50 Wildlife and Fisheries 4 2002-10-01 2002-10-01 false Statement of organization, practices, and procedures (SOPP). 600.115 Section 600.115 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANICAND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION,DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS Regional Fishery Management Councils
ยง 600.115 Statement of organization, practices, and procedures (SOPP).

(a) Councils are required to publish and make available to the public a SOPP in accordance with such uniform standards as are prescribed by the Secretary (section 302(f)(6)) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The purpose of the SOPP is to inform the public how the Council operates within the framework of the Secretary's uniform standards.

(b) Amendments to current SOPPs must be consistent with the guidelines in this section and the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement, the statutory requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law. Upon approval of a Council's SOPP amendment by the Secretary, a Notice of Availability will be published in the Federal Register, including an address where the public may write to request copies.

(c) Councils may deviate, where lawful, from the guidelines with appropriate supporting rationale, and Secretarial approval of each amendment to a SOPP would constitute approval of any such deviations for that particular Council.

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]