This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Award No. NA07FC0015.

NEWS RELEASE
RELEASE: AS APPROPRIATE
CONTACT: WAYNE E. SWINGLE

GULF COUNCIL TO MEET IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Tampa, Florida - February 25, 2000 - The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its March 20-23, 2000 meeting at the Adams Mark Riverwalk Hotel, 111 Pecan Street East, San Antonio, Texas. No public testimony is scheduled during the Council session as none of the actions taken will be final action affecting the public.

The Administrative Policy Committee will meet on Monday beginning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the legal status of National Standard Guidelines. The Habitat Protection Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. to hear a report on the effects of using oil dispersants on marine organisms in shallow water, and a report on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) workshop on the effects of fishing gear on the habitat. The Red Drum Management Committee will meet at 11:30 a.m. to review recommendations of the Red Drum Stock Assessment Panel for a subsequent meeting to review a new stock assessment. At 1:00 p.m., there will be a joint meeting of the Reef Fish and Mackerel Management Committees to review the proposal from the Ad Hoc Charter Vessel/Headboat Advisory Panel for a new federal permitting system for recreational for-hire vessels. Such a system would require development of a fishery management plan (FMP) amendment for consideration by the public at hearings later in the year. The full Council will discuss the proposal from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Wednesday.

The Stone Crab Management Committee will meet on Tuesday beginning at 8:30 a.m. to hear a report on a trap certificate program for the stone crab fishery, that is under development by the state of Florida. The Shrimp Management Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the scoping workshop summaries on the Options Paper for Shrimp Amendment 10 which addresses reduction of trawl bycatch in the eastern Gulf. Based on that review, the Committee will recommend further action to the Council. At 10:30 a.m., there will be a joint meeting of the Ad Hoc Marine Reserves Committee and the Reef Fish Management Committee to discuss an Options Paper for Tortugas 2000 Marine Reserves Amendment. Based on that discussion a draft amendment will be developed for Council consideration at the May, 2000 meeting. At 1:00 p.m. the Mackerel Management Committee will meet to review recommendations from an InterCouncil Committee meeting of the Gulf, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils regarding a potential Dolphin/Wahoo Fishery Management Plan and will develop recommendations regarding future actions, including scheduling of public hearings. At 2:30 p.m. the Reef Fish Management Committee will meet to review a Preliminary Amendment 18 Scoping Document. This document will eventually become a major amendment regulating primarily the grouper fishery. At this preliminary state the Committee and Council will be identifying management measures for which staff should develop analyses of the biological, economic, and social impacts. Development of the draft amendment will continue over the next several Council meetings, with public hearings likely being scheduled in the fall.

The Council will consider the committee reports on Wednesday afternoon and on Thursday morning will consider the remaining committee reports and reports of meetings attended by Council representatives.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in the agenda may come before the Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), those issues may not be the subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council 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 MSFCMA, provided the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. A copy of the Committee schedule and agenda can be obtained by calling (813) 228-2815.

The meeting is open to the public and is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office by March 13, 2000.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is 1 of 8 regional fishery management councils that were established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council prepares fishery management plans that are designed to manage fishery resources in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

This news release, and other Council news releases, can be viewed at the Council’s web site at http://www.gulfcouncil.org. In addition, Council press releases may be received via e-mail by sending a blank e-mail message to pressreleases@gulfcouncil.org with SUBSCRIBE as the subject.

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