[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8385]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 7, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 641

[I.D. 033094D]

 

Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Public Hearings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Amended notice of public hearings, an additional public 
hearing; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
amending the notice of public hearings on draft Amendment 5 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of 
Mexico, by adding an additional public hearing and expanding the scope 
of all the hearings to solicit comments on draft Amendment 10 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of 
Mexico.

DATES: Written comments on draft Amendment 10 will be accepted until 
May 6, 1994. An additional hearing is scheduled to be held in 
Steinhatchee, Florida, on Tuesday, April 26, 1994, from 7 p.m. to 10 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Wayne E. Swingle, Executive 
Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 West Kennedy 
Boulevard, suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609; FAX: 813-225-7015. The hearing 
will be held at the Community Center, State Highway 51, Steinhatchee, 
Florida.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice amends a notice of public 
hearings that appeared in the Federal Register on March 31, 1994 (59 FR 
15151), by adding an additional public hearing and soliciting public 
comments at all hearings on draft Amendment 10 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico. Draft 
Amendment 10 will include the following management measures: (1) A 
change in the cutoff date from November 19, 1992, to February 7, 1994, 
to qualify for a fish trap endorsement during the current 3-year trap 
moratorium. This change would allow a fish trap endorsement on a reef 
fish permit, which is required to use fish traps, to be issued or 
renewed by NMFS for a current owner of a permitted vessel who has a 
record of reef fish landings from fish traps in the Gulf of Mexico 
exclusive economic zone between 1991 and 1994 as reported on vessel 
logbooks received by NMFS on or before February 7, 1994; and (2) 
establishment of a Council appeals board, the members of which would 
recommend to the Director, Southeast Region, NMFS, whether additional 
endorsements should be issued based on demonstrated financial hardship 
related to trap fishing or based on an incapacitating illness between 
November 19, 1992, and February 7, 1994. All other information, as 
contained in the notice of public hearings published March 31, 1994, 
remains the same.

    Dated: April 4, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-8385 Filed 4-6-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P