[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 122 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39132-39133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15974]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061900C]


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.

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

DATES: The meetings will be held July 10-14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Westin Beach Resort, 
97000 South Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida; telephone: 305-852-
5553.
    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:

Monday, July 10, 2000

    9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Stone Crab Management Committee 
to discuss Stone Crab Amendment 7. The Stone Crab amendment proposes to 
extend the trap certificate program for the commercial stone crab 
fishery adopted by the state of Florida into the federal waters off 
west Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 
after working with the stone crab industry and the Council over the 
past 4 years, has adopted by rule a trap certificate program that will 
gradually reduce the number of traps over a 30-year period. The Florida 
legislature has approved the portion of this program pertaining to 
licenses and fees. The committee will make recommendations for the full 
Council to take final action on Thursday morning.
    1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee to review 
an options paper for an amendment to require vessel and operator 
permits, and receive a National Marine Fisheries Service(NMFS) report 
on the status of the shrimp stocks.
    3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.--Convene the Sustainable Fisheries Committee to 
discuss resubmission of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) Amendment 
Bycatch Reporting Measures.
    4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Convene the Budget Committee to review the 
status of the CY2000 budget and CY1999 budget extension.

Tuesday, July 11, 2000

    8 a.m.-12 noon--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee to 
receive a report on the status of the jewfish stock, to review and 
discuss red snapper and grouper stock restoration scenarios, and to 
select stock assessments to be completed by the NMFS Southeast 
Fisheries Science Center in FY 2001.

[[Page 39133]]

    1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Convene the Joint Marine Reserves/Reef Fish 
Management Committees to discuss a Generic Amendment Addressing the 
Establishment of Tortugas Marine Reserves, which proposes to establish 
the Tortugas South marine reserve that will encompass the Riley's Hump 
mutton snapper spawning aggregation site established by the Council in 
1994. The total area of the proposed Tortugas South marine reserve is 
60 square nautical miles. The amendment also proposes to create the 
Tortugas North marine reserve cooperatively with the Florida Keys 
National Marine Sanctuary program, the state of Florida, and the 
National Park system, which will encompass an area of 120 square 
nautical miles. The portion proposed to be established by the Council 
is 13 square nautical miles. The Committees' recommendations on this 
amendment will be considered by the full Council on Thursday morning.
    3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee to hear 
a presentation on the Williams Gas Pipeline Project and the Gulfstream 
Gas Pipeline Project.

Wednesday, July 12, 2000

    9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Convene the Mackerel Management Committee to 
approve a letter to the states and the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council (SAFMC)on the sale of fish, and to approve the 
Dolphin/Wahoo Fishery Management Plan for public hearings.
    1 p.m.-The Council will convene.
    1:15 p.m.-5 p.m.--Receive public testimony on Stone Crab Amendment 
7, Resubmission of the Section on Bycatch Reporting in the SFA 
Amendment, and the Generic Amendment Addressing Establishment of the 
Tortugas 2000 Marine Reserve.

Thursday, July 13, 2000

    8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Continue public testimony if necessary.
    9:30 a.m.-10 a.m.--Receive a report of the Stone Crab Management 
Committee.
    10 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Receive a report of the Joint Marine Reserves 
and Reef Fish Management Committees.
    10:30 a.m.-12 noon--Receive a report of the Reef Fish Management 
Committee.
    1:30 p.m.-2 p.m.--Receive a report of the Mackerel Management 
Committee.
    2 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Receive a report of the Shrimp Management 
Committee.
    2:30 p.m.-3 p.m.--Receive a report of the Sustainable Fisheries 
Management Committee.
    3 p.m.-3:15 p.m.--Receive a report of the Habitat Protection 
Committee.
    3:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Receive a report of the Budget Committee.
    3:30 p.m.-3:45 p.m.--Receive a report of the Council Chairman's 
Meeting.
    3:45 p.m.-4 p.m.--Receive the SAFMC Liaison report.
    4 p.m.-4:15 p.m.--Receive a report on the Marine Recreational 
Symposium.
    4:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.--Receive a report on the Joint U.S./Canadian 
Observer Workshop.
    4:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.--Receive enforcement reports.
    4:45 p.m.-5 p.m.--Receive the NMFS Regional Administrator's Report.
    5 p.m.-5:15 p.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    5:15 p.m.-5:30 p.m.--Other Business.
    5:30 p.m.-5:45 p.m.--Election of Temporary Chairman and Vice 
Chairman.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, these issues may not 
be the subject of formal Council action during these meetings. Council 
action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed 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 actions to address such 
emergencies. A copy of the Committee schedule and agenda can be 
obtained by calling (813) 228-2815.
    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) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: June 19, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-15974 Filed 6-22-00; 8:45 am]
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