Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 73259-73260 [2021-28073]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 245 (Monday, December 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73259-73260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28073]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB680]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of hybrid meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of 
Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The meeting is 
open to the public offering both in-person and virtual options for 
participation.

DATES: The meeting will convene Monday, January 24 through Wednesday, 
January 26, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., CST and on Thursday, 
January 27, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., CST.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting address: The meeting will take place at Hilton Baton Rouge 
Capitol Center, located at 201 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801. 
Please note, in-person meeting attendees will be expected to follow any 
current COVID-19 safety protocols as determined by the Council, hotel 
and the City of Baton Rouge. Such precautions may include masks, room 
capacity restrictions, and/or social distancing. If you prefer to 
``listen in'', you may access the log-on information by visiting our 
website at www.gulfcouncil.org.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 4107 W. 
Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Monday, January 24, 2022; 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., CST

    The meeting will begin open to the public in a Full Council Session 
to hold an Election of Council Vice-Chair, and review and adoption of 
the revised Council Committee Assignments for October 2021 through 
August 2022.
    Committee sessions will begin approximately 8:15 a.m. with the 
Habitat Protection and Restoration Committee receiving a presentation 
from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Wind Energy 
Development in the Gulf of Mexico, review of Essential Fish Habitat 
Generic Amendment and Draft Response Letter to NOAA Request for 
Comments on the Area-Based Management Goals Related to Executive Order 
14008.
    The Outreach and Education Committee will receive a presentation on 
2021 Communications Analytics and Updated 2021 Communications 
Improvement Plan, draft Social Media Guidelines, draft Public Comment 
Guidelines, draft Press Release Guidelines, and the 2022 Communications 
Improvement Plan. The Committee will discuss remaining items form the 
Outreach and Education Technical Committee and receive a presentation 
on Summary of Discard and Barotrauma Reduction Efforts Across the 
Region.
    The Shrimp Committee will review National Marine Fisheries 
Service's (NMFS) Evaluation of Draft Approval Specifications for 
Reinstituting Historical cELB Program, Updated Draft Framework Action: 
Modification of the Vessel Position Data Collection Program for the 
Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery, and summary of the Shrimp Advisory Panel 
Meeting.
    The Mackerel Committee will review and discuss Coastal Migratory 
Pelagics Landings, Draft Amendment 33: Modifications to the Gulf of 
Mexico Migratory Group King Mackerel Catch Limits and Sector 
Allocations, and Draft Amendment 34: Atlantic Migratory Group King 
Mackerel Catch Levels and Atlantic King and Spanish Mackerel Management 
Measures.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022; 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., CST

    The Reef Fish Committee will convene to review Reef Fish Landings 
and Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Landings and Final Action: Framework 
Action: Modification of Vermillion Snapper Catch Limits. Following, the 
Committee will receive presentations on SEDAR 70: Greater Amberjack 
Stock Assessment Report and SEDAR 72: Gag Grouper Stock Assessment 
Report, and discuss SSC Recommendations and Reef Fish Advisory Panel 
Feedback for both. The Committee will also discuss the Council Request 
for State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS) Integration and Update Assessment for 
SEDAR 72: Gag Grouper.
    The Committee will review Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Programs, 
Focus Group Formation and next steps and Public Hearing Draft: Reef 
Fish Amendment 36B. The Committee will receive an update on Draft 
Snapper Grouper Amendment 44 and Reef Fish Amendment 55: Modifications 
to Southeastern U.S. Yellowtail Snapper

[[Page 73260]]

Jurisdictional Allocations, Catch Limits, and South Atlantic Sector 
Annual Catch Limits.
    The Committee will hold a discussion on Wenchman in the Gulf of 
Mexico, review the Revised Great Red Snapper Count Estimates and SSC 
Recommendations for re-evaluating Red Snapper Catch Advise, discuss any 
remaining SSC and Reef Fish Advisory Panel recommendations.
    Full Council will reconvene in a CLOSED SESSION for selection of 
IFQ Focus Group Participants.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022; 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., CST

    The Data Collection Committee will receive an update on Southeast 
For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) Program and review 
Draft Framework Action: Modification to Location Reporting Requirements 
for For-Hire Vessels and Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP) Recommendations. 
The Committee will receive a presentation on Update on Modifications to 
the Commercial Electronic Reporting Program. The Committee will receive 
an update on Upcoming Workshop to Evaluate State-federal Recreational 
Survey Differences.
    The Sustainable Fisheries Committee will review and discuss 
Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology and SSC Recommendations.
    Following lunch at approximately 1:30 p.m. CST, the Council will 
reconvene with a Call to Order, Announcements and Introductions, 
Adoption of Agenda and Approval of Minutes; and receive a presentation 
on Density Estimations of age-0 and age-1 Gray Triggerfish, Balistes 
capriscus, and Vermilion Snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, from 2007 to 
2015, in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
    The Council will hold public testimony from 2:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 
CST on Final Action Item: Framework Action: Modification of Vermilion 
Snapper Catch Limits; and open testimony on other fishery issues or 
concerns. Public comment may begin earlier than 2:15 p.m. CST, but will 
not conclude before that time. Persons wishing to give public testimony 
in-person must register at the registration kiosk in the meeting room. 
Persons wishing to give public testimony virtually must sign up on the 
Council website on the day of public testimony. Registration for 
virtual testimony closes one hour (1:15 p.m. CST) before public 
testimony begins.

Thursday, January 27, 2022; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., CST

    The Council will receive Committee reports from Habitat Protection 
and Restoration, Shrimp, Outreach and Education, Mackerel, Data 
Collection, Reef Fish and Sustainable Fisheries Management Committees. 
The Council will review Closed Session Report and receive updates from 
the following supporting agencies: South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council; Louisiana Law Enforcement Efforts; NOAA Office of Law 
Enforcement (OLE); Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission; U.S. Coast 
Guard; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Department of State.
    Lastly, the Council will discuss any Other Business items.

Meeting Adjourns

    The meeting will be a hybrid meeting offering options for both in-
person and virtual attendance. You may register for the webinar to 
``listen-in'' only by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org and click on the 
Council meeting tab.
    The timing and order in which agenda items are addressed may change 
as required to effectively address the issue, and the latest version 
along with other meeting materials will be posted on the website as 
they become available.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this group 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 these meeting. Actions 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 Act, provided that the public has been 
notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the 
emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid or accommodations should be directed to Kathy Pereira, 
(813) 348-1630, at least 15 days prior to the meeting date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 21, 2021.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-28073 Filed 12-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P