81 FR 50688 - Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 148 (August 2, 2016)

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).

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50688-50689]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18218]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE768


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 
hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of 
Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, August 15, 2016, 
and end at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza hotel, 
located at 739 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA; telephone: (504) 962-
0500.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. 
Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

Monday, August 15, 2016; 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    The Gulf Council will begin with updates and presentations from 
administrative and management committees. The Administrative/Budget 
Committee will discuss the Final 2014 No-cost Extension Expenditures; 
review the Revised Budgets for 2017-2019; review and approve the 
Updated Regional Operating Agreement with National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS); hold a discussion regarding Scientific and Statistical 
Committee (SSC) members also being State Designees; discuss Council 
Committee Assignments; and review Administrative Handbook revisions. 
The Data Collection Management Committee will receive a presentation on 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's (NFWF) For-Hire Pilot Program; 
review modifications to the Generic Charter Vessel and Headboat 
Reporting Requirements, cost analysis of Commercial Electronic 
Reporting Program and Atlantic States' Coastal Cooperative Statistics 
Program Meeting Summary. The Joint Coral/Habitat Protection Management 
Committees will review a draft of the 5-year Essential Fish Habitat 
(EFH) review; receive a summary of the Joint Shrimp Advisory Panel 
(AP)/Coral SSC/AP meeting; review a letter regarding the Flower Garden 
Banks National Marine Sanctuary Draft Environmental Impact Statement; 
and hold a discussion on fishing regulations for the Flower Garden 
National Marine Sanctuary.
    There will be a CLOSED SESSION to discuss appointments for the Ad 
Hoc Private Recreational Advisory Panel from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016; 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    The Reef Fish Management Committee will review draft Amendment 
36A--Commercial Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Modifications; Headboat 
Collaborative Project; draft Amendment 46--Modify Gray Triggerfish 
Rebuilding Plan; draft Amendment 42--Reef Fish Recreational Management 
for Headboat Survey Vessels; and, draft Amendment 41--Red Snapper 
Management for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016; 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    The Reef Fish Management Committee will review an options paper for 
Amendment 44--Minimum Stock Size Threshold (MSST) for Reef Fish Stocks; 
discuss the carryover of unharvested Red Snapper allocations; and 
receive a summary on the Standing and Special Reef Fish SSC Report. The 
Mackerel Management Committee will review an options paper for Coastal 
Migratory Pelagics (CMP) Amendment 29--Allocation Sharing and 
Accountability Measures for Gulf King Mackerel.
    The Full Council will convene mid-morning (approximately 11:15 
a.m.) with Call to Order, Announcements, presentation of the Law 
Enforcement Officer of the Year Award and Introductions. Induction of 
Council Members; Adoption of Agenda and Approval of Minutes; and review 
of Exempt Fishing Permit (EFPs) Applications, if any. After lunch (12 
p.m. to 1:30 p.m.), the Council will receive a summary from the 
Artificial Reef Summit; Joint Law Enforcement Presentation; and NMFS-
SERO Landing Summaries. The Council will receive public testimony from 
2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Agenda Testimony item: Flower Garden Banks 
National Marine Sanctuary Draft Environmental Impact Statement; and, 
hold an open public testimony period regarding any other fishery issues 
or concern. Anyone wishing to speak during public comment should sign 
in at the registration station located at the entrance to the meeting 
room.

Thursday, August 18, 2016; 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

    The Council will receive committee reports from the Administrative/
Budget, Data Collection, Joint Coral/Habitat Protection, and Mackerel 
Management Committees. After lunch (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.), the Council 
will receive a committee report from the Reef Fish Management 
Committee; and, vote on Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) applications, if 
any. The Council will receive updates from supporting agencies: South 
Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Gulf States Marine Fisheries 
Commission; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and, the 
Department of State.
    Lastly, the Council will discuss any Other Business items; and, 
hold an election for Chair and Vice Chair.

Meeting Adjourns

    The timing and order in which agenda items are addressed may change 
as required to effectively address the issue. The latest version will 
be posted on the Council's file server, which can be accessed by going 
to the Council's Web site at http://www.gulfcouncil.org and clicking on 
FTP Server under Quick Links. For meeting materials, select the 
``Briefing Books/Briefing Book 2016-08''

[[Page 50689]]

folder on Gulf Council file server. The username and password are both 
``gulfguest.'' The meetings will be webcast over the internet. A link 
to the webcast will be available on the Council's Web site, at http://www.gulfcouncil.org.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council 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 Act, 
provided that the public has been notified of the Council'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 Kathy Pereira (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: July 28, 2016.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18218 Filed 8-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P