[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8177]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 641
[Docket No. 94113-4354; I.D. 032896A]
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
April 4, 1996. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper
resource.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5,
1996, through December 31, 1996.
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 through
regulations at 50 CFR part 641 under the authority of the Magnuson
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Those
regulations set the commercial quota for red snapper in the Gulf of
Mexico at 3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg) for the current fishing
year, January 1 through December 31, 1996.
Under 50 CFR 641.26, 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 a notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based
on current statistics, NMFS has projected that the commercial quota of
3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg) for red snapper will be reached on
April 4, 1996. Accordingly, the commercial fishery in the EEZ in the
Gulf of Mexico for red snapper is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local
time, April 5, 1996, through December 31, 1996, the end of the fishing
year. A vessel with a valid reef fish permit having red snapper on
board must land and barter, trade, or sell such red snapper prior to
12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 1996.
During the closure, the bag limit applies to all harvests of red
snapper from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico. The daily bag limit for red
snapper is five per person. From 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 1996,
through December 31, 1996, the purchase, barter, trade, or sale of red
snapper taken from the EEZ is prohibited. This prohibition does not
apply to trade in red snapper that were harvested, landed, and
bartered, traded, or sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5,
1996, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 641.26 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Dated: March 28, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-8177 Filed 4-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
