[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66449-66450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30807]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 110899D]


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.

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

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene public hearings to receive comments on a Draft Charter Vessel/
Headboat Permit Moratorium Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for 
the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Gulf of 
Mexico and South Atlantic (Draft Amendment).

DATES: Written comments on the Draft Amendment will be accepted by the 
Gulf Council until January 3, 2000. The public hearings will be held in 
December. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times of 
the public hearings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to and copies of the draft 
amendment are available from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301, North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 
33619, telephone: 813-228-2815. The public hearings will be held in 
Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Swingle, Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Gulf of Mexico region there are 
presently about 1,286 charter vessels and 91 headboats. This represents 
an estimated 32-percent increase in the number of charter vessels and a 
6-percent decrease in the number headboats between 1988 and 1998. 
Additionally, the number of charter vessel trips has increased 187 
percent between 1988 and 1997.
    The Council is considering implementation of a temporary moratorium 
on the issuance of charter vessel/headboat permits to fish the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for reef fish and coastal migratory 
pelagics (mackerel) fish. A moratorium, if adopted by the Council and 
approved and implemented by NMFS, would provide a basis for the 
development of a more comprehensive effort limitation program for this 
segment of the recreational fisheries that could provide better long-
term fishing effort control.
    The Draft Amendment considers seven features of the proposed 
moratorium: (1) The duration of the moratorium; (2) initial eligibility 
requirements for a permit; (3) permit transfers during the moratorium; 
(4) vessel size for permit transfer; (5) the reissuance of permits not 
renewed; (6) a permit appeal process; and (7) vessel reporting. At 
present, the Council suggests a preferred alternative containing the 
following elements: (1) The establishment of a 3-year charter vessel/
headboat permit moratorium; (2) an initial eligibility requirement 
according to which all persons holding charter vessel/headboat permits 
on September 16, 1999, are eligible; (3) the allowance of permit 
transfers during the moratorium between (a) vessels owned by the permit 
holder and (b) individuals without transfer of the vessel; and (4) 
NMFS's suspension of permits not renewed (or permanently revoked) 
during the moratorium.
    The Council has not selected preferred alternatives for (1) vessel 
size restriction on permit transfers, (2) the appeals process under 
moratorium, or (3) vessel reporting requirements.

Time and Location for Public Hearings

    Public hearings for the Draft Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit 
Moratorium Amendment will be held at the following locations, dates, 
and times. In addition, public testimony will be accepted at the Gulf 
Council meeting in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on January 19, 2000.
    1. December 6, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Port Isabel Community 
Center, 213 Yturria, Port Isabel, TX 78578
    2. December 6, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Harvey Government 
Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, FL 33040
    3. December 7, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Port Aransas Civic 
Center Auditorium, 710 West Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX 78373
    4. December 7, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Naples Depot Civic 
Cultural Center 1051 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102
    5. December 8, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Texas A&M Auditorium, 
200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX 77553
    6. December 8, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., City Hall Auditorium, 
300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
    7. December 9, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Larose Regional Park, 
2001 East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373
    8. Monday, December 13, 1999, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., J. L. Scott 
Marine Education Center & Aquarium, 115 East Beach Blvd., US Hwy. 90, 
Biloxi, MS 39530
    9. December 14, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Hilton Beachfront 
Garden Inn, 23092 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach, AL 36561
    10. December 15, 1999, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Gulf Coast Community 
College, Student Union East Building, Gibson Lecture Hall (2nd Floor), 
5230

[[Page 66450]]

West Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
    Copies of the Draft Amendment can be obtained from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES).

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 November 29, 1999.

    Dated: November 19, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-30807 Filed 11-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F