[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61037-61039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24592]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XV126]


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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 following: Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review 
(SEDAR) Committee (Partially Closed Session); Executive Finance 
Committee; Shrimp Committee; Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed 
Session); Citizen Science Committee; Dolphin Wahoo Committee; Mackerel 
Cobia Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; and Personnel Committee 
(Closed Session). The Council meeting week will include a formal public 
comment period and a meeting of the full Council.

DATES: The Council meeting will be held from 1:30 p.m. on Monday, 
December 2, 2019 until 1 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2019.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting address: The meeting will be held at the Hotel Ballast, 301 
North Water Street, Wilmington, NC 28401; phone: (910) 763-5900.
    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) 302-8440 or toll free (866) SAFMC-10; fax: 
(843) 769-4520; email: [email protected]. Meeting information is 
available from the Council's website at: http://

[[Page 61038]]

safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Public comment: Written comments may be directed to Gregg Waugh, 
Executive Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (see 
Council address) or electronically via the Council's website at http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. Comments received by close 
of business the Monday before the meeting (11/25/19) will be compiled, 
posted to the website as part of the meeting materials, and included in 
the administrative record; please use the Council's online form 
available from the website. For written comments received after the 
Monday before the meeting (after 11/25/19), individuals submitting a 
comment must use the Council's online form available from the website. 
Comments will automatically be posted to the website and available for 
Council consideration. Comments received prior to noon on Thursday, 
December 5, 2019 will be a part of the meeting administrative record.
    The items of discussion in the individual meeting agendas are as 
follows:

SEDAR Committee (Partially Closed Session)--Monday, December 2, 2019, 
1:30 p.m. Until 2:30 p.m.

    1. Closed Session: The Committee will review appointments for 
upcoming assessments and provide recommendations for Council 
consideration. The Committee will also receive updates on the Council's 
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and advisory panel 
participation in the SEDAR process.
    2. The meeting will continue in Open Session. The Committee will 
receive an update on SEDAR activities, a report from the Council's SSC, 
and approve the Terms of Reference and schedule for the SEDAR 71 stock 
assessment for South Atlantic gag grouper.
    3. The Committee will also review and approve the SEDAR Scope of 
Work for 2022 Stock Assessments and provide recommendations for Council 
approval.

Executive Finance Committee--Monday, December 2, 2019, 2:30 p.m. Until 
4 p.m.

    1. The Committee will receive a report from the November 2019 
meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), discuss and 
provide guidance to staff.
    2. The Committee will receive a report from the October 2019 
Executive Finance Committee meeting, review and take action as needed.
    3. The Committee will review the Council's Follow-up document and 
Prioritization Schedule for work on amendments, discuss and provide 
guidance to staff.
    4. The Committee will review documents from NOAA Fisheries 
currently open for review by the Council and take action as needed.

Shrimp Committee, Monday, December 2, 2019, 4 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

    1. The Committee will review draft Amendment 11 to the Shrimp 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) addressing transit provisions, discuss 
and consider approval for public hearings.
    2. The Committee will also receive input from the Shrimp Advisory 
Panel on changes proposed for the Florida Keys National Marine 
Sanctuary.

Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session), Tuesday, December 
3, 2019, 8 a.m. Until 10 a.m.

    1. The Committee will review applications for open seats on the 
Councils advisory panels and provide recommendations for Council 
consideration.

Citizen Science Committee, Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 10 a.m. Until 12 
p.m.

    1. The Committee will receive program and project updates including 
2019 activities and updates on the program's pilot projects, SAFMC 
Scamp Release and FISH story.
    2. The Committee will also review updated Research Priorities for 
the Citizen Science Program, discuss and consider for adoption.
    3. The Committee will receive an overview and presentation on 
program evaluation, discuss, and provide guidance and recommendations 
as needed. The Committee will also receive a presentation on the role 
of program infrastructure, discuss and take action as needed.

Dolphin Wahoo Committee, Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 1:30 p.m. Until 
5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 8:00 a.m. Until 12:00 p.m.

    1. The Committee will receive updates from NOAA Fisheries on the 
status of commercial and recreational catches versus annual catch 
limits (ACLs).
    2. The Committee will review the goals and objectives of the 
Dolphin Wahoo FMP and provide guidance to staff. The Committee will 
also review Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP. Draft Amendment 10 
currently includes 17 actions to address current needs in the fishery. 
These actions fall under four main areas of focus: (1) Actions to 
accommodate revised recreational data; (2) Actions that define Optimum 
Yield in the dolphin fishery; (3) Actions that accommodate adaptive 
management of sector ACLs and change accountability measures; and (4) 
Actions that implement miscellaneous management revisions in the 
dolphin and wahoo fisheries. The Committee will continue its review of 
actions in the draft amendment and consider approving for public 
scoping.
    3. The Committee will review draft Amendment 12 to the Dolphin 
Wahoo FMP with measures to add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as 
Ecosystem Component species to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP, consider 
appropriate regulatory actions, and provide guidance to staff. The 
Committee will also receive input from the Advisory Panel on changes 
proposed for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Mackerel Cobia Committee, Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 1:30 p.m. Until 
3:50 p.m.

