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By daybreak
Published: May 13, 2008
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The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has canceled a joint public hearing with the South Atlantic Fishery Management scheduled for Council May 28, 2008 in Key West, Florida.  The public hearing, designed to solicit public comment on the draft Aquaculture Amendment, will be rescheduled at a later date.

The Amendment will require persons to obtain a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in order to construct and operate an aquaculture facility in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico.

Each application for permit must comply with a litany of permit conditions related to recordkeeping and operation of the facility. These permit conditions will assure the facility has a minimal affect on the environment and on other fishery resources.

Compliance with the conditions will be evaluated annually for the duration of the permit as the basis for renewal of the permit for the next year.

Public input is an important part of the amendment process. It offers the public an opportunity to have ideas heard and possibly included as alternatives presented to the Council for consideration. Therefore, the Council strongly encourages public participation.

Copies of the draft Amendment and other related materials can be obtained by calling 813-348-1630. The meeting is open to the public and is physically accessible to people with disabilities.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils that were established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council prepares fishery management plans that are designed to manage fishery resources in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.   

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