 
and receive an update on Amendment 5 to the Golden Crab FMP to 
implement a catch share program for the fishery.

SOPPs Committee Meeting: September 16, 2010, 11 a.m. until 12 noon

    The SOPPs Committee will review the Final Rule addressing council 
SOPPs, develop changes to the SOPPs as necessary, and provide direction 
to staff.

Council Session: September 16, 2010, 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and 
September 17, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon

Council Session: September 16, 2010, 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

    From 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda, approve the June 2010 meeting minutes, and 
elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
    Note: A public comment period on any of the September meeting 
agenda items will be held on September 16, 2010 beginning at 2 p.m.

    From 3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Spiny Lobster Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 3:45 p.m. - 4 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Mackerel Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 4 p.m. - 4:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Ecosystem-Based Management

[[Page 52721]]

Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Law Enforcement Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., the Council will receive a legal briefing 
(CLOSED SESSION).

Council Session: September 17, 2010, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon

    From 8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Executive/Finance Committees and take action as appropriate.
    From 8:45 a.m. - 9 a.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
SEDAR Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Snapper Grouper Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Advisory Panel Selection Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9:45 a.m. - 10 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Golden Crab Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the SOPPs Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 10:15 a.m. 12 noon, the Council will receive status reports 
from NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries' 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, review Experimental Fishing Permits 
as necessary, receive 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 September 8, 2010.

    August 24, 2010.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-21340 Filed 8-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S