Meeting Notice
June 2, 2021
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will meet Monday June 21 through Friday, June 25 at the Opal Key Resort and Marina in Key West, Florida. Virtual participation will also be available by webinar. The meeting will begin with a closed session to finalize selections for membership on the Reef Fish and Shrimp Advisory Panels and to populate the Scientific and Statistical Committee.
During the meeting, the Council plans to take final action on Reef Fish Amendment 53: Red Grouper Allocations and Annual Catch Limits and Targets. Details on the proposed amendments and links to submit comments are available on the Council’s “Amendments Under Development” webpage. Comments should be submitted before 5:00 PM, EDT on Tuesday, June 15th so they can be summarized and presented to the Council.
The Council is also seeking input on Executive Order 14008 Sec 216c: Conserving Our Nations Lands and Waters and would like your help to identify ways to make fisheries and protected resources more resilient to climate change. Complete this comment form by June 7, 2021 so the Council can consider your input.
The public will have two opportunities to interact with the Council during the meeting. An informal Question and Answer session will be held immediately following Reef Fish Committee on Wednesday, June 23, 2021. The session will provide the public with an opportunity to ask leaders from the Gulf Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Southeast Regional Science Center questions about the science and management of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Public testimony will be held from 2:15 – 5:30 PM, EDT on Thursday, June 24, 2021. In-person and virtual participants will have equal opportunity to participate.
In-person attendees will be required to follow the most up to date COVID-19 protocols determined by the Centers for Disease Control and local and state guidelines. Virtual attendees can join the meeting via webinar and must pre-register to give public testimony on a registration link that will be available on the briefing materials webpage from 8:00 AM – 1:15 PM, EDT on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
The meeting will convene on the following days and times (EDT):
Monday, June 21, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed Session: 8:30 – 11:30 AM
Shrimp Committee (Begins at 1:00 PM)
Administrative/Budget Committee
Migratory Species Committee
Tuesday, June 22, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Mackerel Committee
Habitat Protection and Restoration Committee
Red Drum Committee
Wednesday, June 23, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Reef Fish Committee
*Public Q&A will be held immediately following the meeting
Thursday, June 24, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Data Collection Committee
Sustainable Fisheries Committee
Full Council Session
*Public testimony will be held from 2:15 – 5:30 PM
Friday, June 25, 2021, 8:30 – 4:30 PM
Full Council Session
Committee Reports
Supporting Agencies Updates
The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials will be posted as they become available on the Council Meetings webpage.