[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 82 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 23026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10701]



[[Page 23026]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 042399D]


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: Notice of closure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial fishery for red snapper in the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has 
determined that the initial portion of the annual commercial quota for 
red snapper was reached on April 15, 1999. This closure is necessary to 
protect the red snapper resource.

DATES: Closure is effective noon, local time, April 15, 1999, until 
noon, local time, September 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Crabtree, 727-570-5305.

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 under the 
authority of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act by 
regulations at 50 CFR part 622. 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, 1999. Those regulations split the red snapper commercial fishing 
season into two time periods, the first commencing at noon on February 
1 with two-thirds of the annual quota (3.06 million lb (1.39 million 
kg)) available, and the second commencing at noon on September 1 with 
the remainder of the annual quota available. During the commercial 
season, the red snapper commercial fishery opens at noon on the first 
of each month and closes at noon on the 15th of each month, until the 
applicable commercial quotas are reached.
    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 
publishing a notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based 
on current statistics, NMFS has determined that the available 
commercial quota of 3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg) for red snapper 
was reached when the fishery closed at noon on April 15, 1999. 
Accordingly, the commercial fishery in the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico 
for red snapper will remain closed until noon, local time, on September 
1, 1999. The operator of a vessel with a valid reef fish permit having 
red snapper aboard must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such 
red snapper prior to noon, local time, April 15, 1999.
    During the closure, the bag and possession limits specified in 50 
CFR 622.39(b) apply to all harvest or possession of red snapper in or 
from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico, and the sale or purchase of red 
snapper taken from the EEZ is prohibited. In addition, the bag and 
possession limits for red snapper apply on board a vessel for which a 
commercial permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued, without regard to 
where such red snapper were harvested. However, the bag and possession 
limits for red snapper apply only when the recreational quota for red 
snapper has not been reached and the bag and possession limit has not 
been reduced to zero. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not 
apply to sale or purchase of red snapper that were harvested, landed 
ashore, and sold prior to noon, local time, April 15, 1999, 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.

    Dated: April 23, 1999.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10701 Filed 4-26-99; 2:08 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F