Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Scoping Meetings, 68583-68584 [E9-30611]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 247 / Monday, December 28, 2009 / Notices groundfish fisheries and (2) review and further develop analyses relating to Amendment 23: annual catch limits and accountability measures. The GMT may also address other assignments relating to groundfish management. No management actions will be decided by the GMT. The GMT’s role will be development of the environmental analyses and recommendations for consideration by the Council at its March meeting in Sacramento, CA and at its April meeting in Portland, OR. Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may come before the GMT for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal GMT action during this meeting. GMT action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the GMT’s intent to take final 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 Ms. Carolyn Porter at (503) 820–2280 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Dated: December 22, 2009. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9–30612 Filed 12–24–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XT44 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Scoping Meetings erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of scoping meetings. SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene Scoping Meetings on proposed Amendment 32, dealing primarily with gag and red grouper. DATES: The scoping meetings will be held on January 11, 2010 through January 19, 2010 at eight locations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. For VerDate Nov<24>2008 11:00 Dec 24, 2009 Jkt 220001 specific dates, times and subjects, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. The scoping meetings will be held in the following locations: St. Petersburg, Key West, Ft. Myers and Panama City, FL, Biloxi, MS, Galveston, TX, New Orleans, LA and Orange Beach, AL. For specific dates, times and subjects see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamic Statistician; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 348–1630. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has scheduled eight scoping meetings on proposed Amendment 32, dealing primarily with gag and red grouper. A SEDAR Assessment Workshop was convened during March 30 - April 2, 2009 at the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, FL to update the benchmark assessments of Gulf of Mexico gag and red grouper conducted in 2006 as SEDAR 10 and SEDAR 12 respectively. Two reports detailing the results of the workshop, one for each stock, were published on August 3, 2009. The red grouper update assessment found that the stock was neither overfished nor undergoing overfishing. However, the 2008 spawning stock biomass had declined to just above its minimum stock size threshold, and the current fishing mortality rate was above the rate associated with fishing at optimum yield. As a result, the Scientific and Statistical Committee recommended an Acceptable Biological Catch to a level that is below the current annual catch limit. Consequently, a reduction in the annual catch limit and annual catch target is needed to bring management into compliance with the new Acceptable Biological Catch. The gag update assessment found that the gag stock was overfished and undergoing overfishing, with the 2008 spawning stock size at 47 percent of the minimum stock size threshold, and a current fishing mortality rate 2.47 times greater than the maximum fishing mortality threshold. A rebuilding plan is necessary to end overfishing of gag and to rebuild the stock. Potential actions for scoping include establishing a rebuilding plan for gag, revising annual catch limits and optionally annual catch targets for gag and red grouper, revising accountability ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 68583 measures for gag and red grouper, making adjustments to the multi-use shares in the individual fishing quota system for the commercial grouper fishery, addressing commercial bycatch issues including consideration of fish traps as an allowable gear to reduce bycatch in the red grouper fishery, addressing recreational bycatch issues including a keep the first gag caught strategy, recreational data collection and monitoring programs such as a fish tag program or a fish stamp program, and time and area closures to direct fisheries away from gag concentrations and toward red grouper. Potential actions for scoping will also include a number of public-proposed initiatives to improve management and data collection of grouper fisheries including recreational sector separation of the for-hire and private recreational sectors, vessel monitoring systems for for-hire recreational vessels, a telephone or web based reporting system for recreational fisheries, electronic logbooks, and grouper endorsements. The public is welcome to suggest other actions for management or data collection and monitoring of gag and red grouper fisheries that are not listed in the scoping document. The eight scoping meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at the end of public testimony or no later than 9 p.m. at the following locations: **Monday, January 11, 2010, Monroe County Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, FL 33040; Monday, January 11, 2010, Holiday Inn, 5002 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, TX 77550, telephone: (409) 740–3581; *Tuesday, January 12, 2010, Hilton, 950 Lake Carillon Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, telephone: (727) 540–0050; Tuesday, January 12, 2010, Best Western, 7921 Lamar Poole Road, Biloxi, MS 39532, telephone: (228) 875– 7111; Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Fairfield Inn and Suites, 3111 Loop Road, Orange Beach, AL 36561, telephone: (251) 513–4444; **Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Ramada, 4760 S. Cleveland Avenue, Ft. Myers, FL 33907, telephone: (239) 275– 1111; *Thursday, January 14, 2010, The Boardwalk, 9600 S. Thomas Drive, Panama City, FL 32408, telephone: (850) 234–2154; Tuesday, January 19, 2010, Crowne Plaza, 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062, telephone: (504) 467–5611. * NOTE a scoping meeting format change for these meetings. Two rooms will be used - one room where participants can get answers to E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM 28DEN1 68584 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 247 / Monday, December 28, 2009 / Notices questions about the proposed amendment, and the other room for participants to provide input. ** NOTE a scoping meeting format change for these meetings. An informal roundtable discussion regarding the proposed amendment will be held during the first hour of the meeting, from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Public input will be taken beginning at 7 p.m. and will end no later than 9 p.m. Copies of the scoping document can be obtained by calling the Council office at (813) 348–1630. Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Tina O’Hern at the Council (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting. Dated: December 22, 2009. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9–30611 Filed 12–24–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). DATES: The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, recess at 5:30 p.m. or when business is complete; and reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 14, 2010, and adjourn by 4:30 p.m. or when business is complete. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hotel Monaco, 700 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20004, telephone 202– 628–7177, fax 202–628–7277. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William D. Chappell: telephone 301– 713–2337 or e-mail at William.Chappell@noaa.gov; or Tara Scott: telephone 301–713–2337 or email at Tara.Scott@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA) of 2006 established the Council Coordination Committee (CCC) by amending Section 302 (16 U.S.C. 1852) of the MagnusonStevens Act. The committee consists of the chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors of each of the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Act or other Council members or staff. NMFS will host this meeting and provide reports to the CCC for its information and discussion. The main topics of discussion will be the FY2010 budget allocation and budgetary planning, the Ocean Policy Task Force, Marine Spatial Planning, the draft Catch Shares Task Force Report, implementation of the provisions of the MSRA, and related guidance and technical regulatory changes. All sessions are open to the public. RIN 0648–XT26 Proposed Agenda Council Coordination Committee Meeting January 13, 2010 2115 of the Frear Federal Building, 300 S. New Street, Dover, DE 19904. Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. New Street, Room 2115, Dover, DE 19904; telephone: (302) 674–2331. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. New Street, Room 2115, Dover, DE 19904; telephone: (302) 674– 2331, extension 19. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Topics to be discussed during the meeting include a reconsideration of the SSC’s Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) recommendation for black sea bass for the 2010 fishing year and a framework for ABC control rule specification for inclusion in the Council’s Annual Catch Limit / Accountability Measures (ACL/ AM) Omnibus Amendment which is currently under development. Special Accommodations The listening station at the Council’s office is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to M. Jan Bryan at the Mid-Atlantic Council Office, (302) 674–2331 extension 18, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Dated: December 22, 2009. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9–30610 Filed 12–24–09; 8:45 am] RIN 0648–XT43 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting BILLING CODE 3510–22–S National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: A joint meeting of the MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and its Black Sea Bass (BSB) Monitoring Committee will be held as a public meeting via Webinar. Immediately following completion of the joint SSC / BSB Monitoring Committee meeting, the SSC will be convened separately to conduct its deliberations independent of the Monitoring Committee. DATES: The meeting will be held on Friday, January 8, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via Webinar. Details about online participation in the Webinar can be obtained by visiting the Council’s website (www.mafmc.org). Members of the public may also access the Webinar at the Council office located at Room VerDate Nov<24>2008 11:00 Dec 24, 2009 Jkt 220001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors in January 2010. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils, including FY 2010 budget allocations and budgetary planning, the Ocean Policy Task Force, Marine Spatial Planning, the draft Catch Shares Task Force Report, and implementation of the PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 9 a.m. Morning Session Begins. 9–10:15 Welcome comments and open session with Councils. 10:15–10:30 Break. 10:30–11 Open Session with Councils (Continued). 11–11:30 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Update. 11:30–1 Lunch. 1 Afternoon Session Begins. 1—2:30 Catch Shares Task Force Report. 2:30–3:30 Budget issues (General update and FY 2010 allocation). • Council base funding. • Limited Access Privilege Programs funding. • Stipends. 3:30–3:45 Break. E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM 28DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 247 (Monday, December 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68583-68584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-30611]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT44


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Scoping 
Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of scoping meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene Scoping Meetings on proposed Amendment 32, dealing primarily 
with gag and red grouper.

