[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 169 (Thursday, August 29, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 45395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22042]



[[Page 45395]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 082096D]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

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

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

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Caribbean Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted the Fishery Management Plan for Queen Conch 
Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (FMP) for review, 
approval, and implementation by NMFS. Written comments are requested 
from the public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 18, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed 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, an initial regulatory flexibility analysis, a social impact 
assessment, and a final environmental impact statement, should be sent 
to the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, 
Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 00918-2577, telephone 787-766-5926, FAX 787-
766-6239.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Georgia Cranmore, 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 notification that 
it is available for public review and comment.
    The FMP would: (1) Require that a Caribbean conch resource be 
landed in its shell; (2) prohibit the possession or sale of queen conch 
less than 9 inches (22.9 cm) in total length and less than 3/8 inch 
(9.5 mm) in lip width at its widest point; (3) establish a recreational 
daily bag limit of 3 queen conch per person, or 12 queen conch per boat 
if more than 4 persons are aboard; (4) establish a daily harvest limit 
of 150 queen conch per licensed commercial fisherman; (5) prohibit 
taking of queen conch from July 1 through September 30; and (6) 
prohibit the taking of queen conch by diving while using a device that 
provides a continuous air supply from the surface. The FMP and its 
implementing rule should rebuild the overfished queen conch resources 
by protecting the spawning stock and reducing fishing effort. Proposed 
regulations to implement the FMP are scheduled for publication within 
15 days.

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

    Dated: August 23, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-22042 Filed 8-26-96; 4:12 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F