[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 7156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2894]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Chapter VI

[I.D. 013195A]


Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 
Public Hearings on the Draft Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold public 
hearings on the Draft Fishery Management Plan for Queen Conch Resources 
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (FMP). Testimony may be 
presented at any of the hearings.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft FMP will be accepted on or before 
March 10, 1995. The hearings will be held in February and March 1995 
from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates 
of the hearings.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to, and copies of the Draft FMP are 
available from, Mr. Miguel A. Rolon, Executive Director, Caribbean 
Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San 
Juan, Puerto Rico 00918. The hearings will be held in Puerto Rico and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of 
the hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miguel A. Rolon, 809-753-6910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed management measures would: (1) 
Prohibit the possession of undersized queen conch less than 9 inches 
(228.6 mm) total length (as measured from the tip of the spire to the 
distal end of the shell) or less than 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) lip thickness 
measured at any location along the lip; all species in the fishery 
management unit must be landed attached to the shell; (2) prohibit the 
sale of undersized queen conch and queen conch shells; (3) establish a 
bag limit for personal-use fishers of 3 queen conch per day, not to 
exceed 12 per boat; licensed commercial fishers may land 75 queen conch 
per day; (4) require conch harvested under these provisions to conform 
to the minimum size specifications and be landed attached to the shell; 
(5) establish an annual closed harvest season from July 1 through 
September 30 for queen conch; and (6) prohibit the harvest of queen 
conch in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using scuba or hookah gear; 
any person with queen conch and either scuba or hookah gear aboard a 
vessel in the EEZ will be presumed in violation of this prohibition.
    The hearings are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. as follows:
    1. Wednesday, February 15, 1995--Centro de Usos Multiples, Culebra, 
PR.
    2. Thursday, February 16, 1995--Salon Asamblea Municipal de la Casa 
Alcaldia, Vieques, PR.
    3. Tuesday, February 21, 1995--Antibes Hotel, Cabo Rojo, PR.
    4. Wednesday, February 22, 1995--Meson Criollo Restaurant, Fajardo, 
PR.
    5. Monday, February 27, 1995--Carabelle Hotel, Christiansted, St. 
Croix, U.S.V.I.
    6. Tuesday, February 28, 1995--Point Pleasant Hotel, St. Thomas, 
U.S.V.I.
    7. Wednesday, March 1, 1995--Boulon Center, St. John, U.S.V.I.

    Dated: February 1, 1995.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management.
[FR Doc. 95-2894 Filed 2-1-95; 4:58 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F