<PRE>
[Federal Register: April 2, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 63)]
[Notices]               
[Page 15549-15550]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ap02-51]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032602F]

 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene public meetings to discuss the content of a Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Council's Generic 
Amendment for Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) in the Gulf of Mexico and 
potential alternatives.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Tuesday April 16, 2002 in Silver 
Spring, MD, and Wednesday, April 17, 2002 in Kenner, LA, from 9 a.m. to 
3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting on April 16, 2002 will be held at the Holiday 
Inn, 8777 Georgia Avenue (Route 97), Silver Spring, MD; telephone: 301-
589-0800. The meeting on April 17, 2002 will be held at the New Orleans 
Airport Hilton, 901 Airline Drive, Kenner, LA; telephone: 504-469-5000.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S.

[[Page 15550]]

Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi Lovett, MRAG Americas 
(Contractor), 110 South Hoover Blvd, Suite 212, Tampa, FL 33609; 
telephone: 813-639-9519; email: <A HREF="mailto:heidilovett@compuserve.com">heidilovett@compuserve.com</A>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meetings will begin with a focus group 
workshop of interested participants that will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 
noon, to discuss the PEIS for the Council's Generic Amendment for EFH 
in the Gulf of Mexico and to discuss structural components and 
potential alternatives. The goal is to get input from various 
stakeholders early in this process. A public comment session will be 
scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. These meetings are being coordinated by 
the Council's Consultant (MRAG Americas) that is developing the PEIS. 
These will not be the only workshops scheduled; other opportunities for 
public and stakeholders involvement exist through the PEIS development 
process and will be noticed accordingly. Interested participants/
attendees should contact Heidi Lovett.
    A copy of the agenda and related materials can be obtained by 
calling the Council office at 813-228-2815.
    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 sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) by April 9, 2002.

    Dated: March 27, 2002.
Theophilus R. Brainerd,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-7932 Filed 4-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

</PRE>