The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet June 17 - 21, 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Grand Hotel, 200 East Gregory Street in Pensacola, Florida. Council Committees will convene Monday afternoon beginning at 1:30.
The full Council will convene Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. and is expected to adjourn by1:00 pm Friday. Agenda highlights are summarized below.
Committee meetings will open Monday with the Red Drum Management Committee's review of the updated Gulf of Mexico red drum sampling protocols. The Mackerel Management Committee will then meet to:
- Review SEDAR 28 Gulf of Mexico Spanish Mackerel & Cobia Stock Assessments;
- Review the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Advisory Panel's recommendations and Public Hearing Drafts of Amendments 19 and 20, and;
- Discuss schedule for Amendment 22 - Recreational and Commercial Allocation of King Mackerel.
The Administrative Policy Committee meets at 4:00, followed by a closed session of the full council to appoint members to advisory panels and committees.
The Reef Fish Management Committee will meet all day Tuesday, and again Wednesdaymorning to review and discuss:
- SEDAR 31 Red Snapper Benchmark Assessment and SSC Recommendations for ABC;
- Allocation Overview;
- Scoping Document for Amendment 28 - Red Snapper Allocation;
- Amendment 39 - Recreational Red Snapper Regional Management;
- Amendment 36 - Red Snapper IFQ 5-Year Review;
- For-Hire Days-at-Sea Pilot Program;
- Goliath Grouper Science & Stakeholder Workshop;
- White Paper on Live Animal Collection for Public Displays;
- Status of Action to Define For-Hire Fishing Under Contractual Services, and;
- Exempted Fishing Permits Related to Reef Fish (if any).
Immediately following the Committee recess Tuesday, the Council and NOAA Fisheries will hold an informal Question and Answer session on general fishery management issues.
The Data Collection Committee will convene Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. to take final action on a Framework Action for Headboat Electronic Reporting Requirements. The committee will also review a scoping document for Improving Private Recreational Red Snapper Fisheries Data.
The Joint Artificial Reef/Habitat Protection Committees will receive a summary and review an Options Paper on Fixed Petroleum Platforms and Artificial Reefs as Essential Fish Habitat, and the Shrimp Management Committee, after receiving a summary report from the Shrimp Advisory Panel meeting held in May, will discuss a Framework Action to Establish Funding Responsibilities for the Electronic Logbook Program.
Sustainable seafood Certification is on the agenda for the Sustainable Fisheries/Ecosystem Management Committee. The Committee will also draft the Framework Action - Update Tier 3 ACLs with new MRIP Landings.
Finally, the Ad Hoc Restoration Committee will receive state updates on early restoration projects and discuss the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Restoration Project Proposals.
The full Council will convene Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Select committee reports will be reviewed in the morning, and at 1:00 p.m. the Council will take public comment on the following:
- Framework Action to Require Electronic Reporting for Headboats
- Reef Fish Amendment 39 - Regional Management of Recreational Red Snapper
- Framework Action to Fund Electronic Logbook Program for the Shrimp Fishery
- Exempted fishing permits (if any)
The Council will also hold an open public comment session to give members of the public an opportunity to address the Council on fishery issues that may not be on the agenda. Open public comment will be taken immediately following public testimony until 5:00 pm. Anyone wishing to speak must sign up prior to the comment period.
Beginning Friday at 8:30 am, the Council will deliberate and take action on the remaining committee recommendations made earlier in the week.
Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before the Council and Committees for discussion, in accordance with the M-SFCMA, those issues may not be the subjects of formal action. Actions of the Council and Committees will be restricted to issues specifically identified in the agendas and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) of the M-SFCMA, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.
The established times for addressing items on the agenda may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the timely completion of discussion relevant to the agenda items. In order to allow for such adjustments and completion of all items on the agenda, the meeting may be extended from, or completed prior to, the date established in this notice. Meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kathy Pereira at the Council office at least five days prior to the meeting.
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