[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41766-41767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17789]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA569


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Council to convene public meeting.

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

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene 
public hearings on: Amendment 18 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico 
and Amendment 32 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan in the Gulf 
of Mexico.

DATES: The public meetings will be held on August 1, 2011 through 
August 3, 2011 at seven locations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The 
public hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and will conclude no later than 9 
p.m. For specific dates see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at locations listed in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. 
Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Richard Leard, Deputy Executive 
Director/Senior Fishery Biologist (Amendment 18), Dr. Steven Atran, 
Population Dynamics Statistician (Amendment 32) at Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources

    The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold public 
hearings on Amendment 18 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal 
Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico 
Including Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and 
Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis. Amendment 18 contains alternatives 
for actions to set annual catch limits and accountability measures if 
such limits are exceeded for Gulf group king mackerel, Gulf group 
Spanish mackerel, and Gulf group cobia. It also contains measures to 
remove cero, little tunny, dolphin, and bluefish (Gulf) from the 
fishery management plan; revise the framework procedure; and separate 
cobia into Atlantic and Gulf migratory groups. Similar measures are 
being proposed for the Atlantic migratory stocks.

Reef Fish

    Amendment 32 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan establishes 
annual catch limits and annual catch targets for 2012 and 2015 for gag 
and for 2012 for red grouper. The Amendment also contains actions to: 
Establish a rebuilding plan for gag; set recreational bag limits, size 
limits and closed seasons for gag/red grouper in 2012; consider a 
commercial gag and shallow-water grouper quota adjustment to account 
for dead discards; make adjustment to multi-use IFQ shares in the 
grouper individual fishing quota program; reduce the commercial gag 
size limit; modify the offshore time and areas closures; and revise 
gag, red grouper, and shallow-water grouper accountability measures.
    The Public Hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at the end of 
public testimony or no later than 9 p.m. at the following locations:
    Monday, August 1, 2011, Amendment 18--Plantation Suites--1909 Hwy 
361, Port Aransas, TX 78373, (361) 749-3866; Amendment 18--Courtyard 
Marriott Gulfport Beachfront Hotel, 1600 East Beach Blvd., Gulfport, MS 
39501, (228) 864-4310; Amendment 32--Hyatt Place Ft. Myers at the 
Forum--2600 Champion Ring Road, Fort Myers, FL 33905, (239) 418-1844.
    Tuesday, August 2, 2011, Amendment 18 and Amendment 32--Hilton St. 
Petersburg Carillon Park--950 Lake Carillon Drive--St. Petersburg, FL 
33716--(727) 540-0050; Amendment 18--Fairfield Inn & Suites, 3111 Loop 
Road, Orange Beach, FL 36561, (251) 543-4444; Amendment 18--Louisiana 
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Research Lab, 195 Ludwig Annex, 
Grand Isle, LA 70358, (985) 787-2163.
    Wednesday, August 3, 2011, Amendment 18 and Amendment 32--Boardwalk 
Beach Resort, 9400 S. Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32408, (850) 
230-4681.
    Copies of the documents can be obtained by calling (813) 348-1630.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Kathy Pereira at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.


[[Page 41767]]


    Dated: July 11, 2011.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-17789 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P