DATES: The scoping meetings will be held on January 11, 2010 through 
January 19, 2010 at eight locations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. For 
specific dates, times and subjects, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meetings will be held in the following 
locations: St. Petersburg, Key West, Ft. Myers and Panama City, FL, 
Biloxi, MS, Galveston, TX, New Orleans, LA and Orange Beach, AL. For 
specific dates, times and subjects see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamic 
Statistician; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 
(813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council has scheduled eight scoping meetings on proposed Amendment 32, 
dealing primarily with gag and red grouper.
    A SEDAR Assessment Workshop was convened during March 30 - April 2, 
2009 at the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center in Miami, FL to update the benchmark assessments of Gulf 
of Mexico gag and red grouper conducted in 2006 as SEDAR 10 and SEDAR 
12 respectively. Two reports detailing the results of the workshop, one 
for each stock, were published on August 3, 2009. The red grouper 
update assessment found that the stock was neither overfished nor 
undergoing overfishing. However, the 2008 spawning stock biomass had 
declined to just above its minimum stock size threshold, and the 
current fishing mortality rate was above the rate associated with 
fishing at optimum yield. As a result, the Scientific and Statistical 
Committee recommended an Acceptable Biological Catch to a level that is 
below the current annual catch limit. Consequently, a reduction in the 
annual catch limit and annual catch target is needed to bring 
management into compliance with the new Acceptable Biological Catch. 
The gag update assessment found that the gag stock was overfished and 
undergoing overfishing, with the 2008 spawning stock size at 47 percent 
of the minimum stock size threshold, and a current fishing mortality 
rate 2.47 times greater than the maximum fishing mortality threshold. A 
rebuilding plan is necessary to end overfishing of gag and to rebuild 
the stock.
    Potential actions for scoping include establishing a rebuilding 
plan for gag, revising annual catch limits and optionally annual catch 
targets for gag and red grouper, revising accountability measures for 
gag and red grouper, making adjustments to the multi-use shares in the 
individual fishing quota system for the commercial grouper fishery, 
addressing commercial bycatch issues including consideration of fish 
traps as an allowable gear to reduce bycatch in the red grouper 
fishery, addressing recreational bycatch issues including a keep the 
first gag caught strategy, recreational data collection and monitoring 
programs such as a fish tag program or a fish stamp program, and time 
and area closures to direct fisheries away from gag concentrations and 
toward red grouper. Potential actions for scoping will also include a 
number of public-proposed initiatives to improve management and data 
collection of grouper fisheries including recreational sector 
separation of the for-hire and private recreational sectors, vessel 
monitoring systems for for-hire recreational vessels, a telephone or 
web based reporting system for recreational fisheries, electronic 
logbooks, and grouper endorsements. The public is welcome to suggest 
other actions for management or data collection and monitoring of gag 
and red grouper fisheries that are not listed in the scoping document.
    The eight scoping meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at the 
end of public testimony or no later than 9 p.m. at the following 
locations:
    **Monday, January 11, 2010, Monroe County Harvey Government Center, 
1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, FL 33040;
    Monday, January 11, 2010, Holiday Inn, 5002 Seawall Blvd., 
Galveston, TX 77550, telephone: (409) 740-3581;
    *Tuesday, January 12, 2010, Hilton, 950 Lake Carillon Drive, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33716, telephone: (727) 540-0050;
    Tuesday, January 12, 2010, Best Western, 7921 Lamar Poole Road, 
Biloxi, MS 39532, telephone: (228) 875-7111;
    Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Fairfield Inn and Suites, 3111 Loop 
Road, Orange Beach, AL 36561, telephone: (251) 513-4444;
    **Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Ramada, 4760 S. Cleveland Avenue, 
Ft. Myers, FL 33907, telephone: (239) 275-1111;
    *Thursday, January 14, 2010, The Boardwalk, 9600 S. Thomas Drive, 
Panama City, FL 32408, telephone: (850) 234-2154;
    Tuesday, January 19, 2010, Crowne Plaza, 2829 Williams Blvd., 
Kenner, LA 70062, telephone: (504) 467-5611.
    * Note a scoping meeting format change for these meetings. Two 
rooms will be used - one room where participants can get answers to

[[Page 68584]]

questions about the proposed amendment, and the other room for 
participants to provide input.
    ** Note a scoping meeting format change for these meetings. An 
informal roundtable discussion regarding the proposed amendment will be 
held during the first hour of the meeting, from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Public 
input will be taken beginning at 7 p.m. and will end no later than 9 
p.m.
    Copies of the scoping document can be obtained by calling the 
Council office at (813) 348-1630.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Tina O'Hern at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: December 22, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-30611 Filed 12-24-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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