[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 29981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12204]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC029


Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; Southeast Data, Assessment, and 
Review (SEDAR); Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR Workshops for Gulf of Mexico red snapper 
Lutjanus campechanus.

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SUMMARY: The SEDAR assessment of the Gulf of Mexico stock of red 
snapper will consist of a series of three workshops: a Data Workshop, 
an Assessment Workshop, and a Review Workshop. This series of workshops 
will be referred to as SEDAR 31. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

DATES: The Data Workshop will take place August 20-24, 2012; the 
Assessment Workshop will take place January 28-February 1, 2013; the 
Review Workshop will take place April 29-May 3, 2013. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The Data Workshop will be held at the Crowne Plaza Pensacola 
Grande, 200 E. Gregory St., Pensacola, FL 32502; telephone: (850) 433-
3336. The Assessment Workshop will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott 
Miami Coconut Grove, 2649 South Bayshore Dr., Miami, FL 33133; 
telephone: (305) 858-2500. The Review Workshop will be held at the 
Courtyard by Marriott Gulfport Beachfront, 1600 East Beach Blvd., 
Gulfport, MS 39501; telephone: (228) 864-4310.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Rindone, SEDAR Coordinator, 2203 
North Lois Ave, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 
Caribbean Fishery Management Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions 
have implemented the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 
process, a multi-step method for determining the status of fish stocks 
in the Southeast Region. SEDAR includes three workshops: (1) Data 
Workshop, (2) Stock Assessment Workshop and (3) Review Workshop. The 
product of the Data Workshop is a data report which compiles and 
evaluates potential datasets and recommends which datasets are 
appropriate for assessment analyses. The product of the Stock 
Assessment Workshop is a stock assessment report which describes the 
fisheries, evaluates the status of the stock, estimates biological 
benchmarks, projects future population conditions, and recommends 
research and monitoring needs. The assessment is independently peer 
reviewed at the Review Workshop. The product of the Review Workshop is 
a Summary documenting Panel opinions regarding the strengths and 
weaknesses of the stock assessment and input data. Participants for 
SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, 
and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast 
Regional Office and Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Participants 
include data collectors and database managers; stock assessment 
scientists, biologists, and researchers; constituency representatives 
including fishermen, environmentalists, and NGO's; International 
experts; and staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and federal 
agencies.

SEDAR 31 Workshop Schedule

August 20-24, 2012; SEDAR 31 Data Workshop

    August 20, 2012: 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; August 21-23, 2012: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; 
August 24, 2012: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
    An assessment data set and associated documentation will be 
developed during the Data Workshop. Participants will evaluate all 
available data and select appropriate sources for providing information 
on life history characteristics, catch statistics, discard estimates, 
length and age composition, and fishery dependent and fishery 
independent measures of stock abundance.

January 28-February 1, 2013; SEDAR 31 Assessment Workshop

    January 28, 2013: 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; January 29-31, 2013: 8 a.m.-8 
p.m.; February 1, 2013: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
    Using datasets provided by the Data Workshop, participants will 
develop population models to evaluate stock status, estimate population 
benchmarks and Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act criteria, and 
project future conditions. Participants will recommend the most 
appropriate methods and configurations for determining stock status and 
estimating population parameters. Participants will prepare a workshop 
report, compare and contrast various assessment approaches, and 
determine whether the assessments are adequate for submission to the 
review panel.

April 29-May 3, 2013; SEDAR 31 Review Workshop

    April 29, 2013: 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; April 30-May 2, 2013: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; 
May 3, 2013: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
    The Review Workshop is an independent peer review of the assessment 
developed during the Data and Assessment Workshops. Workshop Panelists 
will review the assessment and document their comments and 
recommendations in a Review Panel Summary.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. 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 Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at 
least 10 business days prior to each workshop.

    Dated: May 16, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-12204 Filed 5-18-12; 8:45 am]
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