Gulf Council informed that it will convene its SEP meeting on March 26 – 27, 2009 at the Quorum Hotel, in Tampa. It is also told that the meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and conclude no later than 1:30 pm. Friday. The SEP is scheduled to discuss fisheries economics statistics in the Gulf of Mexico and United States, as well as fishery resource allocation issues, including allocation methods and data availability. According to Gulf Council the SEP is made up of Sociologists and Economists who advise the Council on social and economic issues related to fisheries management. It is said that other non-emergency issues not on the agenda but it may come before the SEP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (M-SFCMA), those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Gulf Council explained that the actions of the SEP will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda, as well as any issues that may arise after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) M-SFCMA. This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Please direct requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids to Tina O’Hern at the Council at least five working days prior to the meeting.
