[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4646]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 641

[I.D. 021595A]


Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Regulatory Amendment 
Public Hearings

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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene two public hearings on a draft proposed Regulatory Amendment to 
the regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef 
Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico. The draft proposed Regulatory 
Amendment, developed under an FMP framework procedure for adjusting 
management measures, would decrease the current 20 inch minimum size 
for red grouper to 18 inches for both commercial and recreational 
fisheries. A reduction of the current five fish daily bag limit for red 
grouper in the recreational fishery (five fish for all grouper species 
combined) may also be considered along with the proposed minimum size 
limit change. A final Regulatory Amendment to reduce the minimum size 
limit for red grouper to 18 inches was previously submitted to NMFS for 
review, approval, and implementation. NMFS subsequently informed the 
Council that it should consider new fishery information regarding the 
impacts of the proposed regulatory changes which became available to 
the Council. Also, NMFS requested that the Council evaluate more 
completely the expected biological and regulatory impacts of the 
proposed measures. At the public hearings, the Council will make 
available for public review and comment the draft proposed Regulatory 
Amendment and other available information. Based on the public hearing 
testimony and on a consideration of the new fishery information, the 
Council intends to make the appropriate changes in the Regulatory 
Amendment and resubmit it to NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the draft proposed Regulatory Amendment or 
on the additional fishery information from NMFS will be accepted until 
March 10, 1995. The hearings are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. as 
follows:
    1. Thursday, March 9, 1995, in Tampa, FL; and
    2. Thursday, March 9, 1995, in Sarasota, FL

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft proposed Regulatory Amendment are 
available from, Mr. Steven M. Atran, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council, 5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609; FAX: 
813-225-7015. Written comments on this document should be addressed to 
the same individual.
    The hearings will be held at the following locations:
    1. Tampa, FL--Ramada Airport Hotel, 5303 West Kennedy Boulevard, 
Tampa, FL 33609
    2. Sarasota, FL--Holiday Inn Lido Beach, 233 Ben Franklin Drive, 
Sarasota, FL 34236

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven M. Atran, Populations Dynamics 
Statistician, 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These meetings are physically accessible to 
people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or 
other auxiliary aids should be directed to Julie Krebs (see ADDRESSES) 
by March 1, 1995.
    Additional opportunity for public testimony on this issue will be 
scheduled at the Council meeting in New Orleans on Wednesday, March 15, 
beginning at 8:45 a.m. Persons testifying at this meeting must turn in 
registration cards before the start of the testimony.

    Dated: February 21, 1995.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-4646 Filed 2-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F