[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62241-62242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29516]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 642

[I.D. 110795H]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Public hearings; requests for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) 
will convene nine public hearings on Draft Amendment 8 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of 
Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP) and its draft supplemental 
environmental impact statement (draft SEIS).

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until January 5, 1996. The 
hearings will be held from December 11 to December 14, 1995. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to and copies of the draft 
amendment are available from Mr. Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Council, 5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33609.
    The hearings will be held in AL, FL, LA, MS and TX. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings and special 
accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Wayne E. Swingle, 813-228-2815; Fax: 
813-225-7015.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils will be 
holding public hearings on Draft Amendment 8 to the FMP and its draft 
SEIS. Amendment 8 proposes management measures for the fisheries for 
king and Spanish mackerel, cobia and dolphin (fish). Amendment 8 
proposes some measures that (1) apply only to the South Atlantic 
Council's jurisdiction, (2) apply only to the Gulf Council's 
jurisdiction, or (3) apply to both Councils' jurisdictions. Proposed 
actions that would affect only the stocks and area under the 
jurisdiction of the Gulf of Mexico Council are as follows: Allow Gulf 
group king mackerel that can be taken only by hook-and-line (including 
longline) and run-around gill nets to be possessed on vessels with 
other gear aboard; require commercial dealer permits to buy and sell 
coastal pelagic fish managed under the FMP and require that dealers 
keep and make available records of purchase by vessel; establish a 5-
year moratorium, beginning on October 16, 1995, on the issuance of both 
commercial vessel permits with a king mackerel endorsement and charter 
vessel permits; provide for transfer of vessel permits to other 
vessels; require that anyone applying for a commercial vessel permit 
demonstrate that 25 percent of annual income, or $5,000, be from 
commercial fishing; and require, that, as a condition for a Federal 
commercial or charter vessel permit, the applicant agrees to comply 
with the more restrictive of state or Federal rules when fishing in 
state waters. Amendment 8 also includes the following measures that 
apply to both Councils' jurisdictions: Recreational bag and commercial 
trip limit alternatives for cobia and dolphin (fish); retention of king 
mackerel damaged by barracuda bites by vessels under commercial trip 
limits; alternatives for Atlantic king mackerel commercial trip limits 
off Monroe County, FL of either 50 fish or 125 fish; changes to the 
procedure used to set total allowable catch; and changes to definitions 
of overfishing and optimum yield. Proposed measures in Amendment 8 
applying only to the area and stocks under the jurisdiction of the 
South Atlantic Council will be summarized in news releases for public 
hearings to be held in the South Atlantic area during January 1996.
    The hearings are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. as follows:
    1. Monday, December 11, 1995, Larose--Larose Regional Park, 2001 
East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373
    2. Monday, December 11, 1995, Port Aransas--Visitor's Center 
Auditorium, University of Texas, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, 
TX 78373
    3. Monday, December 11, 1995, Key West--Lions Club, 2405 North 
Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, FL 33040
    4. Tuesday, December 12, 1995, Biloxi--J.L. Scott Marine Education 

[[Page 62242]]
    Center and Aquarium, 115 East Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS 39530
    5. Tuesday, December 12, 1995, Galveston--Best Western Beachfront 
Inn, 5914 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77551
    6. Wednesday, December 13, 1995, Gulf Shores--Quality Inn 
Beachside, 931 West Gulf Shores Boulevard, Gulf Shores, AL 36547
    7. Wednesday, December 13, 1995, Panama City--National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, 
Panama City, FL 32408
    8. Wednesday, December 13, 1995, Cameron--Police Jury Annex, 
Courthouse Square, Cameron, LA 70631
    9. Thursday, December 14, 1995, Madeira Beach--City Hall 
Auditorium, 3001 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council office 
(see ADDRESSES) by December 4, 1995.

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

    Dated: November 28, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-29516 Filed 12-4-95; 8:45 am]
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