[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8481-8483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03470]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC); Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold meetings of the: Protected Resources Committee; Joint Dolphin 
Wahoo and Snapper Grouper Committees; Advisory Panel Selection 
Committee (Partially Closed Session); Southeast Data, Assessment and 
Review (SEDAR) Committee (Partially Closed Session); Law Enforcement 
Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; King and Spanish Mackerel 
Committee; Data Collection Committee; Executive Finance Committee; and 
a meeting of the Full Council. The Council will also hold a meeting of 
its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel. The Council will also hold a formal 
public comment session. The Council will take action as necessary.

DATES: The Council meeting will be held from 1:30 p.m. on Monday, March 
7, 2016 until 12 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2016.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting address: The meeting will be held at the Westin Jekyll 
Island, 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA; phone: (888) 627-8316 or 
(912) 635-4545; fax: (912) 319-2838.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer, SAFMC; phone: (843) 571-4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; 
fax: (843) 769-4520; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The items of discussion in the individual 
meeting agendas are as follows:

    Law Enforcement Advisory Panel Meeting, Monday, March 7, 2016, 1:30 
p.m. until 5 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, 2016--
Concurrent Sessions
    1. The Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (AP) will receive updates on 
developing and recently implemented amendments and provide 
recommendations as appropriate. The AP will discuss enforcement of new 
fillet regulations, proposed hogfish

[[Page 8482]]

regulations, proposed for-hire reporting regulations, size and bag 
limit compliance in the South Atlantic Region, enforceability of Marine 
Protected Areas and Spawning Special Management Zones, review the 
System Management Plans for each and provide recommendations as 
appropriate. The AP will also discuss Turtle Excluder Device compliance 
in the shrimp fishery and provide recommendations. The AP will elect a 
new chair and vice chair during its meeting.

    Protected Resources Committee, Monday, March 7, 2016, 1:30 p.m. 
until 2:30 p.m.
    1. The Committee will receive updates on Protected Resources issues 
and the Right Whale Critical Habitat Final Rule and provide 
recommendations as appropriate.
    2. The Committee will review the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and 
Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) Integration Agreement, discuss the agreement 
and provide recommendations relative to its approval. The Committee 
will also receive an update on issues relative to Protected Resources 
involving the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and provide recommendations as appropriate.

    Joint Dolphin Wahoo and Snapper Grouper Committees, Monday, March 
7, 2016, 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.
    1. The Committee will receive status updates from NOAA Fisheries on 
commercial and recreational catches versus annual catch limits (ACLs) 
for dolphin and wahoo and amendments currently under Secretarial 
review.
    2. The Committee will receive an overview of Amendment 10 to the 
Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP)/Amendment 44 to the Snapper 
Grouper FMP addressing allocations for dolphin and yellowtail snapper 
and provide recommendations.

    Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Partially Closed Session), 
Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m.
    1. The Committee will receive an overview of the non-government 
organization representation on species-specific advisory panels, 
discuss term limits, and other policy issues, and provide 
recommendations as appropriate.
    2. The Committee will review applications for open advisory panel 
seats and provide recommendations as appropriate (Closed Session).

    SEDAR Committee (Partially Closed Session), Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 
10 a.m. until 12 p.m.
    1. The Committee will recommend participants for the upcoming 
Blueline Tilefish Stock Identification Workshop (Closed Session).
    2. The Committee will discuss the Blueline Tilefish Stock 
Assessment schedule and receive updates on SEDAR projects.

    Law Enforcement Committee, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 1:30 p.m. until 
2:30 p.m.
    1. The Committee will review recommendations from the Law 
Enforcement Advisory Panel and take action as appropriate.

    Snapper Grouper Committee, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 2:30 p.m. until 
5 p.m. and Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
    1. The Committee will receive updates from NOAA Fisheries on the 
status of commercial and recreational catches versus quotas for species 
under ACLs, and the status of amendments currently under Secretarial 
review.
    2. The Committee will receive a presentation on the results of a 
black sea bass pot selectivity study conducted by Dr. Paul 
Rudershausen, discuss and take action as appropriate.
    3. The Committee will receive a report from its Scientific and 
Statistical Committee.
    4. The Committee will receive an overview of Snapper Grouper 
Amendment 37 addressing measures for hogfish, consider public hearing 
comments, modify the document as appropriate, select preferred 
alternatives and approve all actions.
    5. The Committee will review Snapper Grouper Amendment 41 
addressing management measures for mutton snapper, consider public 
scoping comments, modify the document as appropriate and provide 
guidance to staff.
    6. The Committee will receive an overview of the System Management 
Plan for Deepwater Marine Protected Areas, modify the document as 
necessary and approve the plan.
    7. The Committee will review the Oculina Review Report, modify the 
report as necessary and approve the report.
    8. The Committee will review Snapper Grouper Amendment 36 to 
establish Spawning Special Management Zones (SMZs) and the System 
Management Plan for Spawning SMZs, modify the document as necessary, 
and provide recommendations for approval for Secretarial Review.
    9. The Committee will receive an overview of management items to be 
considered in developing Snapper Grouper Amendment 43 addressing red 
snapper, discuss and provide direction to staff.
    10. The Committee will receive a summary of prioritized action 
items for development of the draft Fisheries Seasonality/Retention 
Regulatory Amendment, discuss and provide direction to staff.

