SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting information, including agendas, overviews, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council's website at: safmc.net/​council-meetings/​. Webinar registration links for the meeting will also be available from the Council's website.

Public comment: Public comment on agenda items may be submitted through the Council's online comment form available from the Council's website. ( printed page 73215) Written comments will be accepted from November 20, 2026, until December 11, 2026. These comments are accessible to the public, part of the Administrative Record of the meeting, and immediately available for Council consideration. A formal public comment session will also be held during the Council meeting.

The items of discussion in the individual meeting agendas are as follows:

Council Session I, Monday, December 7, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Until 10:30 a.m. (CLOSED SESSION)

The Council will meet in closed session to receive a litigation brief, if needed, and make appointments to advisory panels (AP) and SEDAR assessments and topical working groups. The Council will update the Golden Crab AP based on current permit holders and make appointments to the System Management Plan Workgroup. The Council will also discuss topics addressed during the Executive Committee's October 2026 closed session.

Council Session I, Monday, December 7, 2026, 10:45 a.m. Until 5 p.m.

The Council will receive reports on the following: litigation, law enforcement, Council liaisons, staff, the Council Coordination Committee, the East Coast Coordination Group, the Shrimp Workgroup, and the Scientific and Statistic Committee (SSC). The NMFS Southeast Regional Office (SERO) and Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) will provide updates to the Council, including how the agency intends to prioritize mandates under Executive Order “Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation”. The Council will receive an update on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) AP and annual meeting. The Council will discuss various topics under its Resilient Fisheries Initiative, a developing comprehensive amendment to the Snapper Grouper and Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plans and approve topics for the 2027 meeting of its Law Enforcement AP.

SEDAR Catch Advice and Data Committee, Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Until 2:30 p.m.

The Committee will receive a report on updated recreational data from the Marine Recreational Information Program and the Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive (RAPID) and a presentation on the use of discards information in management from the SEFSC. The Committee will also receive and overview and consider approving the Standardized Bycatch Reduction Methodology review and conduct the stock risk rating for red grouper.

Dolphin Wahoo Committee, Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 2:45 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

The Committee will receive a presentation on the Dolphin Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE), the SSC's recommendations, and hold a general discussion on approaches to dolphin management.

Golden Crab Committee, Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Until 9:30 a.m.

The Committee will receive an update on the golden crab fishery and discuss the recent public request to remove the Southern Zone small-vessel sub-zone. If needed, the Committee will consider convening the Golden Crab AP in 2027 and approve topics for the AP's agenda.

Snapper Grouper Committee, Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Thursday, December 10, 8:30 a.m. Until 2:30 p.m.

The Committee will receive updates from SERO on amendments undergoing rulemaking, Exempted Fishing Permit applications (if any), and the 2026 Federal Red Snapper recreational season. The Committee will receive feedback from the Snapper Grouper AP on various topics throughout the meeting. The Committee will discuss Amendment 60 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan addressing commercial management measures and consider the amendment for final approval. After reviewing public comment, the Committee will also consider final approval of Amendment 44 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan addressing jurisdictional and sector allocations of yellowtail snapper and mutton snapper, and Regulatory Amendment 39 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan addressing sunsetting of Spawning Special Management Zones.

Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 4 p.m. —Public comment will be accepted from individuals attending the meeting in person and via webinar on all items on the Council's meeting agenda. The Council Chair will determine the amount of time provided to each commenter based on the number of individuals wishing to comment.

The Committee will continue discussing Regulatory Amendment 38 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan, which addresses vessel limits for headboats and catch levels for golden tilefish and consider approving the amendment for public hearings. The Committee will receive an overview of Regulatory Amendment 40 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan, which considers re-opening seasonal closed areas to on-demand black sea bass pots, and consider approving the amendment for public hearings. The Committee will receive an update on the black grouper MSE and review AP comments and draft conclusions and recommendations for the Wreckfish Individual Transferable Quota Program Review, which the Committee will consider for final approval. The Committee will review recommendations from stakeholders on the Wreckfish Adaptive Implementable Management project and receive a presentation on the Florida hogfish stock assessment and the SSC's feedback.

Citizen Science Committee, Thursday, December 10, 2:45 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

The Committee will review the Citizen Science Program's growth and scope of projects, a cross regional collaborative science proposal, and the Citizen Science Program's indicators for 2026. Lastly, the Committee will receive an update on the Program.

Council Session II, Friday, December 11, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 p.m.

The Council will reconvene in closed session to conduct the Executive Director's annual review. The Council will then meet in open session to review its workplan, reports from the committees that met during the week and the October 2026 report from the Executive Committee. The Council will conclude its meeting by reviewing upcoming meetings, and discussing any other business as needed.

Documents informing agenda topics are available from the Council office (see ADDRESSES ).

Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified 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 Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be ( printed page 73216) directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES ) 5 days prior to the meeting.

Note:

The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject to change.

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

91 FR 73214