[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66449-66450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30807]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[I.D. 110899D]
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will
convene public hearings to receive comments on a Draft Charter Vessel/
Headboat Permit Moratorium Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for
the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and to the Fishery
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Gulf of
Mexico and South Atlantic (Draft Amendment).
DATES: Written comments on the Draft Amendment will be accepted by the
Gulf Council until January 3, 2000. The public hearings will be held in
December. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times of
the public hearings.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to and copies of the draft
amendment are available from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301, North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida
33619, telephone: 813-228-2815. The public hearings will be held in
Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for specific locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Swingle, Executive Director,
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-228-2815.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Gulf of Mexico region there are
presently about 1,286 charter vessels and 91 headboats. This represents
an estimated 32-percent increase in the number of charter vessels and a
6-percent decrease in the number headboats between 1988 and 1998.
Additionally, the number of charter vessel trips has increased 187
percent between 1988 and 1997.
The Council is considering implementation of a temporary moratorium
on the issuance of charter vessel/headboat permits to fish the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for reef fish and coastal migratory
pelagics (mackerel) fish. A moratorium, if adopted by the Council and
approved and implemented by NMFS, would provide a basis for the
development of a more comprehensive effort limitation program for this
segment of the recreational fisheries that could provide better long-
term fishing effort control.
The Draft Amendment considers seven features of the proposed
moratorium: (1) The duration of the moratorium; (2) initial eligibility
requirements for a permit; (3) permit transfers during the moratorium;
(4) vessel size for permit transfer; (5) the reissuance of permits not
renewed; (6) a permit appeal process; and (7) vessel reporting. At
present, the Council suggests a preferred alternative containing the
following elements: (1) The establishment of a 3-year charter vessel/
headboat permit moratorium; (2) an initial eligibility requirement
according to which all persons holding charter vessel/headboat permits
on September 16, 1999, are eligible; (3) the allowance of permit
transfers during the moratorium between (a) vessels owned by the permit
holder and (b) individuals without transfer of the vessel; and (4)
NMFS's suspension of permits not renewed (or permanently revoked)
during the moratorium.
The Council has not selected preferred alternatives for (1) vessel
size restriction on permit transfers, (2) the appeals process under
moratorium, or (3) vessel reporting requirements.
Time and Location for Public Hearings
Public hearings for the Draft Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit
Moratorium Amendment will be held at the following locations, dates,
and times. In addition, public testimony will be accepted at the Gulf
Council meeting in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on January 19, 2000.
1. December 6, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Port Isabel Community
Center, 213 Yturria, Port Isabel, TX 78578
2. December 6, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Harvey Government
Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, FL 33040
3. December 7, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Port Aransas Civic
Center Auditorium, 710 West Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX 78373
4. December 7, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Naples Depot Civic
Cultural Center 1051 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102
5. December 8, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Texas A&M Auditorium,
200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX 77553
6. December 8, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., City Hall Auditorium,
300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
7. December 9, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Larose Regional Park,
2001 East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373
8. Monday, December 13, 1999, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., J. L. Scott
Marine Education Center & Aquarium, 115 East Beach Blvd., US Hwy. 90,
Biloxi, MS 39530
9. December 14, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Hilton Beachfront
Garden Inn, 23092 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach, AL 36561
10. December 15, 1999, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Gulf Coast Community
College, Student Union East Building, Gibson Lecture Hall (2nd Floor),
5230
[[Page 66450]]
West Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
Copies of the Draft Amendment can be obtained from the Council (see
ADDRESSES).
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see
ADDRESSES) by November 29, 1999.
Dated: November 19, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-30807 Filed 11-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
