[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 10, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68784-68785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30607]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 120103F]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the Fall 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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[[Page 68785]]

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

DATES: Closure is effective noon, local time, December 7, 2003, until 
noon, local time, on February 1, 2004.

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 fall commercial 
quota of 1.60 million lb (0.73 million kg) for red snapper will be 
reached when the fishery closes at noon on December 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 February 
1, 2004. 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, December 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 opened 
on April 21, 2003, and closed 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, 
December 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: December 4, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-30607 Filed 12-5-03; 2:41 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S