[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 47100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22401]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 642
[Docket No. 940710-4292; I.D. 090195E]
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and
South Atlantic; Closure of a Commercial Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure of a commercial fishery for king mackerel.
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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial fishery in the exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) for king mackerel from the western zone of the Gulf
migratory group. This closure is necessary to protect the overfished
Gulf king mackerel resource.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 5, 1995, through June 30, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark F. Godcharles, 813-570-5305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for coastal migratory pelagic
fish (king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, cero, cobia, little tunny,
dolphin, and, in the Gulf of Mexico only, bluefish) is managed under
the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources
of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP). The FMP was prepared by
the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils
(Councils) and is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 642, under
the authority of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Catch limits recommended by the Councils and implemented by NMFS
for the Gulf of Mexico migratory group of king mackerel for the current
fishing year (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996) set the commercial
quota at 0.77 million pounds (0.35 million kg) for the western zone.
Under 50 CFR 642.26(a), NMFS is required to close any segment of
the king mackerel commercial fishery when its allocation or quota has
been reached, or is projected to be reached, by publishing a document
in the Federal Register. NMFS has determined that the commercial quota
of 0.77 million pounds (0.35 million kg) for the western zone of the
Gulf migratory group of king mackerel was reached on September 4, 1995.
Hence, the commercial fishery for Gulf group king mackerel from the
western zone is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time, September 5,
1995, through June 30, 1996, the end of the fishing year. The boundary
between the eastern and western zones is a line directly south from the
Florida/Alabama boundary (87 deg.31'06'' W. long.).
Except for a person aboard a charter vessel, during the closure, no
person aboard a vessel permitted to fish under a commercial allocation
may fish for, retain, or have in possession in the EEZ king mackerel
from the western zone. A person aboard a charter vessel may continue to
fish for king mackerel in the western zone under the bag limit set
forth in Sec. 642.24(a)(1)(i), provided the vessel is under charter and
the vessel has an annual charter vessel permit, as specified in
Sec. 642.4(a)(2). A charter vessel with a permit to fish on a
commercial allocation is under charter when it carries a passenger who
fishes for a fee or when there are more than three persons aboard,
including operator and crew.
During the closure, king mackerel from the western zone taken in
the EEZ, including those harvested under the bag limit, may not be
purchased, bartered, traded, or sold. This prohibition does not apply
to trade in king mackerel from the western zone that were harvested,
landed, and bartered, traded, or sold prior to the closure and held in
cold storage by a dealer or processor.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 642.26(a) and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 5, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-22401 Filed 9-6-95; 10:44 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
