Meetings: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council,

[Federal Register: December 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 247)]

[Notices]

[Page 71269-71270]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr24de98-38]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121898B]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on January 11-15, 1999.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Isle of Capri Crowne Plaza Hotel, 151 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MI; telephone:

228-435-5400.

Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Council

January 13, 1999 1:30 p.m.--Convene.

1:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.--Receive public testimony on the Draft Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) Amendment and Draft Gag Regulatory Amendment Options Paper. The SFA Amendment includes alternative management measures for reporting of bycatch by Gulf fishermen, for minimizing bycatch or bycatch mortality, for specifying higher standards for overfishing criteria that will restore fishery stocks to maximum sustainable yield (MSY), for rebuilding periods for overfished stocks (e.g., red snapper, king mackerel, and red drum) and a section identifying communities economically dependent on fishing. The Gag Amendment includes alternatives for specification of a total allowable catch (TAC) for gag; minimum size limit increase for gag and black grouper from 20 to 24 inches total length; a 2-fish recreational bag limit for gag as part of the existing 5 aggregate grouper bag limit; a zero bag limit of gag for the captain and crew of for-hire vessels; a commercial trip limit for gag; a closed season during peak gag spawning; and area closures at gag spawning aggregation locations.

January 14, 1999 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.--Take final action on the Draft SFA Amendment.

10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.--Receive the Reef Fish Management Committee Report.

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.--Receive the Migratory Species Management Committee Report.

January 15, 1999

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.--Receive the Habitat Protection Committee Report.

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.--Receive the Shrimp Management Committee Report.

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.--Receive the Joint Shrimp/Reef Fish Management Committee Report.

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.--Receive the Council Chairmen's Meeting Report.

10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.--Receive Enforcement Reports.

11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.--Receive the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) Liaison Report.

11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.--Receive Director's Reports.

11:45 a.m. - 12:00 noon--Other Business.

Under other business, the Council may consider proposals for dolphin and wahoo management recently adopted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC). The Council will also hear reports and respond to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) letter.

Committees

January 11, 1999

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.--Convene the Migratory Species Management

[[Page 71270]]

Committee to review and develop comments on a highly migratory species (HMS) fishery management plan (FMP) and Billfish FMP amendment developed by NMFS.

January 12, 1999

8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.--Convene the Ad Hoc SFA Committee to review the draft SFA amendment. The Committee will develop their recommendations to the Council for final action on the amendment. The recommendations will be considered by the Council on Thursday, January 14, 1999.

12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to review the draft Gag Regulatory Amendment Options Paper and develop recommendations to the Council for final action. They will review the Amendment 17 Options Paper which has alternatives for a license limitation program for reef fish. They will also receive a status report on the emergency red snapper rule, and may discuss actions taken under the emergency red snapper rule.

January 13, 1999

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to review the analyses of NMFS and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and develop their recommendations to Council on the 1999 Texas Closure. They will also review Amendment 10 Options Paper which contains alternatives for permitting or registration of vessels, observer requirements and protocol, and a vessel monitoring system.

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 noon--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to review a proposed development project for constructing a casino in wetlands and a NMFS study on mitigation.

Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see ADDRESSES) by January 5, 1999.

Dated: December 21, 1998. Richard W. Surdi, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-34161Filed12-23-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F