[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 20 (Monday, January 31, 2000)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 4604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2113]



[[Page 4604]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011200A]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Scoping Meetings

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

ACTION:  Notice of scoping meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
conduct scoping meetings to receive comments on a Draft Options Paper 
for Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery 
of the Gulf of Mexico (Shrimp Amendment 10).

DATES:  Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on March 6, 
2000. The scoping meetings will be held from February 2 through 
February 10, 2000. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and 
times.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301, North, Suite 1000, 
Tampa, Florida 33619; telephone: (813) 228-2815. Copies of the Draft 
Options Paper are also available from the Council.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Dr. Richard Leard, Senior Fishery 
Biologist, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 
228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  The scoping meetings will be convened to 
receive comments on the need for additional bycatch reduction 
requirements for the shrimp fishery in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ) south and east of 85 deg.30' W. long. Amendment 9 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), 
approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on July 30, 
1997, and implemented by final rule on May 14, 1998 (April 14, 1998; 63 
FR 18139), required the use of a NMFS-certified bycatch reduction 
device (BRD) in shrimp trawls used in the EEZ from Cape San Blas, 
Florida (85 deg.30' W. long.) to the Texas/Mexico border and provided 
for the certification of the Fisheye BRD in the 30 mesh position. The 
purpose of this action was to reduce the bycatch mortality of juvenile 
red snapper by 44 percent from the average mortality for the years 
1984-89. Amendment 9 to the FMP exempted shrimp trawls fishing for 
royal red shrimp outside of 100 fathoms, as well as groundfish and 
butterfish trawls. It also excluded small try nets and no more than two 
ridged frame roller trawls that do not exceed 16 feet (4.9 m). 
Amendment 9 to the FMP did not require BRDs south and east of 
85 deg.30' West long. because few juvenile red snapper were found as 
bycatch in this area. Because of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act's requirement to reduce bycatch to the 
extent practicable, the Council is considering the need for additional 
measures to reduce bycatch.
    Scoping meetings for the Draft Options Paper on Shrimp Amendment 10 
will begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. at all of the following 
locations:
    1. Wednesday, February 2, 2000--Harbormaster's Office, 1407 Main 
Street, Palacios, TX 77465;
    2. Thursday, February 3, 2000--Port Isabel Community Center, 213 
Yturria, Port Isabel, TX 78578;
    3. Monday, February 7, 2000--Holiday Inn La Concha Hotel, 430 Duval 
Street, Key West, FL 33040;
    4. Tuesday, February 8, 2000--Edison Community College, Hendry 
Hall--K143--Parking Lot 8--Lee County Campus, 8099 College Parkway, 
Fort Myers, FL 33919;
    5. Wednesday, February 9, City Hall Auditorium, 300 Municipal 
Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708; and
    6. Thursday, February 10, 2000--Apalachicola Reserve Visitors 
Center, 261 7th Street, Apalachicola, FL 32320.

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).

    Dated: January 27, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-2113 Filed 1-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F