[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4950-4951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2907]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 641

[I.D. 013096A]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene five public hearings on Draft Amendment 13 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) and 
a draft environmental assessment (EA) for Amendment 13.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until March 8, 1996. The 
public hearings will be held from February 27 to February 29, 1996. 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 FL, LA, and TX. See  SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for locations of the hearings and special accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 
Statistician, (813) 228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will be holding public hearings 
on Draft Amendment 13 to the FMP and a draft EA for Amendment 13. 
Amendment 13 contains management measures for the commercial red 
snapper fishery. The draft amendment would extend the red snapper 
endorsement system (last implemented through emergency regulations, 61 
FR 19, January 2, 1996) and its associated commercial trip and 
possession limits through December 31, 1997, or until the provisions of 
Amendment 8 (final regulations issued November 29, 1995, 60 FR 61206), 
become operational or are replaced by alternative measures to limit 
access to the commercial red snapper fishery.
    The hearings are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., as 
follows:
    1. Tuesday, February 27, 1996, Larose--Larose Regional Park, 2001 
East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373
    2. Wednesday, February 28, 1996, Panama City--National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, 
Panama City, FL 32408
    3. Wednesday, February 28, 1996, Port Aransas--Port Aransas Public 
Library, 700 West Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX 78373
    4. Thursday, February 29, 1996, Pensacola Beach--Clarion Suites 
Resort and Convention Center, 20 Via DeLuna, Pensacola Beach, FL 32561
    5. Thursday, February 29, 1996, Galveston--Flagship Hotel Over the 
Water, 25th and Seawall Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77550

[[Page 4951]]


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 
by February 20, 1996 (see ADDRESSES).

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

    Dated: February 5, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-2907 Filed 2-8-96; 8:45 am]
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