The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will meet Monday, October 25 through Thursday, October 28 at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama. Virtual participation will also be available by webinar. The meeting will begin with the adoption of Council Committee Assignments through August 2022. At this meeting, the Council plans to take final action on two issues: Amendment 32: Modifications to the Gulf of Mexico Migratory Group Cobia Catch Limits, Possession Limits, Size Limits, and Framework Procedure and Draft Framework Action: Modifications of Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper Catch Limits.
The public will have three opportunities to interact with the Council during the meeting. First, a virtual and in-person Public Hearing on proposed changes to Cobia management measures will be held at 6:00 PM central time on Monday, October 25, 2021. Next, a special informal Question and Answer Session focused on new for-hire electronic reporting requirements will be held immediately following Reef Fish Committee on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Leaders from the Gulf Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Council Leadership Southeast Fisheries Science Center will join a panel of Vessel Monitoring System vendors to answer questions from the public about the federal for-hire reporting requirements and approved hardware and software. Finally, Public testimony will be held from 2:15 – 5:30 PM central time on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. In-person and virtual participants will have equal opportunity to participate.
In-person attendees: In an effort to promote a safe meeting experience, attendees will be required to wear masks and socially distance in meeting rooms. We ask meeting attendees to wear a mask indoors while moving about the hotel property. In the meeting spaces, Council members, staff, and the public may remove masks when seated or when providing public testimony.
In-person attendees wishing to give public testimony must sign-up using the kiosk outside the meeting room on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. Staff will be available to assist with the registration process.
Virtual attendees: Equal opportunity to participate during the Council meeting will be provided via webinar. To provide public testimony, you must register online and join the webinar. A registration link to provide testimony will be available on the Council meeting materials webpage beginning at 8:00 AM, CDT on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. Registration to provide virtual testimony will close one hour before public testimony begins (1:15 PM CDT). Virtual participants must register for the webinar under the same name they use to register to provide testimony. Instructions on how to use the webinar and troubleshoot if you experience difficulty can be found here.
The meeting will convene on the following days and times (CDT):
Monday, October 25, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Full Council Session
Shrimp Committee
Gulf SEDAR Committee
Sustainable Fisheries Committee
Mackerel Committee
*Council will hold a virtual and in-person public hearing on CMP Amendment 32: Modifications to the Gulf of Mexico Migratory Group Cobia Catch Limits, Possession Limits, Size Limits, and Framework Procedure beginning at 6:00 PM in the Council meeting room.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Reef Fish Committee
*A Special Public Q&A on For-Hire Electronic Reporting Requirements will be held immediately following the meeting
Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Data Collection Committee
Full Council Session
· Presentation on Network Analysis of Quota Trading in the Gulf of Mexico Individual Fishing Quota Fisheries
· Public testimony will be held from 2:15 – 5:30 PM
Thursday, October 28, 2021, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Full Council Session
· Committee Reports
· Supporting Agencies Updates
· Other Business
The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials will be posted as they become available on the Council Meetings webpage.