[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR600.135]

[Page 17-18]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 600--MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart B--Regional Fishery Management Councils
 
Sec. 600.135  Meeting procedures.

    (a) Public notice of regular meetings of the Council, scientific 
statistical committee or advisory panels, including the agenda, must be 
published in the Federal Register on a timely basis, and appropriate 
news media notice must be given. The published agenda of any regular 
meeting may not be modified to include additional matters for Council 
action without public notice, or such notice must be given at least 14 
days prior to the meeting date, unless such modification is to address 
an emergency under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, in which 
case public notice shall be given immediately. Drafts of all regular 
public meeting notices must be transmitted to the NMFS Headquarters 
Office at least 23 calendar days before the first day of the regular 
meeting. Councils must ensure that all public meetings are accessible to 
persons with disabilities, and that the public can make timely requests 
for language interpreters or other auxiliary aids at public meetings.
    (b) Drafts of emergency public notices must be transmitted to the 
NMFS Washington Office; recommended at least 5 working days prior to the 
first day of the emergency meeting. Although notices of, and agendas 
for, emergency meetings are not required to be published in the Federal 
Register, notices of emergency meetings must be promptly announced 
through the appropriate news media.
    (c) After notifying local newspapers in the major fishing ports 
within its region, having included in the notification the time and 
place of the meeting and the reason for closing any meeting or portion 
thereof:
    (1) A Council, SSC, AP, or FIAC shall close any meeting, or portion 
thereof, that concerns information bearing on a national security 
classification.
    (2) A Council, SSC, AP, or FIAC may close any meeting, or portion 
thereof, that concerns matters or information pertaining to national 
security, employment matters, or briefings on litigation in which the 
Council is interested.
    (3) A Council, SSC, AP, or FIAC may close any meeting, or portion 
thereof, that concerns internal administrative matters other than 
employment. Examples of other internal administrative matters include 
candidates for appointment to AP, SSC, and other subsidiary bodies and 
public decorum or medical conditions of members of a Council or its 
subsidiary bodies. In deciding whether to close a portion of a meeting 
to discuss internal administrative matters, a Council or subsidiary body 
should consider not only the privacy interests of individuals whose 
conduct or qualifications may be discussed, but also the interest of the 
public in being informed of Council operations and actions.
    (d) Without the notice required by paragraph (c) of this section, a 
Council, SSC, AP, or FIAC may briefly close a portion of a meeting to 
discuss employment or other internal administrative matters. The closed 
portion of a meeting that is closed without notice may not exceed 2 
hours.
    (e) Before closing a meeting or portion thereof, a Council or 
subsidiary body should consult with the NOAA General Counsel Office to 
ensure that the matters to be discussed fall within the exceptions to 
the requirement to hold public meetings described in paragraph (c) of 
this section.
    (f) Actions that affect the public, although based on discussions in 
closed meetings, must be taken in public. For example, appointments to 
an AP must be made in the public part of the meeting; however, a 
decision to take disciplinary action against a Council employee need not 
be announced to the public.
    (g) A majority of the voting members of any Council constitute a 
quorum for

[[Page 18]]

Council meetings, but one or more such members designated by the Council 
may hold hearings.
    (h) Decisions of any Council are by majority vote of the voting 
members present and voting (except for a vote to propose removal of a 
Council member, see 50 CFR 600.230). Voting by proxy is permitted only 
pursuant to 50 CFR 600.205 (b). An abstention does not affect the 
unanimity of a vote.
    (i) Voting members of the Council who disagree with the majority on 
any issue to be submitted to the Secretary, including principal state 
officials raising federalism issues, may submit a written statement of 
their reasons for dissent. If any Council member elects to file such a 
statement, it should be submitted to the Secretary at the same time the 
majority report is submitted.

[66 FR 57887, Nov. 19, 2001]