Meetings: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Mangement Council,

[Federal Register: September 10, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 175)]

[Notices]

[Page 49164-49165]

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

[DOCID:fr10se99-63]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 082699A]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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 will convene a public meeting of the Mississippi/Louisiana Habitat Protection Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 23, 1999 and conclude by 3:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the New Orleans Airport Hilton, 901 Airline Highway, New Orleans, LA 70062; telephone: 504-469-5000.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Rester, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission; telephone: 228-875-5912.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Louisiana/Mississippi group is part of a three unit Habitat Protection Advisory Panel of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. The principal role of the advisory panels is to assist the Council in attempting to maintain optimum conditions within the habitat and ecosystems supporting the marine resources of the Gulf of Mexico. Advisory panels serve as a first alert system to call to the Council's attention proposed projects being developed and other activities which may adversely impact the Gulf marine fisheries and their supporting ecosystems. The panels

[[Page 49165]]

may also provide advice to the Council on its policies and procedures for addressing environmental affairs.

At this meeting, the AP will discuss revision of the Council's Habitat Policy to include essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions, an update on EFH assessments in Council fishery management plan amendments, an update on the status of the EFH lawsuit, review of the Turkey Creek Development project in south Mississippi, and an update on the Broadwater Casino expansion project.

Although other issues not on the agenda may come before the AP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. The AP's actions will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda listed as available by this notice.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is 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 September 16, 1999.

Dated: September 3, 1999. Richard W. Surdi, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-23485Filed9-9-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F