[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 67825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33888]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 121797B]


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 three public hearings on Draft Amendment 6 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Stone Crab Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP).

DATES: The public hearings will be held from January 6-8, 1998. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times of the hearings. 
Written comments on Draft Amendment 6 must be received by January 15, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings. 
Written comments on Amendment 6 should be sent to the Council at the 
following address.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Swingle, Executive Director, 
813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold public hearings on 
Draft Amendment 6 to the FMP. Amendment 6 would extend the current 
moratorium on issuance of Federal vessel registrations for the stone 
crab fishery in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida. The FMP provided that 
persons could fish commercially in Federal waters if they had either a 
state stone crab permit or had registered their vessel with NMFS. No 
one has ever requested a Federal vessel registration.
    In 1995, under Amendment 5 to the FMP, the Council placed a 
moratorium on registration of vessels by NMFS, and the state of 
Florida, by legislative action, placed a moratorium on the issuance of 
any additional stone crab permits. The purpose of both actions was to 
provide time for the stone crab industry to consider whether a limited 
access system was needed for the fishery and to develop such a system 
for implementation by the Florida Legislature. The purpose of the 
Council action proposed in Draft Amendment 6 is to prohibit 
registration of vessels for up to an additional 4 years so that the 
industry, state, and Council have adequate time to develop and 
implement a limited access system.
    Public hearings on Amendment 6 are scheduled as follows, from 7:00 
p.m to 10:00 p.m.
    1. Tuesday, January 6, 1998; Regional Service Center County 
Building, 2796 Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1), Marathon, Florida 
33050.
    2. Wednesday, January 7, 1998; Naples Depot Civic-Cultural Center, 
1051 5th Avenue South, Naples, Florida 33940.
    3. Thursday, January 8, 1998; Plantation Inn & Gulf Resort, 9301 
West Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, Florida 34429.
    A copy of Amendment 6 can be obtained by contacting the Council 
Executive Director (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Special Accommodations

    These meetings 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 (see 
ADDRESSES) by December 29, 1997.

    Dated: December 22, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-33888 Filed 12-23-97; 3:51 pm]
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