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[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 24289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11960]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 050696B]

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 10, 1996, from 8 a.m. to 5 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Isle of Capri Casino Crowne 
Plaza Resort, 151 Beach Boulevard (Hwy. 90E), Biloxi, MS; telephone: 
601-435-5400.
    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; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is 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, 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 Advisory Panel (AP) 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 AP will also consider a RIR, which 
mainly reviews the economic ramifications of the proposed amendment; a 
SIA; and any environmental consequences. Also considered will be the 
effects of other Federal laws and regulations.
    The AP is comprised of fisherman and other user groups who advise 
the Council on fishery issues.

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 
June 3, 1996.

    Dated: May 7, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-11960 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
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