[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 97 (Friday, May 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24917-24918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12449]



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[[Page 24918]]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 050996F]


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.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene a public meeting.

DATES: This meeting will be held on June 12, 1996, from 8:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Radisson Bay Harbor Inn, 
7700 Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, FL; telephone: 813-281-8900.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 
West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Leard, Senior Fishery 
Biologist, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-
228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the meeting will be to review 
Draft Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery 
of the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Waters with Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, and Social Impact Assessment (SIA). 
The amendment is intended to address the Council's commitment to reduce 
the bycatch mortality of red snapper, particularly juveniles, from 
shrimp trawls. The amendment includes a review of previous actions and 
their effects on bycatch as well as various alternatives.
    The Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will review 
the draft amendment with various management alternatives for gear 
including: (1) Status Quo - no change to existing gear regulations; and 
(2) Requiring Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) in all areas of the 
exclusive economic zone. They will also look at area specific usage of 
BRDs including requiring BRDs: (1) inside the 100 fathom contour; (2) 
inside the 100 fathom contour and west of Cape San Blas, Florida; and 
(3) between the 10 and 100 fathom contours. Other alternatives that 
will be discussed include: Area closures, seasonal closures, BRD 
testing criteria, and a protocol for BRD certification. The Shrimp SSC 
will also consider a Regulatory Impact Review, which mainly reviews the 
economic ramifications of the proposed amendment; a Social Impact 
Assessment; and any environmental consequences. Also considered will be 
the effects of other Federal laws and regulations.
    The Shrimp SSC is comprised of scientists that have specialized in 
working with the shrimp fishery of the Gulf and have been appointed to 
advise the Council on shrimp management.

Special Acommodations

    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 
June 5, 1996.

    Dated: May 10, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Service.
[FR Doc. 96-12449 Filed 5-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F