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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8925-8926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02136]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE640]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) 
and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) 
will hold a joint in-person meeting of their Standing Scientific and 
Statistical Committees (SSCs), followed by an in-person meeting of the 
Gulf Council's SSC.

DATES: The meeting will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2025 through 
Thursday, February 27, 2025; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., EST, daily.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Gulf Council office. 
Registration information will be available on the Council's website by 
visiting www.gulfcouncil.org and clicking on the ``meeting tab''.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 4107 W 
Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ryan Rindone, Lead Fishery 
Biologist, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; 
[email protected], telephone: (813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Tuesday, February 25, 2025; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., EST

    The meeting will begin in a Joint Meeting of the Gulf and South 
Atlantic SSCs with Introductions, and Adoption of the Agenda and Scope 
of Work. The SSCs will review and discuss the SEDAR 79: Southeastern 
U.S. Mutton Snapper Stock Assessment, followed by the SEDAR 96: 
Southeastern U.S. Yellowtail Snapper Stock Assessment. These assessment 
agenda items will include presentations, Gulf Fisherman Feedback, South 
Atlantic Fishery Performance Reports, background materials and SSC 
discussion. The SSCs will then review the South Atlantic Council's 
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule.
    Public comments will be heard at the end of the day, if any.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., EST

    The Standing SSCs will return in a joint session to review and 
discuss SEDAR 79: Southeastern U.S. Mutton Snapper Catch Limit 
Projections and SEDAR 96: Southeastern U.S. Yellowtail Snapper Catch 
Limit Projections, including presentations and SSC discussions.
    Following lunch, the Gulf SSC will convene to review and approve 
summary minutes from its December 2024 webinar meeting. The Gulf SSC 
will also review the SEDAR 88 Stock Assessment of Gulf Red Grouper, 
including a presentation, Gulf Fisherman Feedback, background materials 
and SSC discussion. The Gulf SSC will then discuss the SEDAR 100: Gulf 
Gray Triggerfish Participants for the Data, Assessment and Review 
Phases. The Gulf SSC will next review the SEDAR 88 Projections for Red 
Grouper, including a presentation and SSC discussions. Public comments 
will be heard at the end of the day, if any.

[[Page 8926]]

Thursday, February 27, 2025; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., EST

    The Gulf SSC will review results from Return `Em Right Studies. 
They will review: Determination of Predation Mortality, Barotrauma 
Survival, and Emigration Patterns for Catch-and-released Red Snapper; 
Do Descender Devices Increase Opportunities for Depredation? A Gulf-
wide Examination of Descender Device Depredation Rates and Depredating 
Species; Mitigation of Gag Release Mortality in the Eastern Gulf of 
Mexico; Awareness, Attitudes, Perceptions, and Use of Best Fishing 
Practices by Recreational Reef Anglers in the Gulf of Mexico. Review of 
these studies will include presentations, background manuscripts, and 
SSC discussions.
    Following lunch, the Gulf SSC will review: Florida At-sea Observer 
Data Collection Methods, Results and Analysis; Alabama At-sea Observer 
Data Collection Methods, Results and Analysis; Mississippi At-sea 
Observer Data Collection Methods, Results and Analysis; Louisiana and 
Texas Expansion of At-sea Observer Data Collection Methods, Results and 
Analysis. These reviews will include presentations, background 
manuscripts and SSC discussions.
    The Gulf SSC will receive an update on Ongoing Projects, review of 
Best Release Practices Manual for Reef Fish and Related Species, and 
offer SSC Recommendations on the Use of Return `Em Right Science for 
Informing Fisheries Management. Public comments will be heard at the 
end of the day, if any.
    The Gulf SSC will then review Other Business, including SEDAR 87 
Review Workshop Volunteers and SEDAR 98 Assessment Process and Review 
Workshop Volunteers.

--Meeting Adjourns

    The meeting will also be broadcast via webinar. You may register 
for the webinar by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org and clicking on the SSC 
meeting on the calendar.
    The Agenda is subject to change, and the latest version along with 
other meeting materials will be posted on www.gulfcouncil.org as they 
become available.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come 
before the Scientific and Statistical Committees for discussion, in 
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal action 
during these meetings. Actions of the Scientific and Statistical 
Committee will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in 
the agenda 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-action to address the 
emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid should be directed to Kathy Pereira, (813) 348-1630, at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C 1801 et seq.

    Dated: January 29, 2025.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-02136 Filed 2-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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