[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31748-31750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11394]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA179]
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will
hold meetings of the following: Information and Education Committee;
Dolphin Wahoo Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee; Citizen Science Committee;
Executive Committee; and Mackerel Cobia Committee. The meeting week
will also include a formal public comment session and meeting of the
Full Council (partially Closed Session). Due to public health concerns
associated with COVID-19 and current travel restrictions, the meeting
originally planned for Key West, FL will be held via webinar.
DATES: The Council meeting will be held from 10 a.m. on Monday, June 8,
2020, until 12 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Meeting address: The meeting will be held via webinar.
Webinar registration is required. Details are included in SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information
Officer, SAFMC; phone: (843) 302-8440 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10;
fax: (843) 769-4520; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting information, including agendas,
overviews, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council's
website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. Webinar
registration links for each meeting day will also be available from the
Council's website.
Public comment: Written comments may be directed to John
Carmichael, Executive Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (see Council address) or electronically via the Council's
website at http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/. Comments
received by close of business the Monday before the meeting (6/1/20)
will be compiled, posted to the website as part of the meeting
materials, and included in the administrative record; please use the
Council's online form available from the website. For written comments
received after the Monday before the meeting (after 6/1/20),
individuals submitting a comment must use the Council's online form
available from the website. Comments will automatically be posted to
the website and available for Council consideration. Comments received
prior to 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2020 will be a part of the
meeting administrative record.
The items of discussion in the individual meeting agendas are as
follows:
[[Page 31749]]
Council Session (Closed)--Monday, June 8, 2020, 10 a.m. Until 10:45
a.m.
The Council will meet in full session and receive an overview of
the process for conducting the meeting via webinar. The Council will
also review applicants for the Council's Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC), and the Socio-Economic Panel (SEP) and make
appointments as necessary. A legal briefing on litigation will also be
held if needed.
Information and Education Committee, Monday, June 8, 2020, 11 a.m.
Until 12 p.m.
1. The Committee will receive a report from the Information and
Education Advisory Panel.
2. The Committee will receive an update on the Best Fishing
Practices outreach campaign, review the draft Best Practices web page,
receive a briefing on upcoming outreach activities and provide
direction to staff.
Dolphin Wahoo Committee, Monday, June 8, 2020, 1:30 p.m. Until 4:30
p.m.
1. The Committee will receive catch level recommendations from the
SSC for dolphin and wahoo and take action as necessary. The Committee
will also receive an update on the Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the
Highly Migratory Species longline fishery.
2. The Committee will receive an overview of draft Amendment 10 to
the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP) with actions that
currently address: Revisions to recreational data and catch level
recommendations, redefining Optimum Yield in the dolphin fishery,
modifications to accountability measures, and other management
revisions to the dolphin and wahoo fisheries. The Committee will review
the draft Amendment and provide direction to staff.
3. The Committee will receive an overview of draft Amendment 12 to
the Dolphin Wahoo FMP with measures to add bullet mackerel and frigate
mackerel as Ecosystem Component species to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP and
provide guidance to staff.
4. The Committee will receive an update from staff on the Dolphin
Wahoo Participatory Workshops and also provide recommendations for Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council representation on the Dolphin Wahoo
Advisory Panel.
Snapper Grouper Committee, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, 9 a.m. Until 4:30
p.m.
1. The Committee will receive updates from NOAA Fisheries the
status of amendments under formal Secretarial review, including
Regulatory Amendment 33 to the Snapper Grouper FMP and the 2020 Red
Snapper Season.
2. The Committee will review impacts of COVID-19 on the snapper
grouper fishery and discuss potential management responses.
3. The Committee will receive reports on the greater amberjack
stock assessment from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center
(SEFSC) and from the SSC, and discuss and determine the Acceptable
Biological Catch (ABC) and management response.
4. The Committee will receive an overview of Regulatory Amendment
34 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP) addressing
proposed Special Management Zone (SMZ) designation for artificial reefs
in federal waters off North Carolina and South Carolina, review public
hearing comments, make edits to the Amendment as appropriate and
provide recommendations for final Secretarial approval.
5. The Committee will receive reports on the red porgy stock
assessment from NOAA Fisheries SEFSC and from the SSC, and discuss and
determine the ABC and management response.
SEDAR Committee, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 9 a.m. Until 10 a.m.
The Committee will receive an update on SEDAR stock assessment
activities, a report from the SEDAR Steering Committee, and approve
Terms of Reference for upcoming stock assessments.
Citizen Science Committee, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 10 a.m. Until 12
p.m.
1. The Committee will provide guidance on the Citizen Science
Program Evaluation including program goals, objectives, strategies, and
indicators, and discuss the program evaluation plan.
2. The Committee will also receive programmatic and project
updates.
Executive Committee, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 1:30 p.m. Until 2:30
p.m.
1. The Committee will review the Council Priorities and workplan
and provide revisions as needed.
2. The Committee will receive an update on the Council Coordination
Committee Meeting.
3. The Committee will also review and provide recommendations on
policies relative to: Internal research funding and selection process;
staff performance evaluation process; and sexual harassment prevention
training.
Mackerel Cobia Committee, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 2:30 p.m. Until
3:45 p.m.
1. The Committee will receive an update on the current status of
amendments under formal Secretarial review.
2. The Committee will receive reports on the king mackerel stock
assessment from NOAA Fisheries SEFSC and from the SSC, and discuss and
determine the ABC and management response.
3. The Committee will review impacts of COVID-19 on the mackerel
cobia fishery and discuss potential management responses.
Formal Public Comment, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 4 p.m.--Public
comment will be accepted via webinar on items on the Council meeting
agenda scheduled to be approved for Secretarial Review: Regulatory
Amendment 34 to the Snapper Grouper FMP (SMZ designations for
artificial reefs off NC and SC). Public comment will also be accepted
on all other agenda items. The Council Chair, based on the number of
individuals wishing to comment, will determine the amount of time
provided to each commenter.
Council Session: Thursday, June 11, 2020, 9 a.m. Until 12 p.m.
The Full Council will begin with the Call to Order, adoption of the
agenda, and approval of minutes.
The Council will receive updates from staff regarding allocation
discussions by the Council's Socio-Economic Panel and a recently
released report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office
providing recommendations for documented processes for allocation
reviews. The Council will discuss and provide direction to staff.
The Council will receive a staff report on the impacts of COVID-19
on the Council office operations, reports from state agency
representatives on COVID-19 impacts, and an update on the status of the
CARES Act relative to COVID-19 relief funds. The Council will discuss
impacts, consider any necessary response including emergency action,
and take action as appropriate.
The Council will receive an update on the Joint Council Workgroup
on Section 102 of the Modern Fish Act and provide guidance to the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council representatives on the workgroup.
NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office staff will provide an
update on the status of the For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment.
The Council will review any Exempted Fishing Permits received as
needed and provide recommendations.
[[Page 31750]]
The Council will receive reports from the following committees:
Information and Education; Dolphin Wahoo; Snapper Grouper; SEDAR;
Citizen Science; Mackerel Cobia; and Executive; and review the SSC
Selection Recommendations. The Council will take action as appropriate.
The Council will receive agency and liaison reports, discuss other
business and upcoming meetings, and take action as necessary.
Documents regarding these issues are available from the Council
office (see ADDRESSES).
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 auxiliary aids should be directed to the
Council office (see ADDRESSES) 5 days prior to the meeting.
Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are
subject to change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 21, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-11394 Filed 5-26-20; 8:45 am]
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