[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36325-36326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17060]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 062399B]
RIN 0648-AK89


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coastal 
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic 
(Amendment 9)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of Amendment 9 to the FMP for the 
coastal migratory pelagic resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South 
Atlantic; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Councils have submitted Amendment 9 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of 
Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP) for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. The purpose of Amendment 9 is to enhance the 
socioeconomic benefits from the commercial quotas for Gulf group king 
mackerel and to assure a more equitable distribution of these benefits 
among fishery participants, to reduce the harvest of immature king 
mackerel and minimize the possibility of recreational king mackerel 
fishery allocation overruns, and to increase revenue and decrease waste 
in the king and Spanish mackerel fisheries. Amendment 9 is made 
available for public comment.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 7, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to Mark Godcharles, Southeast 
Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, 
FL 33702.
    Requests for copies of Amendment 9, which includes an environmental 
assessment, a regulatory impact review (RIR), and an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis (IRFA), may be obtained from the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council (Gulf of Mexico Council), Suite 1000, 3018 
U.S. Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33619; Phone: 813-228-2815; Fax: 813-
225-7015; E-mail: [email protected]; or from the South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council), Southpark 
Building, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699; 
Phone: 843-571-4366; Fax: 843-769-4520; E-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Godcharles or Steve Branstetter, 
NMFS, St. Petersburg, FL; Phone: 727-570-5305; Fax: 727-570-5583.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires Regional Fishery 
Management Councils to submit any proposed FMP or FMP amendment to NMFS 
for review, approval, and implementation. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also 
requires that NMFS, upon receiving such FMP or FMP amendment, 
immediately publish a document in the Federal Register stating that the 
FMP or FMP amendment is available for public review and comment.
    Amendment 9 was prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico and 
South Atlantic Councils. Amendment 9 contains 10 proposed conservation 
and management measures. For the commercial fisheries for Gulf group 
king mackerel in the eastern zone (the zone comprising both coasts of 
Florida), Amendment 9 proposes seven actions to: (1) Create two new 
subzones (northern and southern) for the commercial hook-and-line 
fishery in the Florida west coast subzone; (2) establish separate 
commercial hook-and-line fishery quotas for the proposed northern and 
southern subzones in the Florida west coast subzone; (3) reallocate the 
eastern zone commercial quota between the Florida east and west coast 
subzones to provide for commercial hook-and-line fishery quotas for the 
proposed new northern and southern Florida west coast subzones; (4) 
implement a moratorium on issuing any new gillnet endorsements for 
commercial vessel king mackerel permits in the run-around gillnet 
fishery in the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone; (5) 
establish eligibility criteria to reissue gillnet endorsements for 
commercial vessel king mackerel permits only to traditional fishermen 
in the run-around gillnet fishery in the proposed southern Florida west 
coast subzone; (6) restrict the transfer of gillnet endorsements for 
commercial vessel king mackerel permits in the run-around gillnet 
fishery in the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone only to the 
family members of vessel owners; and (7) restrict the operational area 
for vessels harvesting king mackerel under the run-around gillnet quota 
to the proposed southern Florida west coast subzone.
    Amendment 9 also proposes three additional actions to: (1) 
Establish a 3,000-lb (1,361-kg) daily trip limit for the commercial 
vessels harvesting Gulf group king mackerel under the quota for the 
western zone (Texas through Alabama); (2) increase the minimum size 
limit from 20 inches to 24 inches (50.8 to 61.0 cm) fork length for 
both the Gulf and Atlantic groups of king mackerel; and (3) allow the 
sale of cut-off (damaged) fish from both the Gulf and Atlantic groups 
of king and Spanish mackerel as long as the cut-off fish meet or exceed 
the appropriate minimum size limit and are possessed within the 
established commercial trip limits.
    The specific proposed management measures, their supporting 
rationale, and analyses of potential impacts are contained in Amendment 
9. Amendment 9 is intended to enhance the socioeconomic benefits from 
the commercial quotas for Gulf group king mackerel and to assure a more 
equitable distribution of these benefits among fishery participants. 
Measures proposed for fisheries in the eastern zone would equitably 
distribute the quota among participants using hook-and-line gear and 
prevent expansion of the run-around gillnet sector while the Gulf of

[[Page 36326]]

Mexico and South Atlantic Councils consider future management 
strategies. The proposal to establish a trip limit for the western zone 
is expected to prevent derby fishing, extend the harvest season, and 
increase the exvessel value of the catch. Proposals to increase king 
mackerel minimum size limits would reduce harvest of immature fish and 
the likelihood of overrunning recreational fishery allocations. The 
proposed measures regarding the possession and sale of cut-off 
(damaged) king and Spanish mackerel would increase fishery revenue, 
decrease wastage, and improve the accuracy of fishing mortality 
estimates.
Availability of and Opportunity to Comment on Amendment 9
    NMFS has prepared a proposed rule to implement Amendment 9. In 
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the 
proposed rule to determine if it is consistent with Amendment 9, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If that determination 
is affirmative, NMFS will publish a proposed rule in the Federal 
Register for public review and comment.
    NMFS will consider comments received by September 7, 1999, whether 
specifically directed to Amendment 9 or its proposed rule in its 
decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 9. NMFS 
will not consider comments received after that date in this decision. 
NMFS will address all comments received on Amendment 9 or on its 
proposed rule during their respective comment periods in the preamble 
of the final rule.

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

    Dated: June 29, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-17060 Filed 7-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F