South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

The meetings will be held at the Sea Palms Resort, 5445 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA; telephone: (912) 638-3351. Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306; Charleston, SC 29407-4699.

Meeting Dates

March 1, 1999, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.--Joint Law Enforcement Committee and Law Enforcement AP: The Law Enforcement Committee and Law Enforcement AP will hear a report on the South Carolina/NMFS cooperative law enforcement grant, develop recommendations on the use of tailing permits in the spiny lobster fishery, develop criteria for establishing marine reserves from a law enforcement perspective, discuss development of law enforcement threat analysis for marine reserves, review a request from Georgia to establish new special management zones, receive an update on the use of the forward looking infrared radar (FLIR) system by law enforcement, and hear a status report of vessel monitoring systems in the Southeast. March 2, 1999, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Marine Reserves Committee: The Marine Reserves Committee will review a proposal for the use of artificial reefs in the South Atlantic, as well as review a document outlining the Council's intent concerning the use of marine reserves as a management tool in the South Atlantic. March 2, 1999, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; March 3, 1999, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Dolphin/Wahoo Committee: The Dolphin/Wahoo Committee will hear the status of the Council's request to be lead in management of the Dolphin/Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP), hear the status of the Council's request for publication of a control date for the dolphin fishery, and hear a report on dolphin and wahoo data analysis. The Committee also will discuss the structure of the Dolphin Wahoo FMP, as well as review and revise FMP management options. March 3, 1999, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.--Snapper-Grouper Committee: The Snapper-Grouper Committee will review the wreckfish assessment report and develop recommendations for establishing the annual wreckfish quota, as well as other framework measures, review the red porgy stock assessment report, and the Snapper-Grouper Assessment Group report. March 4, 1999, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.--AP Selection Committee (closed session): The AP Selection Committee will review AP membership applications and develop appointment recommendations. March 4, 1999, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.--Council Session: The Council will hear reports from the AP Selection Committee (closed session), as well as the Executive and Snapper-Grouper Committees. At 11:15 a.m., the Council will be briefed on conflict-of-interest and recusal regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). At 1:30 p.m. (closed session), the Council will appoint AP members. At 2:00 p.m., the Council will discuss the outcome of the appeals process regarding Snapper-Grouper Amendment 8, as well as review the proposed format for stock assessment and fishery evaluation (SAFE) reports. At 4:30 p.m., the Council will take public comment on the Gulf Council's Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) Amendment before considering amendment approval. At 5:00 p.m., the Council will take public comment on the proposed 1999-2000 wreckfish quota and any proposed framework measures, as well as on resubmission of the rejected measure establishing an amberjack trip limit in Snapper-Grouper Amendment 9. The Council also willtake action to establish the annual wreckfish quota, approve other wreckfish framework measures, and address the Snapper-Grouper Amendment 9 rejected measure concerning the greater amberjack trip limit. March 5, 1999, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon--Council Session; The Council will hear reports from the Marine Reserves, Dolphin/ Wahoo and Law Enforcement Committees. At 10:00 a.m., the Council also will hear status reports on from the NMFS on the Snapper-Grouper Amendment 9 emergency rule, the 1999 mackerel framework, as well as Mackerel Amendment 9 quotas for Atlantic king mackerel, Gulf king mackerel in the Eastern Zone, Atlantic Spanish mackerel, snowy grouper and golden tilefish, South Atlantic octocorals and greater amberjack. At 10:30 a.m. the Council will hear reports on the Council/NMFS policy meeting, the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, the Council operations plan, and the status of the Savannah Harbor Project before hearing agency and liaison reports. Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before the Council, its APs, and Committees for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal Council, Committee and AP action during this meeting. Actions will be restricted to those issues specifically

identified in the agenda listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) by February 22, 1999.

Dated: February 9, 1999. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 99-3682 Filed 2-12-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F