[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9897-9898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3874]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB012


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene its Special Coral Scientific and Statistical Committee.

DATES: The meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2012 
and conclude no later than 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council, 2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Froeschke, Fishery Biologist and 
Mark Mueller, GIS Analyst, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; 
telephone: (813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council (Council) will convene the Special Coral Scientific and 
Statistical Committee to discuss and provide expert guidance to Council 
staff on two projects being conducted as part of a NOAA Coral Reef 
Conservation Program grant that address the relationship between trends 
in coral reef communities and their associated fisheries. The first 
project involves development of a publicly-accessible spatial database 
of Gulf of Mexico corals (shallow, mesophotic and deep sea) and related 
fisheries information that will be used to enhance spatial planning and 
management actions. The Committee will be asked to provide expert 
advice and recommendations about datasets and data sources as well as 
data gaps and needs. The second project involves convening a workshop 
of respected coral experts and managers to examine the 
interrelationships between corals and fisheries relative to long-term 
trends in coral condition. The Committee will be asked to provide 
expert advice and recommendations about participants and various 
potential conference topics including threats to coral health, 
management, coral habitats, habitat suitability models, and emerging 
research.
    Copies of the agenda and other related materials can be obtained by 
calling (813) 348-1630 or can be downloaded from the Council's ftp 
site, ftp.gulfcouncil.org.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before the Special Coral Scientific and Statistical Committee for 
discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of 
formal action during this meeting. Actions of the Special Coral 
Scientific and Statistical Committee will be restricted to those issues 
specifically identified in the agenda and any issues arising after 
publication of this notice that require emergency action under

[[Page 9898]]

Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is 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.

    Dated: February 15, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-3874 Filed 2-17-12; 8:45 am]
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