[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 223 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71515-71517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29826]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA827


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting

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

ACTION: Meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold 
meetings of its Spiny Lobster Committee; Law Enforcement Committee; 
Ecosystem-Based Management Committee; Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (Closed Session); Information and Education Committee; 
Executive Finance Committee; Personnel Committee (Closed Session); 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 a public hearing, 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 December 5-9, 2011. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Brownstone 
Hotel, 1707 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27605; telephone: 1-(800) 
331-7919 or (919) 828-0811; fax: (919) 834-0904. 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. Spiny Lobster Committee Meeting: December 5, 2011, 1:30 p.m. 
until 3 p.m.
    The Spiny Lobster Committee will: Receive a presentation on the 
process for preparing Biological Opinions; a presentation on gear 
marking requirements of the Large Whale Take Reduction Plan; and an 
overview of Spiny Lobster Amendment 11 that includes measures to help 
protect threatened corals including area closures for the commercial 
trap fishery and gear marking requirements for trap lines. The 
Committee will develop recommendations for approval of Amendment 11/
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for public hearing.
    2. Law Enforcement Committee Meeting: December 5, 2011, 3 p.m. 
until 4 p.m.
    The Law Enforcement Committee will receive a briefing on headboat 
misreporting issues, a presentation on ``Optimization of Surveillance 
and Enforcement in Remote Marine Protected Areas'', and will discuss 
other issues as appropriate.
    3. Ecosystem-Based Management Committee Meeting: December 5, 2011, 
4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
    The Ecosystem-Based Management Committee will receive presentations 
on lionfish and invasive species. The Committee will review: the status 
of Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment (CE-BA) 2/Environmental 
Assessment (EA), including actions relative to octocorals, Special 
Management Zones (SMZs), release gear requirements in the snapper 
grouper fishery, and designations of Essential Fish Habitat (ESH) and 
Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC); the Coral Advisory Panel 
(AP) Meeting report; and the Habitat and Environmental Protection AP 
Meeting report. The Committee will provide recommendations for public 
scoping of CE-BA 3 and receive an update on ecosystem activities.
    4. Advisory Panel Selection Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 
8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. (Closed Session).
    The Advisory Panel Selection Committee will review advisory panel

[[Page 71516]]

applications and develop recommendations for appointments.
    5. Information and Education Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 
9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.
    The Information and Education Committee will receive a briefing on 
the status of current outreach activities, including the recent Social 
Media Workshop, Special Management Zones (SMZs) and Strategic Planning. 
The Committee will also receive an overview of the NOAA/Council 
Readability Report. The Committee will develop recommendations for 
staff and Council consideration.
    6. Executive Finance Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 11 a.m. 
until 11:30 a.m.
    The Executive Finance Committee will receive a status report on the 
Calendar Year (CY) 2011 Council expenditures and activities; and review 
and discuss the development of the CY2012 Council activities' schedule 
and budget.
    7. Personnel Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 11:30 a.m. until 
12 noon (CLOSED).
    The Personnel Committee will discuss the Executive Director 
performance review.
    8. King and Spanish Mackerel Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 
1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m.
    The King and Spanish Mackerel Committee will review: The status of 
commercial and recreational catches versus quotas for species under 
quota management; the status of recreational catches versus quotas for 
species under quotas; and the status of Mackerel Amendment 18, which 
establishes Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures 
(AMs) for mackerel and cobia. The Committee will provide guidance to 
staff on items in draft Amendment 19, including management alternatives 
for prohibiting the sale of coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) species 
harvested under the bag limit, permit requirements, and other issues.
    9. SEDAR Committee Meeting: December 6, 2011, 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.
    The SEDAR Committee will receive an overview of SEDAR activities 
and develop SEDAR 28 appointments as necessary. The Committee will 
review the SEDAR Steering Committee report and develop recommendations 
for the next SEDAR Steering Committee meeting. The Committee will also 
receive a presentation on the Marine Recreational Information Program 
(MRIP) Electronic Logbook Study and a report from the Southeast 
Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) on red snapper stock assessment 
possibilities in 2013.

    Note: A public hearing will be held on December 6, 2011, 
beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Snapper Grouper Amendment 18A regarding 
black sea bass and improvements in data reporting, on Snapper 
Grouper Amendment 24 regarding red grouper, and on Snapper Grouper 
Amendment 20A regarding wreckfish. In addition, the Council will 
accept public comment on Emergency Action to modify the Annual Catch 
Limit (ACL) for wreckfish.

