The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet January 25-28, 2021 by webinar. The Council will begin by reviewing the 2020 budget and expenditures and the 2021 budget and activities. The Council will hear presentations on Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Fish Restoration and present the 2019 Officer of the Year Award to Sergeant Dupre of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The Council is scheduled to take final action on four items at this meeting:

• Reef Fish Amendment 48/Red Drum Amendment 5 - Status Determination Criteria and Optimum Yield for Reef Fish and Red Drum
• Framework Action to Adjust State Recreational Red Snapper Catch Limits
• Framework Action to Modify Gray Triggerfish Catch Limit
• Framework Action to Modify Gulf of Mexico Lane Snapper Catch Limits and Accountability Measures.

Details on the proposed amendments and links to submit comment on each item can be found on the Council’s “Amendments Under Development” webpage.

The public will have two opportunities to interact with the Council. An informal Question and Answer session will be held from 5:00 - 6:00 PM, EDT on Tuesday January 26, 2021. The session will provide the public with an opportunity to ask leaders from the Gulf Council, NOAA Fisheries, and Southeast Regional Science Center questions about the science and management of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Public testimony will be held from 2:30 – 5:00 PM, EDT on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

Join the webinar during the Council meeting here.

The meeting will convene on the following days and times (EDT):

Monday, January 25, 2021, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Administrative/Budget Committee

Sustainable Fisheries Committee

Outreach and Education Committee

Mackerel Committee

Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Reef Fish Committee

*Public Q&A will be held from 5:00-6:00 PM

Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Reef Fish Committee

Full Council Session

*Public testimony will be held from 2:30 – 5:00 PM

Thursday, January 28, 2021, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Full Council Session

Committee Reports

Supporting Agencies Updates

The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials will be posted as they become available on the Council Meetings webpage.

About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.

Emily Muehlstein Public Information Officer 888-833-1844 ext.2380