    1. The Committee will receive an update on the status of commercial 
and recreational catches versus ACLs and the status of amendments under 
formal Secretarial review.
    2. The Committee will receive a report from the Mackerel Cobia 
Advisory Panel, discuss and provide recommendations as appropriate.
    3. The Committee will receive an overview of Framework Amendment 8 
to the Coastal Migratory Pelagic FMP addressing king mackerel 
commercial trip limits in Season 2 in the Atlantic Southern Zone, 
review public hearing comments, and provide recommendations for final 
approval.
    4. The Committee will review draft Framework Amendment 9 with 
actions to revise accountability measures to address Spanish mackerel 
closures in the Atlantic Northern Zone. The Committee will review 
analyses, select preferred alternatives and consider approving for 
public hearings.
    5. The Committee will also receive input from the Advisory Panel on 
changes proposed for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Formal Public Comment, Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 4 p.m.

    Public comment will be accepted on items on the Council meeting 
agenda scheduled to be approved for Secretarial Review: Snapper Grouper 
Regulatory Amendment 33 (red snapper fishing seasons); Coastal 
Migratory Pelagics Framework Amendment 8 (king mackerel trip limits); 
and Snapper Grouper Abbreviated Framework 3 (blueline tilefish). Public 
comment will also be accepted on items for scoping/

[[Page 61039]]

public hearings and all other agenda items. The Council Chair, based on 
the number of individuals wishing to comment, will determine the amount 
of time provided to each commenter.

Snapper Grouper Committee, Thursday, December 5, 2019, 8 a.m. Until 12 
p.m.

    1. The Committee will receive updates from NOAA Fisheries on 
commercial and recreational catches for species under ACLs and the 
status of amendments under formal Secretarial review.
    2. The Committee will receive a report from the SSC on issues 
relative to the management of snapper grouper species and a report from 
the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel.
    3. The Committee will receive an overview of Snapper Grouper 
Abbreviated Framework Amendment 3 addressing management of blueline 
tilefish and consider final approval for Secretarial review.
    5. The Committee will receive an update on the Southeast Reef Fish 
Survey (SERFS) for red snapper that includes 2019 data.
    6. The Committee will review Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 
33 addressing season modifications for red snapper and consider final 
approval.
    7. The Committee will review draft Snapper Grouper Regulatory 
Amendment 31 addressing recreational accountability measures and 
provide guidance.
    8. The Committee will receive a summary of outreach efforts for 
best fishing practices and take action as needed.
    9. The Committee will receive a report from the System Management 
Plan Workgroup and an overview of input received from the Snapper 
Grouper Advisory Panel regarding proposed changes to the Florida Keys 
National Marine Sanctuary.

Personnel Committee, Thursday, December 5, 2019, 1:30 p.m. Until 3:30 
p.m. (Closed Session)

    1. The Committee will address the Executive Director's review and 
Council comments on documents, procedures, etc. and guidance for 2020.

Council Session: Thursday, December 5, 2019, 3:30 p.m. Until 5:30 p.m. 
and Friday, December 6, 2019, 8 a.m. Until 1 p.m.

    The Full Council will begin with the Call to Order, adoption of the 
agenda, and approval of minutes.
    The Council will receive a presentation on proposed changes to the 
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Staff will provide a summary of 
input received from the Council's advisory panels regarding the 
proposed changes and provide the Council with an overview of required 
actions.
    The Council will receive staff reports including the Executive 
Director's Report and updates on the MyFishCount recreational reporting 
pilot program.
    Updates will be provided by NOAA Fisheries including a report on 
the status of commercial and recreational catches versus ACLs for 
species not covered during an earlier committee meeting, data-related 
reports (for-hire amendment and bycatch), protected resources, and a 
presentation on the status of the of the Commercial Electronic Logbook 
Program. The Council will discuss and take action as necessary.
    The Council will review any Exempted Fishing Permits received as 
necessary and review proposed changes to the Florida Keys National 
Marine Sanctuary and take action as appropriate.
    The Council will receive reports from the following committees: 
Snapper Grouper; Mackerel Cobia; Dolphin Wahoo; Shrimp; SEDAR, Advisory 
Panel Selection; Citizen Science; Executive Finance; and Personnel. The 
Council will take action as appropriate.
    The Council will receive agency and liaison reports; and discuss 
other business and upcoming meetings and take action as necessary.
    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 this meeting. 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) 5 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: November 6, 2019.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-24592 Filed 11-8-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P