    10. Golden Crab Committee Meeting: December 7, 2011, 8:30 a.m. 
until 10 a.m.
    The Golden Crab Committee will: review the status of commercial 
catches versus quotas (amount landed to date); review Golden Crab 
Amendment 6 addressing catch shares; provide direction to staff; and 
approve Amendment 6 for public hearing.
    11. Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: December 7, 2011, 10 a.m. 
until 5 p.m. and December 8, 2011, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    The Snapper Grouper Committee will: receive a report on Oculina 
monitoring reports; review the status of commercial catches versus 
quotas for species under quota management; review the status of 
recreational catches versus quotas for species under quotas; and 
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 proposes elimination of the current 240' 
restriction on the harvest of some deepwater species within the snapper 
grouper management unit, and on the status of the corrected final 
Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment, which establishes 
ACLs and Accountability Measures (AMs) for species that are not 
currently undergoing overfishing.
    Additionally, the Committee will: review public hearing and draft 
environmental impact statements (DEIS) comments for Amendment 18A/
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pertaining to black sea bass and 
data collection; modify Amendment 18A as appropriate; and approve the 
document for formal review by the Secretary of Commerce.
    The Committee will also: Review public hearing comments for 
Amendment 24/Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding a rebuilding plan 
for red grouper, and Amendment 20A/EA pertaining to the wreckfish 
Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ); modify the amendments as 
appropriate; and approve the documents for formal review by the 
Secretary of Commerce. The Committee will review the status of 
Amendment 18B/EA, pertaining to golden tilefish, modify the amendment 
as necessary and approve the document for public hearings. The 
Committee will also review proposed Emergency Action regarding the ACL 
for wreckfish and provide recommendations for Council consideration.

    Note: There will be an informal public question and answer 
session with the Regional Administrator from the NMFS and the 
Council Chairman on December 7, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

    Council Session: December 8, 2011, 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and 
December 9, 2011, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    Council Session: December 8, 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 September 2011 meeting minutes, 
and present the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award.

    Note: A public comment period on Council agenda items will be 
held on December 8, 2011, beginning at 2 p.m. Please note that a 
Public Hearing on Snapper Grouper Amendments 18A, 24 and 20A and 
Emergency Action to modify the ACL for wreckfish will be held on 
December 6, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

    From 3 p.m. until 3:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Law Enforcement Committee, consider recommendations and take action 
as appropriate.
    From 3:15 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the Spiny Lobster Committee, approve Amendment 11 for public 
hearing, consider recommendations and take action as appropriate.
    From 3:30 p.m. until 3:45 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the King and Spanish Mackerel Committee, consider recommendations, 
and take action as appropriate.
    From 3:45 p.m. until 4 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Ecosystem-Based Management Committee, approve items in CE-BA3 for 
the public scoping process, consider recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.
    From 4 p.m. until 4:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Golden Crab Committee, approve Amendment 6 for public hearings, 
consider recommendations and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:15 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., the Council will receive a report 
from the SEDAR Committee, appoint SEDAR 28 representatives as 
necessary, 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 Executive Finance Committee, consider

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recommendations and take action as appropriate.
    From 4:45 p.m. until 5 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Advisory Panel Selection Committee, review applications and make 
appointments, consider recommendations and take action as appropriate.
    From 5 p.m. until 5:15 p.m., the Council will receive a report from 
the Information and Education Committee, consider recommendations and 
take action as appropriate.
    From 5:15 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., the Council will receive a legal 
briefing on litigation. (Closed Session).
    Council Session: December 9, 2011, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.
    From 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., the Council will: Receive a report 
from the Snapper Grouper Committee; approve Amendment 18A/EIS, 
Amendment 20A/EA and Amendment 24/EA for formal review by the Secretary 
of Commerce; approve Amendment 18B for public hearing; consider 
Emergency Action for modifying the ACL for wreckfish and other 
recommendations; and take action as appropriate.
    From 9:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m., the Council will receive status 
reports from the NOAA Southeast Regional Office (SERO), review and 
develop recommendations on Experimental Fishing Permits as necessary, 
and receive reports from the NMFS SEFSC.
    From 10:45 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 November 28, 2011.

    Dated: November 15, 2011.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-29826 Filed 11-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P