National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 14, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The SEDAR 16 Assessment Panel will be holding a conference call to review preliminary assessment model results, select a preferred assessment model, and discuss future analysis needs. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The SEDAR Steering Committee will meet via conference call to discuss assessment updates to be completed during 2009. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Standard Operating, Policy and Procedure (SOPPs) Committee, Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session), Ecosystem-based Management Committee, Shrimp Committee, Spiny Lobster Committee, Limited Access Privilege (LAP) Program Committee, Allocation Committee, SSC Selection Committee (Closed Session), Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel, and a meeting of the full Council. The Council will also hold a public comment session regarding Amendment 15B to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP) addressing the sale of bag limit snapper grouper species, methods to reduce the effects of incidental hooking on sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish, commercial permit renewal periods and transferability requirements, implementation of a plan to monitor and access bycatch, establishment of reference points, such as Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and Optimum Yield (OY) for golden tilefish, and establishment of allocations for snowy grouper and red porgy. In addition, the Council will hold a public comment session regarding Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper FMP addressing measures to end overfishing for gag grouper and vermilion snapper and interim allocations of these two species for commercial and recreational fisheries. The Council will also hold a public comment for emergency or interim measures to address overfishing of red snapper if the Council proposes such. A presentation on the Lenfest Ocean Report regarding Annual Catch Limits will be given as part of the Council meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional details.

This notice advises the public that the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will postpone a meeting of the Hawaii Archipelago Regional Ecosystem Advisory Committee in Honolulu, HI scheduled for Friday, May 16, 2008.

NMFS is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 4, 2007. The final rule implemented Amendment 85 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) as partially approved by NMFS. In addition, NMFS is correcting another final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 14, 2007. This final rule implemented Amendment 80 to the FMP.