[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12499-12500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4695]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022001E]


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 will convene a 
public meeting of the Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP).

DATES: This meeting will be held on March 14, 2001, from 1 p.m. to 5 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Fort Brown, 
1900 East Elizabeth, Brownsville, TX 78520; telephone: 956-546-2201.
    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, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-
228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The LEAP will convene to hear options papers 
for Amendment 10 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and 
Amendment 18 to the Reef Fish FMP. The Options Paper for Amendment 10 
to the Shrimp FMP contains alternatives to address additional bycatch 
reduction from shrimp trawls used in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 
off Florida, south and east of Cape San Blas (85 deg.30' W. Longitude). 
Some of the alternatives being considered include additional or 
extended closed areas and/or seasons and requiring bycatch reduction 
devices. The Options Paper for Amendment 18 to the Reef Fish FMP 
contains options for a comprehensive management strategy for groupers 
and includes alternatives for effort management, gear allowances, size 
limits, bag limits, and adjustments to fishing seasons and areas, among 
others. The LEAP will also review a Draft Amendment for a Charter 
Vessel/Headboat Permit Moratorium that includes various alternatives to 
cap effort in the charter industry of the Gulf. The LEAP will also 
receive status reports of various FMPs, Amendments, and Regulatory 
Actions; state and federal enforcement reports; and consider adoption 
of a Cooperative Law Enforcement Operations Plan for 2001 that was 
developed by the LEAP and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission's 
Law Enforcement Committee.
    The LEAP consists of principal law enforcement officers in each of 
the Gulf states as well as NMFS, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA General 
Counsel. A copy of the agenda and related materials can be obtained by 
calling the Council office at 813-228-2815.
    Although other non-emergency issues not on the agendas may come 
before the LEAP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during this meetings. Actions of the LEAP 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 Act, 
provided the public has been notified of the

[[Page 12500]]

Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.

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 
March 7, 2001.

    Dated: February 20, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4695 Filed 2-26-01; 8:45 am]
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