[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 166 (Friday, August 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53413-53414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21843]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA660


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 
joint meeting of its Shrimp and Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panels (AP); 
meetings of its Shrimp Committee; Spiny Lobster Committee; Law 
Enforcement Committee; Ecosystem-Based Management Committee; Executive/
Finance Committees; King and Spanish Mackerel Committee; Southeast 
Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee; Golden Crab 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 regarding agenda items and 
a public comment session. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional 
details.

DATES: The Council meeting will be held September 12-16, 2011. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Charleston Marriott Hotel, 
170 Lockwood Blvd., Charleston, SC 29403; telephone: (1-800) 968-3569 
or (843) 723-3000; fax: (843) 723-0276. 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; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates

    1. Joint Shrimp and Deepwater Shrimp AP Meeting: September 12, 
2011, 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
    The joint Shrimp and Deepwater Shrimp APs will receive reports on: 
The shrimp closure off of South Carolina; Economic Data Collection; 
Status of Bycatch in the Atlantic Shrimp Fishery (including rock and 
royal red shrimp); and Section 7 Consultation, as it pertains to 
turtles and sawfish. The joint APs will also review potential items for 
Shrimp Amendment 9 concerning fishery management measures for royal 
red, rock and pink shrimp, and develop recommendations for the Shrimp 
Committee.
    2. Shrimp Committee Meeting: September 13, 2011, 8:30 a.m. until 12 
noon.
    The Shrimp Committee will review recommendations from the joint 
Shrimp AP and develop actions and options for Shrimp Amendment 9.
    3. Spiny Lobster Committee Meeting: September 13, 2011, 1:30 p.m. 
until 3 p.m.
    The Spiny Lobster Committee will receive a report on actions 
necessary to meet the Biological Opinion relative to staghorn and 
elkhorn corals and will receive an overview of Spiny Lobster Amendment 
11 addressing gear modifications and area restrictions relative to 
protected resources. The Committee will develop preferred alternatives 
and approve Amendment 11/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
public hearings.
    4. Law Enforcement Committee Meeting: September 13, 2011, 3 p.m. 
until 4 p.m.
    The Law Enforcement Committee will review the recommendations from 
the Law Enforcement AP for the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 
award. The Committee will also discuss other issues as appropriate.
    5. Ecosystem-Based Management Committee: September 13, 2011, 4 p.m. 
until 5:30 p.m.
    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will receive a 
presentation on lionfish and review the status of Comprehensive 
Ecosystem-Based Amendment (CEBA) 2/Environmental Assessment (EA). The 
Committee will provide direction to staff on management measures to be 
included in CEBA 3 and receive an update on ecosystem activities.
    6. Executive/Finance Committees: September 14, 2011, 8:30 a.m. 
until 9:30 a.m.
    The Executive/Finance Committees will receive a status report on 
the calendar year (CY) 2011 Council expenditures and activities. The 
committees will review and discuss the development of CY2012 Council 
activities' schedule and budget.
    7. King and Spanish Mackerel Committee: September 14, 2011, 9:30 
a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
    The Mackerel Committee will review the status of commercial and 
recreational catches versus quotas for species under quota management 
as well as the status of Amendment 18 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagic 
Fishery Management Plan for the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, 
which establishes Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability 
Measures (AMs) for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia. The 
Committee will modify the amendment as necessary. Additionally, the 
Committee will develop terms of reference (TOR) and appointments for 
the SEDAR 28 stock assessment for Atlantic and Gulf Spanish mackerel 
and cobia. The Committee will receive a presentation on results of 
cobia bag and size limits and will provide direction to Council staff.
    8. SEDAR Committee: September 14, 2011, 10:30 a.m. until 12 noon. 
(Note: Portion of the meeting will be CLOSED.)
    The SEDAR Committee will receive an overview of SEDAR activities as 
well as an update on the SEDAR process and the Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center (SEFSC) data program. The Committee will develop 
recommendations for the SEDAR Steering Committee and review the 
appointed observer comments as well as the Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report for snapper grouper species. The Committee 
will also make the SEDAR 28 appointments (Closed Session).
    9. Golden Crab Committee Meeting: September 14, 2011, 1:30 p.m. 
until 3:30 p.m.
    The Golden Crab Committee will review the status of commercial 
catches versus quotas, review Golden Crab Amendment 6 addressing catch 
shares, provide direction to staff, and approve Amendment 6 for public 
hearings.
    10. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: September 14, 2011, 3:30 
p.m. until 5 p.m. and September 15, 2011, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will receive a report on Oculina 
activities and review the status of commercial and recreational catches 
versus quotas for all species under quota management. The Committee 
will address any necessary actions as the result of these reports. The 
Committee will also receive an update on the status of Regulatory 
Amendment 11, which addresses options for ending overfishing of 
speckled hind and warsaw grouper.

