The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene its Standing Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) from July 31 – August 1, 2024. The meeting will convene at 8:30 ET each day and will adjourn by 5:30 ET on August 1, 2024. The meeting will be held at the Council Office located at 4107 West Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida 33607.

On July 31, the SSC will begin with an orientation for returning and new members. Next, the SSC will hear and discuss presentations on Management Strategy Evaluation and the changes to the stock assessment processes and model complexity. The SSC will review the Essential Fish Habitat contract work done by researchers from the University of Tampa. The SSC will also review and consider academic work conducted by the University of South Florida on the influence of timing and duration of recreational seasonal harvest restrictions on gag effort, harvest, and discards.

On August 1, the SSC will discuss modifications to the Acceptable Biological Catch Control Rule and receive an update on a RESTORE Project on projection models. The SSC will also review work contracted by the Council on gray triggerfish that addresses Regional and Sector-Specific Age, Growth, and Age-Length Key Estimation Derived from Otolith-based Ageing. Finally, the SSC will discuss research and monitoring priorities for the next grant cycle for 2025 – 2028.

For an agenda and meeting materials, click here.

Public comment will be held in-person and over the webinar each day before the meeting adjourns.

Register for the webinar here.