[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 245 (Thursday, December 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 75409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30664]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC406


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Council to convene public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a 
meeting of the Reef Fish Committee meeting.

DATES: The meeting will convene at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, January 7 and 
conclude by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Tampa Airport 
Westshore Hotel located at 2225 North Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607, 
813-877-6688.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. 
Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, Florida 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician and Dr. Carrie Simmons, Deputy Executive Director; Gulf of 
Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reef Fish Committee will review several 
items related to management of red snapper. The Committee will review 
an analysis by the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of an 
estimated 1.6 million pound overharvest of red snapper in 2012, and its 
recommendation for an 8.46 million pound acceptable biological catch in 
2013. This is an increase of 0.38 million pounds over the 2012 ABC. The 
Committee will also review an analysis on season length of a possible 
reduction in the recreational red snapper bag limit from 2 to 1 fish 
per person per day. Based on these analyses, the Committee will review 
a draft framework action to adjust the red snapper commercial and 
recreational quotas and the recreational bag limit, and will recommend 
preferred alternatives for consideration by the full Council. The 
Committee will also discuss the red snapper allocations, a 5-year 
review of the red snapper individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, and a 
scoping document on red snapper regional management issues. The agenda 
also includes an item for an open discussion of red snapper management 
issues. The recommendations of the Committee will be presented to the 
full Council at its February 5-8, 2013 meeting in Mobile, Alabama.
    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 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 
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 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.
    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 five working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: December 17, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-30664 Filed 12-19-12; 8:45 am]
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