Want to tell the feds how you feel about their decisions on red snapper?
Here is your chance.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has scheduled scoping workshops around the Gulf to get public input on a proposed amendment that examines a days-at-sea pilot program for the red snapper for-hire fishery. Scoping workshops are the first and best opportunity for you to make suggestions or raise issues and concerns before the Council begins developing an amendment.
Issues to be discussed include, but are not limited to, the purpose and need for this amendment and the potential management actions that may be considered. Management actions range from the selection of program participants to the establishment of effort and catch validation methods and criteria for program evaluation.
Eight scoping workshops are scheduled around the Gulf. All workshops begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at the end of public comment, but no later than 9 p.m. The workshop schedule is as follows:
March 25, 2013
Courtyard Marriott
1600 E. Beach Boulevard
Gulfport, MS 39501
April 1, 2013
Hilton Galveston Island
5400 Seawall Boulevard
Galveston Island, TX 77551
March 26, 2013
Fairfield Inn & Suites
3111 Loop Road
Orange Beach, AL 36561
March 27, 2013
Destin Community Center
101 Stahlman Avenue
Destin, FL 32541
Courtyard Marriott
3250 US 41 North
Naples, FL 34103
April 2, 2013
Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park
950 Lake Carillon Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Hilton Garden Inn
6717 S. Padre Island Drive
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
April 3, 2013
Crowne Plaza New Orleans
2829 Williams Boulevard
Kenner, LA 70062
Copies of the scoping document and other related materials will be available two weeks prior to the first scoping meeting and can be obtained by calling 813-348-1630 or can be downloaded from the Council’s website athttp://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishery_management_plans/scoping-thru-implementation.php.
