96-30042. Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Shrimp Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 2

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59856-59857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30042]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 111896A]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 2

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council has submitted Amendment 2 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region for review, approval, 
and implementation by NMFS. Written comments are requested from the 
public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before January 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office, 
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
    Requests for copies of Amendment 2, which includes a final 
supplemental environmental impact statement, a regulatory impact 
review, and a social impact assessment should be sent to the South 
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 1 Southpark Circle, Suite 306, 
Charleston, SC 29407-4699; Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter J. Eldridge, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional 
fishery management council to submit any fishery management plan or 
amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, 
disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also 
requires that NMFS, upon receiving an amendment, immediately publish a 
document in the Federal Register stating that the amendment is 
available for public review and comment.
    Amendment 2 would: (1) Add brown and pink shrimp to the fishery 
management unit; (2) define overfishing for brown and pink shrimp; (3) 
define optimum yield for brown and pink shrimp; (4) require the use of 
certified bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) in all penaeid shrimp trawls 
in the exclusive economic zone in the South Atlantic; (5) establish a 
framework procedure for the Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, 
NMFS, to certify new BRDs, to decertify BRDs, and to specify and modify 
certification criteria and BRD testing requirements.
    NMFS expects to publish proposed regulations that would implement 
Amendment 2 shortly for public review and comment.

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


[[Page 59857]]


    Dated: November 19, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-30042 Filed 11-20-96; 2:33 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F