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By daybreak
Published: July 29, 2008
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The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene its Socioeconomic Panel (SEP) August 19 – 20, 2008 at the Embassy Suites, 555 N. Westshore Boulevard in Tampa. The meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and conclude no later than 5:00 pm. Wednesday.

The SEP is scheduled to discuss Reef Fish Amendment 29, the Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan (FMP), draft principles for and socioeconomic aspects of allocation.

Reef Fish Amendment 29 proposes to rationalize effort and reduce overcapacity in the commercial grouper and tilefish fisheries in order to achieve and maintain optimum yield. Effort management approaches under consideration include permit endorsements and the implementation of an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program.

The Aquaculture FMP will require persons to obtain a permit from NMFS to participate in aquaculture via construction of an aquaculture facility in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Each application for permit must comply with myriad permit conditions related to record keeping and facility operations. These permit conditions will be evaluated annually for the duration of the permit as the basis for renewal of the permit for the next year.

To obtain copies of the agenda please call the Council office at 813-348-1630.

Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before the SEP for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (M-SFCMA), those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Actions of the SEP will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda, as well as any issues that may arise after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) M-SFCMA, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.

source: Gulf Council press release 

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