E6-21625. 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.

SUMMARY:

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a public meeting of the Shrimp Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES:

The Shrimp AP meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Hilton Houston Hobby Airport, 8181 Airport Blvd., Houston, TX 77061.

Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Richard Leard, Deputy Executive Director; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Shrimp AP will receive reports from the National Marine Fisheries Service on the status and health of the shrimp stocks as well as a report on the biological and economic aspects of the 2006 Cooperative Shrimp Closure with the state of Texas. The Shrimp AP may make recommendations for a cooperative closure with Texas for 2007. The Shrimp AP will review possible actions for the shrimp fishery as part of Amendment 27 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan (FMP)/Amendment 14 to the Shrimp FMP and additional potential actions to limit access and control effort in the shrimp fishery as part of a potential Amendment 15 to the Shrimp FMP. Joint Reef Fish Amendment 27/Shrimp Amendment 14 proposes actions that deal with adjustments to the total allowable catch (TAC) for red snapper; minimum size limits; bag limits; recreational season dates; and limitations on effort and bycatch for the shrimp fishery. Amendment 15 would potentially reduce effort and bycatch, as well as consider further measures to limit access to the shrimp fishery.

The Shrimp AP consists principally of commercial shrimp fishermen, dealers, and association representatives.

Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before the AP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Actions of the AP will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the emergency. Copies of the agenda can be obtained by calling [phone].

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Tina Trezza at the Council (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

Dated: December 14, 2006.

Tracey L. Thompson,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.