BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE008]
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of hybrid meeting open to the public offering both in-person and virtual
options for participation.
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a
four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will convene Monday, June 24 through Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Daily schedule is as follows: Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CDT.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Omni Hotel, located at 4 Riverway,
Houston, TX 77056. If you prefer to “listen in”, you may access the log-on information by
visiting our website at www.gulfcouncil.org.
Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 4107 W. Spruce
Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carrie Simmons, Executive
Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 348-1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Monday, June 24, 2024; 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., CDT
The meeting will begin with the Administrative/Budget Committee reviewing
modifications to Council’s Statement of Organization Practices and Procedures (SOPPS),
Reporting Requirement for Council Compensation, Considerations for Anti-Harassment

Training for Advisory Panel Members, Documentation of Participation Requirements for
Advisory Panel Members and Status Update on Inflation Reduction Act Funding for the
Regional Management Councils.
The Data Collection Committee will discuss draft options for the For-hire Data
Collection Program and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries
Guidance on Marine Recreational Information Program-Fishing Effort Survey (MRIP-FES)
Transition Document.
The Sustainable Fisheries Committee will review Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC) Recommendations and SEDAR Steering Committee Meeting Summary
from both May 2024 meetings.
Approximately 2:45 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., the Council will convene the Full Council
in a Closed Session to finalize appointments for Ad Hoc Commercial Red
Snapper/Grouper-Tilefish, Reef Fish and Shrimp Advisory Panels, and selection of the
Special Standing Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) members for the June 2024 2027 term.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024; 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., CDT
The Reef Fish Committee will convene to discuss Reef Fish Amendment 60:
Individual Fishing Quota Programmatic Distributional Issues, draft options for Reef Fish
Amendment 59: Requirements for Participation in Individual Fishing Quota Programs,
receive presentation on 20-Fathom Recreational Seasonal Closure for Shallow-water

Grouper and Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP) recommendations. The committee will discuss
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Letter to the Gulf Council on Lane Snapper
Overfishing and Reef Fish AP Recommendations, review Reef Fish Advisory Panel Charter
For-hire Buffer and Fishing Season for Red Snapper, and other business. The committee
will receive an update and next steps for Recreational Initiative and discuss Other Business:

2024 Recreational Season for Gag.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024; 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., CDT
The Mackerel Committee will review Draft Framework Amendment 14:
Modifications to Gulf Migratory Group Spanish Mackerel Catch Limits including Coastal
Migratory Pelagics (CMP) Advisory Panel Recommendations and Draft Framework
Amendment 15: Gulf Migratory Group King Mackerel Management Measures
Recommendations.
The Migratory Species Committee will review scoping document on Gear
Considerations in Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.
The Council will reconvene at approximately 10:45 a.m., CDT with a Call
to Order, Announcements and Introductions, Adoption of Agenda and Approval of Minutes.
The Council will receive a presentation update from Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) on Wind Energy Development in the Gulf of Mexico and Texas Law
Enforcement Efforts. The Council will hold public testimony beginning at 1:30 p.m. to 5
p.m., CDT for comments on Scoping Document: Gear Consideration in Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species, comments on the Status of the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fisheries, and
open testimony on other fishery issues or concerns. Public comment may begin earlier than
1:30 p.m. CDT but will not conclude before that time. Persons wishing to give public

testimony in-person must register at the registration kiosk in the meeting room. Persons
wishing to give public testimony virtually must sign up on the Council website on the day of
public testimony. Registration for virtual testimony closes one hour (12:30 p.m. CDT)
before public testimony begins.
Thursday, June 27, 2024; 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., CDT
The Council will receive a presentation on Flower Garden Banks Management
Considerations for Wahoo and an Overview of Regulatory Options for Management of

Wahoo. Next, Committee reports will be received from Administrative/Budget, Data
Collection, Closed Session, Reef Fish, Mackerel and Migratory Species Committee. The
Council will receive updates from the following supporting agencies: South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council Liaison; NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE); Gulf States
Marine Fisheries Commission; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and
Department of State.
Lastly, the Council will hold a discussion for Council Planning and Primary
Activities; and Other Business items: Litigation Update and Briefing Book Deadlines.
- Meeting Adjourns
The meeting will be a hybrid meeting; both in-person and virtual participation
available. You may register for the webinar to listen-in only by visiting
www.gulfcouncil.org and click on the Council meeting on the calendar.
The timing and order in which agenda items are addressed may change as required to
effectively address the issue, and the latest version along with other meeting materials will
be posted on the website as they become available.
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before
this group for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those issues may not be the subject of
formal action during these meetings. Actions will be restricted to those issues specifically.
listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require
emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided that 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
sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid or accommodations should be directed to
Kathy Pereira, (813) 348-1630, at least 15 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 3, 2024.

Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2024-12440 Filed: 6/5/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/6/2024]