[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 5, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8563-8564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5015]



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[[Page 8564]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 686

[I.D. 022696A]


Golden Crab Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Initial 
Regulations

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a fishery management plan and request 
for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council has submitted the Fishery Management Plan for the Golden Crab 
Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. Written comments are requested from the public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be sent to the Southeast Regional Office, 
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
    Requests for copies of the FMP, which includes a regulatory impact 
review, a social impact assessment, and an environmental assessment, 
should be sent to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One 
Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699; telephone: 803-
571-4366; FAX 803-769-4520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter J. Eldridge, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that a council-prepared fishery 
management plan (plan) be submitted to NMFS for review and approval, 
disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires 
that NMFS, upon receiving a plan, immediately publish a document in the 
Federal Register stating that the plan is available for public review 
and comment.
    The FMP proposes to: (1) Define the management unit and optimum 
yield for the golden crab fishery; (2) define overfishing for species 
in the management unit; (3) establish a controlled access program, 
including initial eligibility criteria for vessel permits, restricted 
fishing zones, and procedures for appeals, transfers, and renewal of 
permits; (4) specify authorized gear for the fishery; (5) establish 
gear identification requirements; (6) specify maximum allowable trap 
sizes; (7) require escape gaps and a degradable panel on each trap; (8) 
establish minimum depth limits for use of traps; (9) prohibit tending 
of traps by unauthorized individuals; (10) modify the definition of the 
term ``crustacean trap'' in the regulations governing the South 
Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery (50 CFR part 646) to accommodate use 
of traps in the golden crab fishery; (11) prohibit the sale of female 
golden crabs and limit retention of female crabs to no more than 0.5 
percent, by number, of all golden crabs on board the vessel; (12) 
require that golden crabs be landed whole; (13) limit sale of golden 
crab by permitted vessels to permitted golden crab dealers; (14) 
require that permitted golden crab dealers purchase golden crab caught 
in the exclusive economic zone only from permitted vessels; (15) 
prohibit possession of snapper-grouper species in whole, gutted, or 
filleted form on board a vessel fishing for or possessing golden crab; 
(16) establish permit and reporting requirements for fishermen and 
dealers; (17) require mandatory observer coverage if a vessel is 
selected; and (18) establish a regulatory adjustment framework 
procedure to allow timely implementation of changes in the FMP's 
management measures.
    Based on a preliminary evaluation of the FMP, the Director, 
Southeast Region, NMFS, (Regional Director), has disapproved a 
provision of the FMP that would have required 100 percent of the owners 
or operators of permitted vessels to maintain and submit vessel logbook 
information. The Regional Director believes that the methods of 
obtaining management data requested by the Council, and the appropriate 
sampling system for such data, are operational determinations properly 
made by NMFS. Accordingly, NMFS has determined that the level of 
sampling of vessels required to obtain the Council's requested data is 
not a matter of sufficient scope and substance warranting review under 
subsection 304(a)(1)(A) of the Magnuson Act. Initially, NMFS intends to 
select all permitted vessels to submit logbooks but may reduce the 
level of reporting if NMFS subsequently determines that 100 percent 
coverage is no longer necessary.
    Proposed regulations to implement those measures of the FMP that 
were not disapproved based on the preliminary evaluation are scheduled 
for publication within 15 days.

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

    Dated: February 28, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5015 Filed 2-29-96; 10:52 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F