[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 44333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18265]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE049


Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council (SAFMC); Public Meetings

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

ACTION: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a public scoping meeting for Amendment 37 and Regulatory Amendment 
23 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of 
the South Atlantic Region.

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SUMMARY: The Council will hold a scoping meeting via webinar on August 
10, 2015 to solicit public input on management actions affecting the 
snapper grouper fishery.

Snapper Grouper Amendment 37 (Hogfish)

    The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission completed a 
stock assessment for hogfish in 2014 with data through 2012 (SEDAR 37 
2014). The assessment took into account recent genetic evidence 
indicating that hogfish in the South Atlantic comprise two distinct 
stocks: Georgia through North Carolina (GA-NC) and Florida Keys & East 
Florida (FLK/EFL). Each assessment was then evaluated with regard to 
fishing level recommendations. The Council's Scientific and Statistical 
Committee developed catch level recommendations for the GA-NC stock 
using the Only Reliable Catch Stocks (ORCS) approach, as outlined in 
Level 4 of the Council's Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) control 
rule. This approach is applied when there are not sufficient data on a 
stock or species to conduct a formal stock assessment. Consequently the 
approach relies only on landings data. For the FLK/EFL stock, the SSC 
considered the stock assessment to represent the best available science 
and recommended it for use in management. The assessment results 
indicate the FLK/EFL stock is undergoing overfishing and is overfished 
and, therefore, in need of a rebuilding plan.
    Amendment 37 would address specifying the boundary between the FLK/
EFL stock, managed by the South Atlantic Council, and the West Florida 
stock, managed by the Gulf of Mexico Council. This demarcation is 
necessary to manage the stocks separately and to aid in enforcing 
regulations. Amendment 37 also includes actions to specify Acceptable 
Biological Catch (ABC), Annual Catch Limits (ACLs), Annual Catch 
Targets (ACTs), and Optimum Yield (OY) for both the NC-GA and FLK/EFL 
stocks, establish a rebuilding plan for the FLK/EFL stock, and 
implement or modify management measures for both stocks to attain the 
desired level of harvest.

Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 23 (Golden Tilefish, Black Sea 
Bass and the Jacks Complex)

    Regulatory Amendment would include actions pertaining to management 
of the commercial golden tilefish fishery, recreational management 
measures for black sea bass, and commercial management measures for the 
Jacks Complex. The Council has indicated that the following items 
should be included in the amendment: (1) Modification to the fishing 
year start date for the hook-and-line component of the commercial 
golden tilefish fishery; (2) establishment of a commercial trip limit 
for the Jacks Complex; and (3) adjustment to the bag limit for black 
sea bass.

DATES: The scoping webinar will be held on Monday, August 10, 2015, 
beginning at 6 p.m. Registration is required. Information for 
registration, along with copies of the Scoping Documents for each 
amendment will be posted on the Council's Web site at www.safmc.net as 
it becomes available.

ADDRESSES: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place 
Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myra Brouwer, Fishery Biologist, 
SAFMC; phone: (843) 571-4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; fax: (843) 
769-4520; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the Webinar, Council staff will 
present an overview of each amendment and answer questions. Written 
comments may be mailed to Bob Mahood, Executive Director, SAFMC (see 
ADDRESSES); emailed to [email protected] (please indicate 
appropriate amendment in subject line); or faxed (see ADDRESSES). 
Comments on Amendment 37 and Regulatory Amendment 23 will be accepted 
until 5 p.m. on August 17, 2015.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office 
(see ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting.

    Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are 
subject to change.


    Dated: July 21, 2015.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18265 Filed 7-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P