The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet April 14 – 17, 2009, in New Orleans, Louisiana at the W Hotel, 333 Poydras Street. Council Committees will convene Tuesday through Thursday morning, with the full Council convening Thursday afternoon through Friday. Agenda highlights are summarized below. For a copy of the detailed agenda or to review briefing book materials, please visit www.gulfcouncil.org or call 888-833-1844.
On Tuesday the Data Committee will hear presentations on an electronic logbook pilot project; a text message-based reporting pilot project; and satellite-based environmental data collection. The Committee will also hear a report of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Fisheries Information Network (FIN) Committee Meeting.
Wednesday the Sustainable Fisheries-Ecosystem Committee will review a discussion paper for a generic amendment addressing the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSRA) requirement to incorporate annual catch limits and accountability measures into all fishery management plans. The Committee will also select locations for scoping meetings, which will be held sometime this summer to garner public input on how to proceed with the amendment.
Also on Wednesday, the Reef Fish Management Committee will review a draft of Reef Fish Amendment 31, which addresses the issue of turtle interactions with bottom longline gear in the Gulf of Mexico. A recent report by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center shows the estimated take of sea turtles in the bottom longline fishery in the Gulf of Mexico exceeds the authorized bycatch allowance. The Council is required by the Endangered Species Act to take action to provide protection for threatened loggerhead sea turtles from interactions with fishing gear. Similarly, National Standard 9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires the Council to reduce bycatch to the extent practicable, and where it cannot be reduced, to reduce bycatch mortality.
Other issues coming before the Reef Fish Management Committee include:
• A summary report of Socioeconomic Panel meeting
• A discussion on the allocation of species included in Reef Fish Amendments 30A and 30B
• A status report on the gag and red grouper update assessments
Wednesday evening the Council and NOAA Fisheries will host an informal Question and Answer Session on Gulf of Mexico fishery management issues.
Thursday morning the Administrative Policy Committee will review draft changes to the Council’s Statement of Organization Practices and Procedures (SOPPs) based on the MSRA requirements, and the Outreach & Education Committee will hear a report of the Outreach & Education Advisory Panel meeting.
On Thursday afternoon, April 16, 2009, the full Council will convene at 1:30 p.m. Public testimony is scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m. Testimony will be accepted on 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 for one hour immediately following public testimony.
Beginning at 2:45 Thursday and running through Friday afternoon, the full Council will meet to deliberate and take action on 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 subject of formal action during these meetings. Actions of the Council and Committees will be restricted to those 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 Tina O’Hern at the Council five days prior to the meeting.
