[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24243]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 30, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 654

[I.D. 092794B]

 

Stone Crab Fishery for the Gulf of Mexico

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review 
by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). Written comments are 
requested from the public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 28, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office, 
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
    Requests for copies of Amendment 5, which includes an environmental 
assessment and a regulatory impact review, should be sent to the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Lincoln Center, Suite 331, 5401 
West Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33069-2486, FAX: 813-225-7015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Eldridge, 813-570-5306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that a fishery management plan 
or amendment prepared by fishery management council be submitted to the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, disapproval, 
or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that the 
Secretary, upon receiving an amendment, immediately publish 
notification stating that the amendment is available for public review 
and comment. The Secretary will consider public comment in determining 
approvability of the amendment.
    Amendment 5 proposes to: (1) Place a 4-year moratorium, beginning 
July 1, 1994, on the issuance by the Director, Southeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Director), of Federal numbers and color codes for use on 
stone crab vessels and gear; (2) establish a procedure whereby the 
Florida Marine Fisheries Commission (FMFC) may request the Regional 
Director to implement in the exclusive economic zone by regulatory 
amendment, with the Council's oversight, modification to certain gear 
and harvest limitations applicable to State waters that were proposed 
by the FMFC and approved by the Florida Governor and Cabinet; (3) add 
to the objectives of the FMP the following: ``Provide for a more 
flexible management system that minimizes regulatory delay to assure 
more effective, cooperative state and Federal management of the 
fishery.''
    NMFS published notification of the proposed moratorium on July 1, 
1994 (59 FR 33947), which advised fishermen that, if Amendment 5 is 
approved and implemented, any Federal numbers/color codes issued 
between July 1, 1994, and the effective date of the implementing 
regulations would no longer be valid.
    Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 5 are scheduled for 
publication within 15 days.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: September 27, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-24243 Filed 9-27-94; 2:57 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F