[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 108 (Friday, June 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30727-30728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15028]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052798C]


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 meetings.

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[[Page 30728]]

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene 
public meetings of its Florida/Alabama, Mississippi/Louisiana, and 
Texas Habitat Protection Advisory Panels (AP).

DATES: A meeting of the Florida/Alabama Habitat Protection AP will be 
held on Wednesday, June 17, 1998. A meeting of the Mississippi/
Louisiana Habitat Protection AP will be held on Monday, June 22, 1998. 
A meeting of the Texas Habitat Protection AP will be held on Tuesday, 
June 30, 1998. The meetings in Florida and Texas will begin 10:00 a.m. 
and conclude by 5:00 p.m.; the meeting in Louisiana will begin at 9:00 
a.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting of the Florida/Alabama Habitat Protection AP 
will meet at the Ramada Airport Inn & Conference Center, 5303 West 
Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL; telephone: 813-289-1950. The Mississippi/
Louisiana Habitat Protection AP will meet at the New Orleans Airport 
Radisson, 2150 Veterans Boulevard, Kenner, LA; telephone: 504-467-3111. 
The Texas Habitat Protection AP will meet at the Hobby Airport Hilton, 
8181 Airport Boulevard, Houston, TX; telephone: 713-645-3000.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Leard, Senior Fishery 
Biologist; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The APs will be convened to review the draft 
generic amendment on essential fish habitat (EFH). The draft document 
is mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (Magnuson Act) and addresses EFH in all seven of the Council?s 
Fishery Management Plans (FMP). Following is a summary of the 
amendment:
    1. Essential fish habitat (EFH) is identified and described based 
on areas where various life stages of 21 selected managed species and 
the coral complex commonly occur. The selected species are shrimp 
(brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus; white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus; pink 
shrimp, Penaeus duorarum); red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus; reef fish 
(red grouper, Epinephelus morio; gag grouper, Mycteroperca microlepsis; 
scamp grouper, Mycteroperca phenax; red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus; 
gray snapper, Lutjanus griseus; yellowtail snappper, Ocyurus chrysurus; 
lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris; greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili; 
lesser amberjack, Seriola fasciata; tilefish, Lopholatilus 
chamaeleonticeps; and gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus), coastal 
migratory pelagic species (king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla; 
Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus; cobia, Rachycentron canadum; 
and dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus), stone crab, Menippe mercenaria; 
spiny lobster, Panulirus argus; and the coral complex;
    2. The selected species represent about a third of the species 
under management by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 
Collectively, these species commonly occur throughout all of the marine 
and estuarine waters of the Gulf of Mexico. EFH for the remaining 
managed species will be addressed in future FMP amendments, as 
appropriate;
    3. EFH is defined as everywhere that the above managed species 
commonly occur. Because these species collectively occur in all 
estuarine and marine habitats of the Gulf of Mexico, EFH is separated 
into estuarine and marine components. For the estuarine component, EFH 
includes all estuarine waters and substrates (mud, sand, shell, rock 
and associated biological communities), including the sub-tidal 
vegetation (seagrasses and algae) and adjacent inter-tidal vegetation 
(marshes and mangroves). In marine waters of the Gulf of Mexico, EFH 
includes virtually all marine waters and substrates (mud, sand, shell, 
rock and associated biological communities) from the shoreline to the 
seaward limit of the EEZ;
    4. Threats to EFH from fishing and nonfishing activities are 
identified;
    5. Options to conserve and enhance EFH are provided and research 
needs are identified;
    6. No management measures and, therefore, no regulations are 
proposed at this time. Fishing-related management measures to minimize 
any identified impacts are deferred to future amendments when the 
Council has the information necessary to decide if the measures are 
practicable.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the Panels for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal 
action during this meeting. Panel action will be restricted to those 
issues specifically identified in the agenda listed in this notice.
    A copy of the agenda can be obtained by contacting the Gulf Council 
(see ADDRESSES).

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 June 10, 1998.

    Dated: June 1, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-15028 Filed 6-4-98; 8:45 am]
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