[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 47498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20387]



[[Page 47498]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 080503A]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the Spring 
Commercial Red Snapper Component

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

ACTION: Notice of Closure.

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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 spring portion of the annual commercial quota for 
red snapper will be reached on August 7, 2003. This closure is 
necessary to protect the red snapper resource.

DATES: Closure is effective noon, local time, August 7, 2003, until 
noon, local time, on October 1, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phil Steele, telephone 727-570-5305, 
fax 727-570-5583, e-mail [email protected].

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-Stevens 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, 2003. The red snapper commercial fishing season is split 
into two time periods, the first commencing at noon on February 1 with 
two-thirds of the annual quota (3.10 million lb (1.41 million kg)) 
available, and the second commencing at noon on October 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 10th 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 filing a 
notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based on current 
statistics, NMFS has determined that the available spring commercial 
quota of 3.10 million lb (1.41 million kg) for red snapper will be 
reached when the fishery closes at noon on August 7, 2003. Accordingly, 
the commercial fishery in the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico for red snapper 
will remain closed until noon, local time, on October 1, 2003. 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, August 7, 2003.
    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 2003 recreational red snapper season opens on 
April 21, 2003, and closes on October 31, 2003. 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, August 7, 
2003, 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 Executive Order 12866.

    Dated: August 6, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20387 Filed 8-6-03; 3:42 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S