June Council Meeting 2019

June 3 – 6, 2019

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

Bayside Ballroom
9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W.
Miramar Beach, FL  32550

850-267-8000

Note:  These tabs were updated on May 31

• Council Committee Roster (Tab A, No. 2)
• Committees and Council Agenda (Tab A, No. 3)
• Meetings Minutes from April 2019 Council (Tab A, No. 4)
• 2019 / 2020 Meeting Dates (Tab A, No. 5)
• Action Schedule (Tab A, No. 6)

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)—an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress—is conducting a study on allocation reviews for mixed-use fisheries (those with a combination of commercial, recreational, or for-hire fishing sectors) in federal waters of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.  GAO staff will be in attendance at the June 2019 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting and would like to meet with fishery stakeholders to discuss mixed-use fisheries allocations.  GAO will post a signup sheet in the area outside the Council meeting space.

Please direct any questions to [email protected]

8:30 AM – 9:15 AM: Closed Session (Tab T) – Dr. Frazer

• Agenda (Tab T, No. 1)
• Selection of Coral and Data Collection Advisory Panel (AP) Members

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Data Collection Committee (Tab F) – Dr. Stunz

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab F, No. 1) – Dr. Stunz
• Approval of April 2019 Minutes (Tab F, No. 2) – Dr. Stunz
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab F, No. 3) – Dr. Hollensead
• Review of Proposed Data Collection AP Charge (Tab F, No. 4) – Dr. Hollensead
• Discussion of Commercial Fishing Unique Trip Identifiers – GSFMC
• SEFHIER Implementation Plan Presentation (Tab F, No. 5) – SERO
• Other Business – Dr. Stunz

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Sustainable Fisheries Committee (Tab E) – Mr. Diaz

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab E, No. 1) – Mr. Diaz
• Approval of April 2019 Minutes (Tab E, No. 2) – Mr. Diaz
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab E, No. 3) – Dr. Hollensead
• Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018
  • Presentation (Tab E, No. 4a) – Ms. Hunt
  • Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act (Tab E, No. 4b)
• Committee Discussion on Allocation Issues

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Sustainable Fisheries Committee continued (Tab E) – Mr. Diaz

• Final Action:  Generic Amendment – Carryover Provisions and Framework Modifications
  • Document (Tab E, No. 6a) – Mr. Rindone
  • Public Comment Summaries (Tab E, No. 6b) – Ms. Muehlstein
  • SSC Recommendations (Tab E, No. 6c) and Presentation (Tab E, No. 6c2)– Dr. Lorenzen
  • Codified Text (Tab E, No. 6d) – SERO Staff
• Discussion:  Two-Day Possession Limit on Federal For-Hire Trips – Mr. Rindone
  • Background Information (Tab B, No. 7)
• Other Business – Mr. Diaz

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Habitat Protection/Restoration Committee (Tab P) – Mr. Banks

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab P, No. 1) – Mr. Banks
• Approval of April 2019 Minutes (Tab P, No. 2) – Mr. Banks
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab P, No. 3) – Dr. Mendez-Ferrer
• Manna Fish Farms, Gulf of Mexico Finfish Aquaculture Operations (Tab P, No. 4) – Dr. Lucas
• Other Business – Mr. Banks

Immediately following Habitat Protection and Restoration Committee – Manna Fish Farms will be conducting a workshop for stakeholders on its Gulf of Mexico Finfish Aquaculture Operations – Ms. Showalter Otts/Dr. Lucas

8:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Reef Fish Committee (Tab B) – Ms. Guyas

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab B, No. 1) – Ms. Guyas
• Approval of April 2019 Minutes (Tab B, No. 2) – Ms. Guyas
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab B, No. 3) – Mr. Rindone
• Review of Reef Fish Landings (Tab B, No. 4) – SERO
• Joint Enforcement Agreement Discussion (Tab B, No. 5) – Enforcement Officer Harwell

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Reef Fish Committee continued (Tab B) – Ms. Guyas

• Draft Amendment 36B:  Modifications to Commercial IFQ Programs and Presentations
  • Document (Tab B, No. 6a) – Dr. Lasseter
  • Presentation (Tab B, No. 6b) – Dr. Lasseter
  • Quota Bank Presentation (Tab B, No. 6c) – Mr. Brazer
  • NOAA General Counsel Enforcement Section Penalties Presentation (Tab B, No. 6d) – Ms. Fenyk
  • Law Enforcement Technical Committee Discussion and LETC Report (Tab B, No. 6e) – Sgt. Carron, LETC Chair

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Reef Fish Committee continued (Tab B) – Ms. Guyas

• FINAL ACTION:  Framework Action to Modify Greater Amberjack Commercial Trip Limits
  • Document (Tab B, No. 7a) – Dr. Hollensead
  • Reef Fish Advisory Panel Summary (Tab B, No. 7b) – Dr. Hollensead
  • Public Comments Summary (Tab B, No. 7c) – Ms. Muehlstein
  • Codified Text (Tab B, No. 7d) – SERO Staff
• Draft Framework Action to Modify the Recreational For-Hire Red Snapper Annual Catch Target Buffer
  • Document (Tab B, No. 8a) – Mr. Rindone
  • ACL/ACT Control Rule Worksheet (Tab B, No. 8b) – Mr. Rindone

3:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Reef Fish Committee continued (Tab B) – Ms. Guyas

• Public Hearing Draft Amendment 51:  Establish Gray Snapper Status Determination Criteria, Reference Points, and Modify Annual Catch Limits (Tab B, No 9) – Dr. Froeschke
• Discussion of Commercial Crew Size Requirements – Dr. Lasseter
  • Background Information:  Amendment 34 (Tab B, No. 10)
• Other Business – Ms. Guyas
  • Amended Agenda Items – added 6/4/19
    • Recreational Amberjack
    • Almaco Jack Size Limit
    • Grouper Discussion

NMFS Question and Answer Session Immediately Following Reef Fish Committee – Dr. Roy Crabtree

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM: Migratory Species Committee (Tab M) – Dr. Stunz

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab M, No. 1) – Dr. Stunz
• Approval of January 2017 Minutes (Tab M, No. 2) – Dr. Stunz
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab M, No. 3) – Dr. Hollensead
• Summary Presentation of HMS Proposed Actions (Tab M, No. 4a) – HMS Staff
  • Background – Amendment 13:  Modifications to Bluefin Tuna IBQ (Tab M, No. 4b)
  • Background – Amendment 14:  Options for Reference Point Selection for Shark Fisheries (Tab M, No. 4c)
  • Background – Draft Regulation:  Modifying Bluefin Tuna Area-Based and Weak Hook Measures (Tab M, No. 4d)
  • Background – Issues and Options:  Allowing Research Data Collection in Closed Areas (Tab M, No. 4e)
  • Background – Scoping Meeting Schedule (Tab M, No. 4f)
• Other Business – Dr. Stunz
  • Draft BAYS Species Working Group Recommendation Letter (Tab M, No. 5)

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Gulf SEDAR Committee (Tab I) – Dr. Frazer

• Adoption of Agenda (Tab I, No. 1) – Dr. Frazer
• Approval of October 2018 Minutes (Tab I, No. 2) – Dr. Frazer
• Action Guide and Next Steps (Tab I, No. 3) – Dr. Simmons
• May 2019 SEDAR Steering Committee Meeting – Dr. Simmons/Mr. Diaz
  • Summary Report (Tab I, No. 4)
  • Full Report (Tab I, No. 4a)
  • Projects Report (Tab I, No. 4b)
• Review of Gulf of Mexico SEDAR Schedule (Tab I, No. 5) – Mr. Rindone
• Other Business – Dr. Frazer

• 10:45 AM – 10:50 AM: Call to Order, Announcements, and Introductions – Dr. Frazer
• 10:50 AM – 11:00 AM:  Adoption of Agenda and Approval of Minutes (Tab A, Nos. 3 and 4) – Dr. Frazer
• 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM:  2018 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award – Dr. Frazer / Mr. Boyd
• 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM:  Review of Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) Applications (Tab S) – Dr. Crabtree / Dr. Frazer
  • Letter (Tab S, No. 1a)
  • Parson’s Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) EFP (Tab S, No. 1b)
• 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM:  Review of Public Comments on EFP Applications, if any (Tab S, No. 2) – Ms. Muehlstein

If you’d like to provide or read comment(s) on Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) please do so below.

Comments on Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) must be received by 6:00 pm eastern, Tuesday, June 4, 2019 to be included in the June 2019 Council Meeting materials.

• 12:00 AM – 12:30 PM:  Presentation
  • Florida Law Enforcement Efforts (Tab A, No. 7) – Captain Pearce

• 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Public Comment – Dr. Frazer
  • Final Action:  Generic Amendment:  Carryover the ACL of Unharvested Quota
  • Final Action:  Framework Action to Modify Greater Amberjack Commercial Trip Limits
  • Open Testimony on Fishery Issues or Concerns

• • • Committee Reports (Committee reports are posted to the website during the Council Meeting)
      • 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM: Habitat Protection and Restoration (Tab P) – Mr. Banks
      • 8:45 AM – 9:00 AM: Migratory Species (Tab M) – Dr. Stunz
      • 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Data Collection (Tab F) – Dr. Stunz
      • 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Sustainable Fisheries (Tab E) – Mr. Diaz
      • 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Gulf SEDAR (Tab I) – Dr. Frazer
      • 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Data Collection and Coral AP Appointments (Tab T) – Dr. Frazer

• • • Committee Reports (Continued)
      • 10:45 AM – 12:30 PM: Reef Fish (Tab B) – Ms. Guyas

• • • • 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM:  Vote on Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) Applications (Tab S) – Dr. Frazer
        • Letter (Tab S, No. 1a)
        • Parson’s Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) EFP (Tab S, No. 1b)
      • 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM:  Supporting Agencies Update (Tab R) – Dr. Frazer
        • South Atlantic Council Liaison (Tab R, No. 1)
        • NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE)
        • Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
        • U.S. Coast Guard
        • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
        • Department of State
      • 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM:  Other Business (Tab U) – Dr. Frazer
        • Amended Agenda Items – added 6/5/2019
          • Release Mortality Workshop
          • Changes in Allowable Gear Table (Tab U, No. 1)
          • Listing of Bryde’s Whales