[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11254-11255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03070]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD725]


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: Mackerel Cobia Committee, Southeast 
Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee, and Snapper Grouper 
Committee. The meeting week will also include a formal public comment 
session and meetings of the Full Council.

DATES: The Council meeting will be held from 1:30 p.m. on Monday, March 
4, 2024, until 12 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Meeting address: The meeting will be held at the Villas by 
the Sea Resort, 1175 Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527; phone: 
(912) 635-2521. The meeting will also be available via webinar. See 
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: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting information, including agendas, 
overviews, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council's 
website at: https://safmc.net/council-meetings/. Webinar registration 
links for the meeting will also be available from the Council's 
website.
    Public comment: Public comment on agenda items may be submitted 
through the Council's online comment form available from the Council's 
website at: https://safmc.net/events/march-2024-council-meeting/. 
Written comments will be accepted from February 16, 2024, until March 
8, 2024. These comments are accessible to the public, part of the 
Administrative Record of the meeting, and immediately available for 
Council consideration. A formal public comment session will also be 
held during the Council meeting.
    The items of discussion in the individual meeting agendas are as 
follows:

Council Session I, Monday, March 4, 2024, 1:30 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

    The Council will receive reports from NOAA Office of Law 
Enforcement, The Council's Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (AP), the 
U.S. Coast Guard, Council liaisons, and state agencies, and an update 
on Best Fishing Practices and Outreach conducted thus far in 2024. The 
Council will discuss potential modifications to the Southeast For-Hire 
Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) Program and also consider 
limited-entry in South Atlantic For-Hire Fisheries.

Mackerel Cobia Committee, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, 8:30 a.m. Until 10 
a.m.

    The Committee will receive recommendations from the Law Enforcement 
AP and is scheduled to approve a plan for the Council to conduct port 
meetings for the mackerel fishery in 2024.

SEDAR Committee, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, 10 a.m. Until 12 p.m. 
(Partially-Closed Session)

    The Committee will meet in Closed Session to approve appointments 
to SEDAR Panels and workgroups. The Committee will meet in Open Session 
to approve Terms of Reference for upcoming stock assessments and other 
business related to stock assessments.

Snapper Grouper Committee, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, 1:30 p.m. Until 5 
p.m., Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 8:30 a.m. Until 3:45 p.m., and 
Thursday, March 7, 2024, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 p.m.

    The Committee will receive a briefing on Exempted Fishing Permit 
applications and a presentation on projections for 2024 recreational 
seasons for red snapper and gag from NOAA Fisheries. The Committee will 
consider recommendations from the Wreckfish Subcommittee for Amendment 
48 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan addressing the 
wreckfish fishery and is scheduled to approve the amendment for public 
hearings. The Committee will receive Law Enforcement AP recommendations 
and public scoping comments relative to Regulatory Amendment 36 
addressing gag and black grouper vessel limits and on-demand gear for 
black sea bass, and receive a stock assessment presentation and 
recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) 
relative to black sea bass and the development of Snapper Grouper 
Amendment 56.
    The Committee will receive Law Enforcement AP recommendations 
relative to Snapper Grouper Amendment 46 addressing a private 
recreational permit for the snapper grouper fishery and consider 
modifications to actions currently in the amendment, review preliminary 
analysis for Amendment 55 addressing management measures for scamp and 
yellowmouth grouper, and discuss Regulatory Amendment 35 addressing red 
snapper management and consider modifications and additional actions. 
The Committee will receive an update on development of a Management 
Strategy Evaluation for the Snapper Grouper Fishery and consider SSC 
recommendations, an overview of commercial permits, and discuss topics 
for the March 2024 meeting of the Snapper Grouper AP.
    Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 4 p.m.--Public comment will be accepted 
from individuals attending the meeting in person and via webinar on all 
items on the Council meeting agenda. The Council Chair will determine 
the amount of time provided to each commenter based on the number of 
individuals wishing to comment.

Council Session II, Thursday, March 7, 2024, 1:30 p.m. Until 5 p.m. and 
Friday, March 8, 2024, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 p.m.

    The Council will receive a litigation brief if needed, receive a 
staff report, and a presentation from NOAA Fisheries on Equity and 
Environmental Justice. The Council will receive reports from NOAA 
Fisheries Southeast Regional Office and the Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center, and review the Council's workplan and upcoming meetings. The 
Council will receive Committee reports and discuss any other business 
as needed.
    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.


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

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

    Dated: February 9, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03070 Filed 2-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-02-P