[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70904-70905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29149]



[[Page 70904]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA047-1


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council); Public 
Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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

SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 
meeting of its Spiny Lobster Committee, Personnel Committee (Closed 
Session), King and Spanish Mackerel Committee, Ecosystem-Based 
Management Committee, Golden Crab Committee, Southeast Data, 
Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Committee (a portion of the meeting will 
be closed), Joint Executive and Finance Committees, Standard Operating, 
Policy and Procedures (SOPPs) Committee, Snapper Grouper 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, a public comment session regarding agenda items, and public 
comment on Regulatory Amendment 10. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
additional details.

DATES: The meeting will be held December 6-10, 2010. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton New Bern/Riverfront, 
100 Middle Street, New Bern, NC 28562; Telephone: 1-800/326-3745 or 
252/638-3585; Fax 252/638-8112. 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[sol]571-4366 or toll free at 866[sol]SAFMC-10; 
fax: 843[sol]769-4520; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Meeting Dates

1. Spiny Lobster Committee: December 6, 2010, 1:30 p.m. Until 4:30 p.m.

    The Spiny Lobster Committee will review the SEDAR Spiny Lobster 
Update regarding the stock status and review recommendations from the 
Science and Statistical Committee (SSC). The 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 provide direction to 
staff and approve Amendment 10 and the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for public hearings.

2. Personnel Committee Meeting: December 6, 2010, 4:30 p.m. Until 5:30 
p.m. (Closed Meeting)

    The Personnel Committee will receive an update on staff positions 
and provide a performance review for the Executive Director.

3. Mackerel Committee Meeting: December 7, 2010, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 
Noon

    The Mackerel Committee will continue to review actions for draft 
Amendment 18 to the FMP for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources for the 
Gulf 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, provide direction to staff, and approve the Amendment for 
public hearings.

4. Ecosystem-Based Management Committee Meeting: December 7, 2010, 1:30 
p.m. Until 3:30 p.m.

    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will review the actions 
and alternatives currently in draft Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based 
Amendment 2, review recommendations from the Council's Habitat Advisory 
Panel, provide guidance to staff, and approve the Amendment for public 
hearings.

5. Golden Crab Committee Meeting: December 7, 2010, 3:30 p.m. Until 
4:30 p.m.

    The Golden Crab Committee will approve issues in Golden Crab 
Amendment 5 regarding the establishment of a catch share program for 
the commercial fishery and approve the amendment for public scoping.

6. SEDAR Committee Meeting: December 7, 2010, 4:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m. 
(Note: A Portion of the Meeting Will Be Closed)

    The SEDAR Committee will receive an update on SEDAR activities, a 
report on the SEDAR Steering Committee meeting and follow-up actions, 
and approve sea bass assessment documents. (In Closed Session) the 
Committee will review applications to the SEDAR Pool and develop 
recommendations for SEDAR participants.

7. Joint Executive/Finance Committees Meeting: December 8, 2010, 8:30 
a.m. Until 9:30 a.m.

    The Executive Committee and Finance Committees will meet jointly 
and receive status reports on the Calendar Year (CY) 2010 budget and 
activities, and the Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional budget. The 
Committee will review and discuss the tentative 2011 Council budget and 
activities schedule.

8. SOPPs Committee Meeting: December 8, 2010, 9:30 a.m. Until 11 a.m.

    The SOPPs Committee will review the final rule addressing Council 
SOPPs and develop recommendations for changes to the SOPPs in 
accordance with the final rule as proposed by staff.

9. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: December 8, 2010, 11 a.m. Until 5 
p.m., and December 9, 2010, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 Noon

    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 report of the 
Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel.
    The Committee will review, modify and approve the Comprehensive 
Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment for public hearings. The 
Comprehensive ACL Amendment 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 review public hearing comments regarding 
Amendment 18A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP), 
modify the amendment as appropriate, and approve actions. Amendment 18A 
includes actions to modify the golden tilefish and black sea bass pot 
commercial fisheries, and improvements for fisheries statistics.
    The Committee will review Regulatory Amendment 10 to the Snapper 
Grouper Fishery Management Plan addressing options for red snapper 
management (to be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce for review) 
and Regulatory Amendment 9 addressing

[[Page 70905]]

trip limits for black sea bass, vermilion snapper, gag, and greater 
amberjack. The Committee will modify draft Amendment 9 and approve it 
for public hearings.
    The Committee will review Amendments 24, 21, and 22, provide 
appropriate guidance to staff, and approve the amendments for public 
scoping. Amendment 24 addresses requirements under the MSA for red 
grouper, including establishment of ACLs, AMs, and a rebuilding plan. 
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 receive a status report on Amendment 20 to modify and 
update the current Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program for 
wreckfish. The Committee will also discuss Amendment 18B and determine 
if the development of the Amendment is necessary. Amendment 18B 
includes options to extend the jurisdiction of the snapper grouper 
fishery management unit northward.

    Note: There will be an informal public question and answer 
session with NOAA Fisheries Services' Regional Administrator and the 
Council Chairman on December 8, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Council Session: December 9, 2010, 1:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m. and 
December 10, 2010, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 Noon

Council Session: December 9, 2010, 1:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m.

    From 1:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda, and approve the September 2010 meeting 
minutes.

    Note: A public comment period on Regulatory Amendment 10 (Red 
Snapper) will be held on December 9, 2010 beginning at 1:45 p.m. 
followed by public comment on any of the December meeting agenda 
items.

    From 3 p.m.-3:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Spiny Lobster Committee, approve Spiny Lobster Amendment 10/DEIS for 
public hearing, consider other Committee recommendations, and take 
action as appropriate.
    From 3:30 p.m.-4 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Mackerel Committee, approve Mackerel Amendment 18/EA for public 
hearing, consider other Committee recommendations, and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 4 p.m.-4:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Ecosystem-Based Management Committee, approve the Comprehensive 
Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2 for public hearing, consider other 
Committee recommendations, and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Golden Crab Committee and approve issues in Golden Crab Amendment 5 
for public scoping.
    From 4:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the SEDAR Committee, approve sea bass assessment documents, appoint 
SEDAR participants, consider other Committee recommendations and take 
action as appropriate.
    From 4:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m. the Council will receive a legal briefing 
on litigation (Closed Session).

Council Session: December 10, 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 
SOPPs Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report from the 
Snapper Grouper Committee, approve Regulatory Amendment 10 for 
submission to the Secretary of Commerce for review, approve actions in 
Amendment 18A, approve the Comprehensive ACL Amendment, and Regulatory 
Amendment 9 for public hearings, approve Amendments 21, 22, and 24 for 
public scoping, consider other Committee recommendations and take 
action as appropriate.
    From 10:30 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 sequences 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 December 1, 2010.

    Dated: November 15, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-29149 Filed 11-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P