Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 10014 [E6-2778]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 10014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2778]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022206A]


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 (Council) will 
convene its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, March 13, 2006, from 1 p.m. 
to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Downtown/Market 
Square, 318 W. Durango Boulevard, San Antonio, TX.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Richard Leard, Deputy Executive 
Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 
348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will convene the LEAP to review 
an Options Paper for Joint Amendment 27 to the Reef Fish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP)/Amendment 14 to the Shrimp FMP. This amendment 
contains alternatives to regulate the harvest and bycatch of red 
snapper by both the directed commercial and recreational fisheries and 
the shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. The need for this amendment 
arose from the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) process 
through which a recent stock assessment showed that the red snapper 
stock in the Gulf was overfished and overfishing was continuing.
    In addition, the LEAP will discuss the Automated Identification 
System that will soon be required of many fishing vessels in the Gulf. 
The LEAP will review a discussion paper that may ultimately be used as 
the basis for developing Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) programs for 
the grouper and potentially other commercial reef fish fishing 
operations in the Gulf. Finally, the LEAP will review the status of 
various FMP amendments and other regulatory actions and report on the 
various activities of participating organizations.
    The LEAP consists of principal law enforcement officers in each of 
the Gulf States, as well as the NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(FWS), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the NOAA General Counsel. A copy of 
the agenda and related materials can be obtained by calling the Council 
office at (813) 348-1630.
    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 (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those 
issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 
Actions of the LEAP 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.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Dawn Aring at the Council (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: February 22, 2006.
Helen Troupos,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-2778 Filed 2-27-06; 8:45 am]
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