[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36325-36326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17060]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[I.D. 062399B]
RIN 0648-AK89
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
(Amendment 9)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of Amendment 9 to the FMP for the
coastal migratory pelagic resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South
Atlantic; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils have submitted Amendment 9 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of
Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP) for review, approval, and
implementation by NMFS. The purpose of Amendment 9 is to enhance the
socioeconomic benefits from the commercial quotas for Gulf group king
mackerel and to assure a more equitable distribution of these benefits
among fishery participants, to reduce the harvest of immature king
mackerel and minimize the possibility of recreational king mackerel
fishery allocation overruns, and to increase revenue and decrease waste
in the king and Spanish mackerel fisheries. Amendment 9 is made
available for public comment.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 7,
1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to Mark Godcharles, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg,
FL 33702.
Requests for copies of Amendment 9, which includes an environmental
assessment, a regulatory impact review (RIR), and an initial regulatory
flexibility analysis (IRFA), may be obtained from the Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council (Gulf of Mexico Council), Suite 1000, 3018
U.S. Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33619; Phone: 813-228-2815; Fax: 813-
225-7015; E-mail: gulf.council@noaa.gov; or from the South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council), Southpark
Building, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699;
Phone: 843-571-4366; Fax: 843-769-4520; E-mail: safmc@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Godcharles or Steve Branstetter,
NMFS, St. Petersburg, FL; Phone: 727-570-5305; Fax: 727-570-5583.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires Regional Fishery
Management Councils to submit any proposed FMP or FMP amendment to NMFS
for review, approval, and implementation. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also
requires that NMFS, upon receiving such FMP or FMP amendment,
immediately publish a document in the Federal Register stating that the
FMP or FMP amendment is available for public review and comment.
Amendment 9 was prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico and
South Atlantic Councils. Amendment 9 contains 10 proposed conservation
and management measures. For the commercial fisheries for Gulf group
king mackerel in the eastern zone (the zone comprising both coasts of
Florida), Amendment 9 proposes seven actions to: (1) Create two new
subzones (northern and southern) for the commercial hook-and-line
fishery in the Florida west coast subzone; (2) establish separate
commercial hook-and-line fishery quotas for the proposed northern and
southern subzones in the Florida west coast subzone; (3) reallocate the
eastern zone commercial quota between the Florida east and west coast
subzones to provide for commercial hook-and-line fishery quotas for the
proposed new northern and southern Florida west coast subzones; (4)
implement a moratorium on issuing any new gillnet endorsements for
commercial vessel king mackerel permits in the run-around gillnet
fishery in the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone; (5)
establish eligibility criteria to reissue gillnet endorsements for
commercial vessel king mackerel permits only to traditional fishermen
in the run-around gillnet fishery in the proposed southern Florida west
coast subzone; (6) restrict the transfer of gillnet endorsements for
commercial vessel king mackerel permits in the run-around gillnet
fishery in the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone only to the
family members of vessel owners; and (7) restrict the operational area
for vessels harvesting king mackerel under the run-around gillnet quota
to the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone.
Amendment 9 also proposes three additional actions to: (1)
Establish a 3,000-lb (1,361-kg) daily trip limit for the commercial
vessels harvesting Gulf group king mackerel under the quota for the
western zone (Texas through Alabama); (2) increase the minimum size
limit from 20 inches to 24 inches (50.8 to 61.0 cm) fork length for
both the Gulf and Atlantic groups of king mackerel; and (3) allow the
sale of cut-off (damaged) fish from both the Gulf and Atlantic groups
of king and Spanish mackerel as long as the cut-off fish meet or exceed
the appropriate minimum size limit and are possessed within the
established commercial trip limits.
The specific proposed management measures, their supporting
rationale, and analyses of potential impacts are contained in Amendment
9. Amendment 9 is intended to enhance the socioeconomic benefits from
the commercial quotas for Gulf group king mackerel and to assure a more
equitable distribution of these benefits among fishery participants.
Measures proposed for fisheries in the eastern zone would equitably
distribute the quota among participants using hook-and-line gear and
prevent expansion of the run-around gillnet sector while the Gulf of
[[Page 36326]]
Mexico and South Atlantic Councils consider future management
strategies. The proposal to establish a trip limit for the western zone
is expected to prevent derby fishing, extend the harvest season, and
increase the exvessel value of the catch. Proposals to increase king
mackerel minimum size limits would reduce harvest of immature fish and
the likelihood of overrunning recreational fishery allocations. The
proposed measures regarding the possession and sale of cut-off
(damaged) king and Spanish mackerel would increase fishery revenue,
decrease wastage, and improve the accuracy of fishing mortality
estimates.
Availability of and Opportunity to Comment on Amendment 9
NMFS has prepared a proposed rule to implement Amendment 9. In
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the
proposed rule to determine if it is consistent with Amendment 9, the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If that determination
is affirmative, NMFS will publish a proposed rule in the Federal
Register for public review and comment.
NMFS will consider comments received by September 7, 1999, whether
specifically directed to Amendment 9 or its proposed rule in its
decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 9. NMFS
will not consider comments received after that date in this decision.
NMFS will address all comments received on Amendment 9 or on its
proposed rule during their respective comment periods in the preamble
of the final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 29, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-17060 Filed 7-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
