MINUTES GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVENTH MEETING DUCK KEY, FLORIDA MARCH 9-13,1998 The one hundred and fifty-seventh meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) was called to order by Chairman Maumus Claverie at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 11, 1998. Council members in attendance were: VOTING MEMBERS PeteAparicio ........................................................... Texas IrbyBasco ............................................................. Texas Maumus Claverie, Jr. .................................................. Louisiana Felicia Coleman ........................................................Florida Myron Fischer .......................................................Louisiana Karen Foote (designee for James Jenkins) ..................................Louisiana J.ScottGreen .........................................................Florida Philip Horn ........................................................Mississippi Andrew Kemmerer .................................National Marine Fisheries Service AlbertKing .......................................................... Alabama KarlLessard .......................................................... Florida R.VernonMinton .....................................................Alabama RussellNelson ......................................................... Florida Hal Osburn (designee for Gene McCarty) ..................................... Texas RobertShipp ......................................................... Alabama Kay Williams ....................................................... Mississippi Roy Williams (designee for Russell Nelson) ...................................Florida William Perret (designee for Glade Woods) ................................Mississippi NONVOTING MEMBERS Larry Simpson ............................... Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Doug Fmge (designee for Sam Hamilton) ...................U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service LCDR Thomas Atkin (designee for Timothy W. Josiah) .......... Eighth Coast Guard District Lt. John Sherlock (designee for Timothy W. Josiah) ............ Eighth Coast Guard District Columbus Brown (designee for Sam Hamilton) ...............U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service STAFF Anne Alford ................................................. Travel Coordinator Steven Atran ...................................... Population Dynamics Statistician Lorna Evans ..............................................Transcription Specialist AntonioLamberte ...................................................Economist Richard Leard ............................................ Senior Fishery Biologist Michael McLemore ........................................NOAA General Counsel Wayne Swingle ...............................................Executive Director OTHER PARTICIPANTS LCDR Ed Pino (designee for Norman Saunders) ............... Eighth Coast Guard District Ben Hartig ................................ South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Gene Proulx ...................................... National Marine Fisheries Service Joseph Kirnrnel ....................................National Marine Fisheries Service Johnny Yarborough ..........................................Steinhatchee, Florida Ed Thompson .............................................. Palm Harbor, Florida Bill Kelly .................................................Plantation Key, Florida Bob Zales, I1 ...............................................Panama City, Florida Bill Parks ................................................ Boynton Beach, Florida Christine Parks ........................................... Boynton Beach, Florida Scott Hutchinson ......................................... Summerland Key, Florida Billy Deans ...................................................Key West, Florida Tim Taylor ...................................................Key West, Florida Alexander Stone ................................................. Miami, Florida Don DeMaria ........................................... Summerland Key, Florida Gordy Sharp ................................ Florida Marine Patrol, Marathon, Florida Tom Hansen ..................................................St. Marks, Florida Rocky Foster ...............................................Crystal River, Florida Rick Hartley ...................................................Hudson, Florida John Sanchez .................................................... Miami, Florida Charles Carter .................................................Key West, Florida William Carter ................................................. Key West, Florida Ron Meyers ............................................. Little Torch Key, Florida Grady Sullivan ..............................................Big Pine Key, Florida Richard Lynn .................................................. St. Marks, Florida H. D. Beeman ..................................................Palatka, Florida Bob Day .....................................................St. Marks, Florida W. A. Lynn ...................................................St. Marks, Florida Bob Gill ...................................................Crystal River, Florida Scott Goins .............................................Summerland Key, Florida Duke Goins ...................................................Key West, Florida Thomas Linton, I11 .......................................... Crawfordville, Florida Tony Lamasa ..................................................Key West, Florida Rick LaFlair ...................................................Key West, Florida Craig Jiovani .................................................. Key West, Florida Dan Crowley ...............................................Big Pine Key, Florida Mike Weinhofer ................................................Key West, Florida Jim Shaye ................................................. Big Pine Key, Florida Art Barton ....................................................Key West, Florida Mitchell Webber ............................................Crystal River, Florida Judy Jamison ..........................................G&SAFDF, Tampa, Florida Buster Collins ....................................................Perry, Florida Maddiline Collins .................................................. Perry, Florida Robert Martin ....................................................Ocala, Florida Damas Kirk .....................................................Naples, Florida Drew Bertine ................................................... Lecanto, Florida Bart Bailey .....................................................Naples, Florida Todd Reynolds ............................................ St. James City, Florida Ranger Roy Appugliese ........................ National Park Service, Key West, Florida Marty Harris ................................................ Tallahassee, Florida Michael Birren ................................................. Marathon, Florida Rick Berry ...................................................Islamorada, Florida Ted Forsgren ................................................ Tallahassee, Florida Capt. Bill Wickers ..............................................Key West, Florida Tommy Roberts ................................................Key West, Florida Linda Wickers .................................................Key West, Florida Joe Mercurio ..................................................Key West, Florida Peter Bacle ...................................................Key West, Florida Vincent Molle, Jr. ................................................Jupiter, Florida Bobby Pillar ............................................. Summerland Key, Florida Roland Meyers .......................................... Little Torch Key, Florida John Reed ....................................................Key West, Florida William Golden ................................................Key West, Florida Peter Gladding .................................................Key West, Florida Andy Griffiths .................................................Key West, Florida Billy Niles .............................................. Summerland Key, Florida Jimmy Pierce ..................................................Key West, Florida Karc Wagner ..................................................Marathon, Florida William Roche ................................................. Key West, F1,orida Jesus De La Torre ..............................................Key West, Florida Francisco Arencibia .............................................Key West, Florida Frank Arencibia ................................................Key West, Florida Charlie Renier .................................................Key West, Florida Jesus Diaz ..................................................... Hialeah, Florida Pedro Delgado .................................................Key West, Florida Richard Diaz ..................................................Key West, Florida Ruben Hernandez ..............................................Key West, Florida Dr. Claverie read the opening statement and asked for voice identification. Adoption of A~enda The agenda was adopted with the following changes: Add Tab K, No. 1, document regarding Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary issue about transiting an area; convening the Ad Hoc Crustacean and Ad Hoc Finfish Stock Assessment Panels (SAP); Summary of the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) processing of