[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52045-52046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26383]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 970730185-7206-02; I.D. 093097A]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the Commercial Red
Snapper Component
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial fishery for red snapper in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has projected
that the annual commercial quota for red snapper will be reached on
October 6, 1997. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper
resource.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Closure is effective noon, local time, October 6, 1997,
through December 31, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sadler, 813-570-5305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico
is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf
of Mexico Fishery Management Council and is implemented under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act by regulations at 50 CFR part 622. Those regulations set the
commercial quota for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico at 4.65 million
lb (m lb) (2.11 million kg (m kg)) for the current fishing year,
January 1 through December 31, 1997. The 1997 commercial quota was
split between two seasons, the first beginning on February 1 with a
quota of 3.06 m lb (1.39 m kg) and the second beginning with an initial
period of September 2 to September 15 and thereafter from the first to
the 15th of each month until the annual commercial quota is reached.
Openings and closings in the fall 1997 season are at noon on the date
indicated.
Under 50 CFR 622.43(a), NMFS is required to close the commercial
fishery for a species or species group when the quota for that species
or species group is reached, or is projected to be reached, by
publishing notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based
on current statistics, NMFS has projected
[[Page 52046]]
that the annual commercial quota of 4.65 m lb (2.34 m kg) for red
snapper will be reached on October 6, 1997. Accordingly, the commercial
fishery in the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico for red snapper is closed
effective noon, local time, October 6, 1997, through December 31, 1997.
The operator of a vessel with a valid reef fish permit having red
snapper on board must land and sell such red snapper prior to noon,
local time, October 6, 1997.
During the closure, the bag limit applies to all harvest of red
snapper in or from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico. The daily bag limit
for red snapper is five per person. From noon, local time, October 6,
1997, through December 31, 1997, the sale or purchase of red snapper
taken from the EEZ is prohibited. This prohibition does not apply to
sale or purchase of red snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and
sold prior to noon, local time, October 6, 1997, and were held in cold
storage by a dealer or processor.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.43(a) and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 30, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-26383 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