    Formal Public Comment, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 5:30 p.m.--Public 
comment will first be accepted on items before the Council for final 
action: Snapper Grouper Amendment 36 (Spawning Special Management 
Zones), the Marine Protected Area System Management Plan, the Oculina 
Review Report, the ESA/MSA Integration Agreement, and Coastal Migratory 
Pelagic Amendment 26 (king mackerel measures). Public comment will then 
be accepted on any other items on the Council agenda. The Council 
Chair, based on the number of individuals wishing to comment, will 
determine the amount of time provided to each commenter.

    King and Spanish Mackerel Committee, Thursday, March 10, 2016, 8:30 
a.m. until 10 a.m.
    1. The Committee will receive a report from NOAA Fisheries on the 
recreational and commercial catches versus ACLs, a report from the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting, and a report from the 
King and Spanish Mackerel Advisory Panel.
    2. The Committee will receive an overview of Amendment 26 to the 
Coastal Migratory Pelagic FMP addressing modifications to management 
boundaries, ACLs, allocations, and other management measures, consider 
public hearing comments, modify the document as appropriate, select 
preferred alternatives, and provide recommendations for approval for 
Secretarial review.
    3. The Committee will also receive an overview of Atlantic cobia 
landings and the adjustments to the recreational season lengths, and a 
presentation on the 2016 recreational season for Atlantic cobia from 
NOAA Fisheries, discuss options for developing a framework amendment 
for cobia, and provide direction to staff.

    Data Collection Committee, Thursday, March 10, 2016, 10 a.m. until 
2:30 p.m.
    1. The Committee will receive a report from NOAA Fisheries on 
Bycatch Monitoring and provide direction to staff.
    2. The Committee will receive an update on the Commercial Logbook 
Pilot Study from NOAA Fisheries, discuss and take action as 
appropriate.

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    3. The Committee will receive an overview of the Implementation 
Plan for Commercial Logbook Electronic Reporting, the status of eTrips, 
discuss and provide direction to staff.
    4. The Committee will also receive an overview of the Atlantic For-
Hire Reporting Amendment, a demonstration of the South Carolina 
Department of Natural Resources' Electronic For-Hire Logbook reporting 
process, review public hearing input, discuss and modify the document 
as appropriate and approve all actions.
    5. The Committee will receive an update on the Council's Citizen 
Science Workshop, an overview of the draft Citizen Science Blueprint, 
discuss and take action as appropriate.

    Executive Finance Committee, Thursday, March 10, 2016, 2:30 p.m. 
until 3:30 p.m.
    1. The Committee will receive an update on the Calendar Year (CY) 
2015 budget expenditures, the Draft Activity Schedule, the Status of 
the CY 2016 budget, and the Council Follow-up and priorities, and take 
action as appropriate.
    2. The Committee will discuss standards and procedures for 
participating in Council webinar meetings, receive a report from the 
Council Coordinating Committee meeting, address other issues, and take 
action as appropriate.

    Council Session: Thursday, March 10, 2016, 3:45 p.m. until 5 p.m. 
and Friday, March 11, 2016, 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m.
    Council Session: March 10, 2016
    3:45-4 p.m.: Call the meeting to order, adopt the agenda, and 
approve the December 2015 meeting minutes.
    4-5 p.m.: The Council will receive a report from the Snapper 
Grouper Committee, approve/disapprove Snapper Grouper Amendment 36 
(Spawning Special Management Zones) for formal Secretarial Review; 
approve/disapprove the Oculina Review Report, and approve/disapprove 
the System Management Plan for Marine Protected Areas. The Council will 
consider other Committee recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.

    Council Session: March 11, 2016
    8:30-9 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the Mackerel 
Committee, approve/disapprove Amendment 26 to the Coastal Migratory 
Pelagics FMP for formal Secretarial review, consider other Committee 
recommendations, and take action as appropriate.
    9-9:10 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the Law 
Enforcement Committee, consider recommendations and take actions as 
appropriate.
    9:10-9:30 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the Joint 
Dolphin Wahoo and Snapper Grouper Committees, consider recommendations 
and take action as appropriate.
    9:30-9:40 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the 
Protected Resources Committee, approve/disapprove the ESA/MSA 
Integration Agreement, consider other recommendations and take action 
as appropriate.
    9:40-9:50 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the SEDAR 
Committee, consider Committee recommendations and take action as 
appropriate.
    9:50-10 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the Data 
Collection Committee, consider Committee recommendations and take 
action as appropriate.
    10-10:10 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the AP 
Selection Committee, consider committee recommendations and take action 
as appropriate.
    10:10-10:30 a.m.: The Council will receive a report from the 
Executive Finance Committee, approve the Council activity schedule, 
approve the Council Follow-Up and Priorities, consider other Committee 
recommendations and take action as appropriate.
    10:30-12 noon: The Council will receive a presentation on proposed 
scoping measures for the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, status 
reports from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office and the Southeast 
Fisheries Science Center; review and develop recommendations on 
Experimental Fishing Permits as necessary; receive agency and liaison 
reports; and discuss other business and 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 group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified 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 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.


    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 16, 2016.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03470 Filed 2-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P