96-27337. Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 14

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 207 (Thursday, October 24, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55128-55129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27337]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 101796C]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 14

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council has submitted Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. Written comments are requested from the public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 23, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office, 
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
    Requests for copies of Amendment 14, which includes an 
environmental assessment, a regulatory impact review, and an initial 
regulatory flexibility analysis, should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council, 5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, 
Tampa, FL 33609, PHONE: [phone]; FAX: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sadler, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act requires that a Council-prepared amendment to a fishery 
management plan be submitted

[[Page 55129]]

to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval.
    Amendment 14 would: Prohibit the use or possession of fish traps in 
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) west of 
85 deg.30' W. long.; modify the procedure for retrieval of fish traps 
when a breakdown prevents a vessel with a trap endorsement from 
retrieving its traps; phase out the use of fish traps in the EEZ of the 
Gulf over a 10-year period; modify the restrictions on transfer of fish 
trap endorsements; modify the restrictions on transfer of reef fish 
permits; prohibit the harvest or possession of Nassau grouper in or 
from the EEZ of the Gulf of Mexico; and authorize the Regional 
Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, to reopen a prematurely closed 
fishery to ensure that a commercial fishery quota or recreational 
fishery allocation is attained.
    Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 14 are scheduled for 
publication within 15 days.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 21, 1996.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-27337 Filed 10-21-96; 2:19 pm]
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