[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 8, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25789]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 960807218-6244-02; I.D. 100296E]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
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 
October 6, 1996. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper 
resource.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 
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 622 under the authority of the Magnuson 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Those regulations set the 
commercial quota for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico at 4.65 million 
lb (2.11 million kg) for the current fishing year, January 1 through 
December 31, 1996.
    Under 50 CFR 622.43(a), 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 filing a 
notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register. 
Based on current statistics, NMFS has projected that the commercial 
quota of 4.65 million lb (2.11 million kg) for red snapper will be 
reached on October 6, 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, October 7, 1996, through December 31, 1996, the end 
of the fishing year. The operator of a vessel with a valid reef fish 
permit having red snapper on board must land and sell such red snapper 
prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 1996.
    During the closure, the bag limit applies to all harvest 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, October 7, 
1996, through December 31, 1996, the sale or purchase of red snapper 
taken from the EEZ is prohibited. This prohibition does not apply to 
sale or purchase of red snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and 
sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, October 7, 1996, and were held in 
cold storage by a dealer or processor.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.43(a) and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 2, 1996.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-25789 Filed 10-3-96; 4:20 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F