    [Federal Register Volume 85, Number 168 (Friday, August 28, 2020)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 53331-53333]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 2020-18964]

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    [RTID 0648-XA403]

    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.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will
    hold meetings of the following: Snapper Grouper Committee; Southeast
    Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee; Dolphin Wahoo Committee;
    and Executive Committee (partially Closed Session). The meeting week
    will also include a formal public comment session and a meeting of the
    Full Council (with a partially Closed Session). Due to public health
    concerns associated with COVID-19 and current travel restrictions, the
    meeting originally planned for Charleston, SC will be held via webinar.

    DATES: The Council meeting will be held from 9 a.m. on Monday,
    September

    [[Page 53332]]

    14, 2020 until 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2020.

    ADDRESSES:  The meetings will be held via webinar. Webinar registration
    is required. Details are included in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

    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: kim.iverson@safmc.net.

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting information, including agendas,
    overviews, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council's
    website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. Webinar
    registration links for each meeting day will also be available from the
    Council's website.
        Public comment: Written comments may be directed to John
    Carmichael, Executive Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management
    Council (see ADDRESSES) 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 (9/7/20) 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 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 9 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2020 will be a part of the
    meeting administrative record.
        The items of discussion in the individual meeting agendas are as
    follows:

    Full Council Sessions

        Council Session I--Monday, September 14, 2020, 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
    (Closed Session); Council Session II--Monday, September 14, 2020, 1:30
    p.m. until 5 p.m. and Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 9 a.m. until 11
    a.m.; and Council Session III--Thursday, September 17, 2020 from 1:30
    p.m. until 5 p.m.

    Council Session I, Monday September 14, 2020, 9 a.m. Until 12 p.m.
    (Closed Session)

        1. The Council will recommend applicants for open advisory panel
    seats.
        2. The Council will recommend appointees for SEDAR stock assessment
    projects.
        3. A legal briefing on litigation will also be held if needed.

    Council Session II, Monday, September 14, 2020, 1:30 p.m. Until 5 p.m.
    and Tuesday, September 15, 2020 From 9 a.m. Until 11 a.m.

        1. Newly appointed Council members will be sworn in.
        2. The Council will develop a response to the President's Executive
    Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic
    Growth.
        3. Council members will receive an update from NOAA Fisheries on
    recent emergency action requests to increase the bag limit for King
    Mackerel and the commercial trip limit for Vermilion Snapper and
    consider requesting additional emergency actions.
        4. The Council will receive a report from NOAA Fisheries on the
    Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology.
        5. The Council will review sector allocation alternatives and
    recommend how to proceed.

    Snapper Grouper Committee, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 11 a.m. Until
    12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Until 4:30 p.m.

        1. The Committee will receive an update from NOAA Fisheries on the
    status of amendments under review
        2. The Committee will review the 2020 South Atlantic Red Snapper
    Season.
        3. The Committee will review an options paper for modernizing the
    Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Program and consider
    approval for public scoping.
        4. The Committee will review potential management measures to end
    overfishing and revise the rebuilding plan for Red Porgy and provide
    direction to staff.
        5. The Committee will provide topics for consideration during the
    November 2020 meeting of the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel.

    SEDAR Committee, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 4:30 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

        1. The Committee will review the SEDAR Statement of Works for
    assessments that will begin in 2023 and approve for Council
    consideration.
        2. The Committee will receive an update from the SEDAR Steering
    Committee on the Research Track and Operational Assessment Process and
    consider recommendations.

    Dolphin Wahoo Committee, Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 9 a.m. Until
    3:45 p.m.

        1. The Committee will review draft Amendment 10 to the Dolphin
    Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP) with actions that currently
    address: Revisions to recreational data and catch level
    recommendations, redefining Optimum Yield in the dolphin fishery,
    modifications to accountability measures, and other management
    revisions to the dolphin and wahoo fisheries. The Committee will review
    the draft Amendment and provide direction to staff.
        2. 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 and consider final
    approval of the amendment for Secretarial review.
        3. The Committee will receive a presentation on recent tagging
    studies conducted through the Dolphinfish Research Program.
        4. The Committee will provide recommendations for management topics
    to be considered at the October meeting of the Dolphin Wahoo Advisory
    Panel.
        Formal Public Comment, Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 4 p.m.--
    Public comment will be accepted via webinar on items on the Council
    meeting agenda scheduled to be approved for Secretarial Review:
    Amendment 12 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (Bullet and
    Frigate Mackerel as Ecosystem Component Species). Public comment will
    also be accepted on 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.

    Executive Committee, Thursday, September 17, 2020, 9 a.m. Until 12 p.m.
    (Partially Closed Session)

    Closed Session
        1. The Committee will review the compositions of its Scientific and
    Statistical Committee and its Outreach and Communications Advisory
    Panel and provide recommendations for Council consideration.
        2. The Committee will also review the Council's Sexual Harassment
    identification and prevention efforts.
    Open Session
        1. The Committee will review new travel forms and the Council's
    Priorities Work Schedule and provide recommendations as needed.

    Council Session III, Thursday, September 17, 2020, 1:30 p.m. Until 5
    p.m.

        The Full Council Session III will begin with the Call to Order,
    adoption of the agenda, approval of minutes, and Council elections.

    [[Page 53333]]

        The Council will receive a staff report from the Executive
    Director, and updates on Outreach and Communications efforts, the
    Council's Citizen Science Program, and Atlantic coast climate change
    scenario planning.
        NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center staff will
    provide reports on the status of commercial electronic logbooks and
    pandemic response impacts on surveys and fishery monitoring.
        NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office staff will provide an
    update on the status of the For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment and
    a report on Protected Resources.
        The Council will receive reports from the following committees:
    Snapper Grouper; SEDAR; Dolphin Wahoo; and Executive. The Council will
    also address advisory panel and SEDAR appointments.
        The Council will receive agency and liaison reports, 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 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) 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: August 25, 2020.
    Tracey L. Thompson,
    Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
    Marine Fisheries Service.
    [FR Doc. 2020-18964 Filed 8-27-20; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-22-P