[[Page 53414]]

    The Committee will review the corrected final Comprehensive Annual 
Catch Limit Amendment, which establishes ACLs and Accountability 
Measures (AMs) for species that are not currently undergoing 
overfishing, and approve the document for formal review by the 
Secretary of Commerce. The Committee will also review public hearing 
comments for Amendment 24/EIS regarding a rebuilding plan for red 
grouper, modify Amendment 24 as appropriate, approve the document, and 
provide direction to staff.
    The Committee will additionally review the status of Amendment 18A 
pertaining to black sea bass and data collection, Amendment 18B/EA 
pertaining to golden tilefish, and Amendment 20A/EA addressing the 
wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) program. The Committee 
will modify the amendments as necessary and approve the amendments for 
public hearing.

    Note: There will be an informal public question and answer 
session with the Regional Administrator from the NMFS and the 
Council Chairman on September 14, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Council Session: September 15, 2011, 1:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m. and 
September 16, 2011, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 Noon

September 15, 2011, 1:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m.
    From 1:30 p.m. until 2 p.m., the Council will call the meeting to 
order, adopt the agenda, approve the August 2011 meeting minutes and 
elect a chairman and vice chairman.

    Note: A public comment period will be held on September 15, 
2011, beginning at 2 p.m., on the corrected Comprehensive ACL 
Amendment, followed by public comment on any other item on the 
Council agenda.

    From 3:30 p.m. until 4 p.m., the Council will: Receive a report 
from the Snapper Grouper Committee; approve the corrected final 
Comprehensive ACL Amendment for formal review by the Secretary of 
Commerce; approve Amendment 18A/EIS, Amendment 18B/EA and Amendment 
20A/EA for public hearing; consider Committee recommendations; and take 
action as appropriate.
    From 4 p.m. until 4:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the King and Spanish Mackerel Committee, consider recommendations, take 
action as appropriate and take any actions necessary on Amendment 18 
based on the August Gulf Council meeting.
    From 4:15 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Ecosystem-Based Management Committee, consider recommendations 
and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:30 p.m. until 4:45 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Shrimp Committee, consider recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 4:45 p.m. until 5 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Golden Crab Committee, consider recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 5 p.m. until 5:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the SEDAR Committee, consider recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 5:15 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Executive/Finance Committees, consider recommendations and 
take action as appropriate.
Council Session: September 16, 2011, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 Noon
    From 8:30 a.m. until 9 a.m., the Council will receive a legal 
briefing on litigation. (Closed Session)
    From 9 a.m. until 9:15 a.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Law Enforcement Committee, consider recommendations and take action 
as appropriate.
    From 9:15 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Spiny Lobster Committee, consider recommendations from the 
Committee and take action as appropriate.
    From 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., the Council will receive status 
reports from the NOAA Southeast Regional Office, review and develop 
recommendations on Experimental Fishing Permits as necessary, and 
receive status reports from the NMFS Southeast Fishery Science Center.
    From 11 a.m. until 12 noon, the Council will review 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 these meetings. 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 is 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 1, 2011.

    Dated: August 22, 2011.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-21843 Filed 8-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P