This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Award No. NA17FC1052.

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RELEASE: AS APPROPRIATE
CONTACT: WAYNE E. SWINGLE

ADVISORY GROUPS WILL REVIEW PROPOSAL FOR A MORATORIUM ON FEDERAL CHARTER VESSEL PERMITS.

Tampa, Florida - February 6, 2001 - An advisory panel whose members consist of charter and head boat captains and charterboat association representatives, and two scientific committees will separately review the provisions of the Draft Amendment for a Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit Moratorium (Amendment) and provide recommendations to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council).

The Council’s Ad Hoc Charter Vessel/Headboat Advisory Panel (AP) will review the amendment on Thursday, March 1, 2001 beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the Hilton Tampa Airport Hotel, 2225 Lois Avenue, Tampa, Florida. In addition to review of the amendment the AP will review summaries of the ten public hearings on the amendment.

The Council’s Socioeconomic Panel (SEP), which consists of economists and social scientists will review the amendment on Friday, March 2, 2001 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Hilton Tampa Airport Hotel.

The Council’s Standing Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) which consists of biological and other scientists will review the amendment on Wednesday, March 7, 2001, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the Hilton Tampa Airport Hotel. The SSC will also review the recommendations of the SEP on the amendment provisions.

The amendment includes a large number of alternatives that address the following issue:

  1. Duration of Moratorium and Alternatives Instead of a Moratorium
  2. A New Gulf Permit for the Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fisheries
  3. Initial Eligibility Requirements for Permits and/or Endorsements
  4. Annual Permit and Endorsement Transfers During the Moratorium
  5. Vessel Passenger Restriction on Permit Transfers
  6. Annual Reissuance of Permits Not Renewed (or Permanently Revoked)
  7. Appeals Process under the Moratorium
  8. Reporting Requirements to Maintain the New Gulf Permit/Endorsement

The Alternatives included in the amendment were developed by the AP and the Council. The meetings are all open to the public. A copy of each agenda or the amendment can be obtained by calling 813-228-2815. (An Adobe Acrobat file of the amendment can be downloaded from the Downloadable Files page of the Gulf Council website (http://www.gulfcouncil.org).

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 February 22, 2001.

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, as amended. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council prepares fishery management plans that are designed to manage fishery resources to the 200-mile limit in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

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