[Federal Register: July 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 140)]
[Notices]               
[Page 39272]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22jy98-37]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 071598E]

 
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 will convene a 
public meeting of the Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel (RFSAP).

DATES: This meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4 and 
conclude by 12:00 noon on Thursday, August 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. 
Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619; telephone: 813-228-
2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel members 
will meet to review the NMFS Gulf of Mexico gag stock assessment that 
was prepared in October 1997. The RFSAP conducted a preliminary review 
of this assessment in October 1997, but was unable to complete the 
review due to insufficient time.
    The RFSAP will also review a new Gulf of Mexico vermilion snapper 
stock assessment by NMFS, and will recommend a range of allowable 
biological catch (ABC) to prevent overfishing from occurring. Vermilion 
snapper in the Gulf of Mexico were identified by NMFS in its September 
1997 Report to Congress on the Status of Fisheries of the United States 
as a stock that is approaching an overfished condition. A stock is 
considered to be approaching an overfished condition if, based on 
trends in fishing effort, fishery resource size, and other appropriate 
factors, NMFS estimates that the fishery will become overfished within 
two years. As a result of this designation, the Council is required to 
take action within one year to prevent overfishing from occurring in 
the fishery.
    In addition to reviewing the stock assessments, the RFSAP may 
review overfishing definitions and proxies for maximum sustainable 
yield (MSY) for gag and vermilion snapper, as required under the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996.
    Copies of the agenda can be obtained by calling 813-228-2815.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
the Panel/Committee for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda listed 
in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is 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 
July 28, 1998.

    Dated: July 16, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-19512 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F