[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8177]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 641

[Docket No. 94113-4354; I.D. 032896A]


Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the 
Commercial Red Snapper Component

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial fishery for red snapper in the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has projected 
that the annual commercial quota for red snapper will be reached on 
April 4, 1996. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper 
resource.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 
1996, through December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sadler, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico 
is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish 
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council and is implemented through 
regulations at 50 CFR part 641 under the authority of the Magnuson 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Those 
regulations set the commercial quota for red snapper in the Gulf of 
Mexico at 3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg) for the current fishing 
year, January 1 through December 31, 1996.
    Under 50 CFR 641.26, NMFS is required to close the commercial 
fishery for a species or species group when the quota for that species 
or species group is reached, or is projected to be reached, by 
publishing a notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based 
on current statistics, NMFS has projected that the commercial quota of 
3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg) for red snapper will be reached on 
April 4, 1996. Accordingly, the commercial fishery in the EEZ in the 
Gulf of Mexico for red snapper is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local 
time, April 5, 1996, through December 31, 1996, the end of the fishing 
year. A vessel with a valid reef fish permit having red snapper on 
board must land and barter, trade, or sell such red snapper prior to 
12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 1996.
    During the closure, the bag limit applies to all harvests of red 
snapper from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico. The daily bag limit for red 
snapper is five per person. From 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 1996, 
through December 31, 1996, the purchase, barter, trade, or sale of red 
snapper taken from the EEZ is prohibited. This prohibition does not 
apply to trade in red snapper that were harvested, landed, and 
bartered, traded, or sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, April 5, 
1996, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 641.26 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

    Dated: March 28, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-8177 Filed 4-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F