[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 160 (Friday, August 18, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 43106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20544]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 227

[I.D. 060195E]
RIN 0648-AH98


Sea Turtle Conservation; Restrictions Applicable to Shrimp 
Trawling Activities; Additional Turtle Excluder Device Requirements 
Within Certain Fishery Statistical Zones

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

ACTION: Withdrawal of proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is withdrawing a proposed rule that would require 
additional restrictions on shrimp trawlers fishing in waters off Texas. 
NMFS is withdrawing the rule due to voluntary adoption of gear 
restrictions, increased law enforcement, and the late re-opening of 
Texas waters to shrimping.

DATES: This withdrawal of proposed rule is withdrawn on August 18, 
1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles A. Oravetz, 813-570-5312, or 
Phil Williams, 301-713-1401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The waters off Texas were closed to shrimp 
fishing on May 15, 1995, for the annual closure which is coordinated by 
State and Federal fisheries managers to allow shrimp to grow larger and 
therefore more valuable. The closure period is usually marked by low 
levels of sea turtle strandings, and during the 8 weeks of the 1995 
Texas closure, only 15 sea turtle strandings including 2 Kemp's ridleys 
were reported on offshore Texas beaches. Due to historical stranding 
data, however, NMFS anticipated an increase in sea turtle strandings on 
offshore Texas beaches in the weeks following the re-opening of Texas 
waters to shrimping. In 1994, 9 dead sea turtles stranded in Texas 
during the 4 weeks prior to opening, while 99 dead turtles stranded in 
the 4 weeks following opening. Over the last 5 years, the stranding 
data indicate that, on average, an eight-fold increase in sea turtle 
strandings follows the opening of Texas waters to shrimping.
    NMFS therefore issued a proposed rule to implement the gear 
restrictions identified under the Shrimp Fishery/Emergency Response 
Plan (60 FR 19885, April 21, 1995) in offshore Texas waters out to 10 
nm (18.5 km) for a 30-day period after the opening. The proposed rule 
was published June 16, 1995 (60 FR 31696), with a 2 week-comment 
period. Three public hearings were held in Texas (June 19, 20, and 26). 
Over 100 people attended the public hearings, including 29 that gave 
public testimony. Written comments were received through July 6, 1995. 
All but four of the comments received during the comment period were in 
opposition to the proposed rule.
    Taking these comments into account, on July 6, 1995, NMFS decided 
not to implement a final rule in Texas for three reasons: (1) The 
apparent willingness of some segments of the industry to voluntarily 
adopt gear restrictions to reduce sea turtle strandings; (2) the 
deployment of a special turtle excluder device (TED) law enforcement 
team and specially trained Coast Guard groups; and (3) the late opening 
(at least a week later than any opening in the last 5 years) of Texas 
waters to shrimping, which is anticipated to result in better shrimp 
catches farther offshore. A news bulletin announcing this decision and 
asking shrimpers to voluntarily use small try nets and top-opening 
hard-grid TEDs was widely circulated by NMFS on July 14, 1995.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: August 15, 1995.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-20544 Filed 8-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F