Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 74 / Monday, April 17, 2000 / Notices 20433

Scientific and Statistical Committees

(SSC).

DATES: The AP meeting is scheduled to

begin at 8:30 a.m. on May 1, 2000 and

will conclude by 3 p.m. The SSC

meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30

a.m. on May 3, 2000 and will conclude

by 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held

at the Tampa Airport Hilton Hotel, 2225

Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607;

telephone: 813–877–6688.

Council address: Gulf of Mexico

Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S.

Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa,

FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Richard Leard, Senior Fishery Biologist,

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management

Council; telephone: 813–228–2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Dolphin and Wahoo AP and SSCs will

convene to review an ‘‘Exploratory

Assessment of Dolphinfish, Coryphaena

hippurus, based on U.S. Landings from

the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico’’

that was prepared by NMFS. The

Dolphin and Wahoo AP will also review

reports by the Mackerel Stock

Assessment Panel (MSAP) and

Socioeconomic Panel (SEP) regarding

this assessment.

The Dolphin and Wahoo AP

previously reviewed a draft of the

Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery

Management Plan (FMP) that was

prepared by the South Atlantic, Gulf,

and Caribbean Fishery Management

Councils. Based on the review of these

additional documents regarding

dolphin, the Dolphin and Wahoo AP

may make additional recommendations

to the Council regarding the

management of dolphin.

The SSC will review the same

information and formulate their

recommendations based on a scientific

perspective.

Although other non-emergency issues

not on the agendas may come before the

AP/SSC 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 AP/SSC will be restricted

to those issues specifically identified in

the agendas and any issues arising after

publication of this notice that require

emergency action under Section 305(c)

of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided

the public has been notified of the

Council’s intent to take action to

address the emergency.

Copies of the agenda can be obtained

by calling 813–228–2815.

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 April 24, 2000.

Dated: April 7, 2000.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–9561 Filed 4–14–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 040600D]

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.

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery

Management Council will convene

public meetings of the Mackerel

Advisory Panel (AP) and Scientific and

Statistical Committees (SSC).

DATES: The AP meeting is scheduled to

begin at 8:30 a.m. on May 2, 2000 and

will conclude by 3 p.m. The SSC

meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30

a.m. on May 3, 2000 and will conclude

by 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held

at the Tampa Airport Hilton Hotel, 2225

Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607;

telephone: 813–877–6688.

Council address: Gulf of Mexico

Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S.

Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa,

FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Richard Leard, Senior Fishery Biologist,

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management

Council; telephone: 813–228–2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Mackerel AP and SSC will convene to

review assessment information on

mackerel stocks and provide

recommendations to the Council on

possible changes to Federal rules

affecting mackerels.

The Mackerel AP and SSC will review

the 2000 stock assessment analyses for

Gulf group king mackerel, the Mackerel

Stock Assessment Panel (MSAP) report,

and the report of the Socioeconomic

Panel (SEP) that includes economic and

social information related to the range of

acceptable biological catch (ABC) and

other management considerations for

Gulf group king mackerel. Based on this

review, the Mackerel AP and SSC may

recommend to the Council levels for

total allowable catch (TAC), bag limits,

size limits, commercial quotas, and

other measures for these species for the

2000–2001 fishing season. The Mackerel

AP and SSC will also review a reporting

form that NMFS Southeast Fisheries

Science Center will be using to collect

information on finfish discarded from

the commercial catch, and may provide

comments to the Council on the form.

At the conclusion of the Mackerel

SSC meeting, the Standing SSC

members will review the NMFS’

bycatch reduction device (BRD) testing

protocol and may provide comments to

the Council. Also, the Standing SSC will

discuss NMFS’ response to the SSC’s

previous question regarding historical

red grouper landings.

Although other non-emergency issues

not on the agendas may come before the

AP/SSC 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 AP/SSC will be restricted

to those issues specifically identified in

the agendas and any issues arising after

publication of this notice that require

emergency action under Section 305(c)

of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided

the public has been notified of the

Council’s intent to take action to

address the emergency.

Copies of the agenda can be obtained

by calling 813–228–2815.

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 April 24,

2000.

Dated: April 7, 2000.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–9562 Filed 4–14–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F