[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 6, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 17401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6842]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 033105A]
RIN 0648-AS69


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 24

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of Amendment 24 to the Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico 
(Amendment 24) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council (Council). Amendment 24 would establish a limited access system 
for the Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery. The intended 
effect of Amendment 24 is to support the Council's efforts to achieve 
optimum yield in the fishery, and provide social and economic benefits 
associated with maintaining stability in the fishery.

DATES: Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern 
time, on June 6, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following document identifier: 0648-AS69-NOA.
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Peter Hood, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 
13\th\ Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
     Fax: 727-824-5308, Attention: Peter Hood.
    Copies of Amendment 24, which includes an Environmental Assessment, 
a Regulatory Impact Review, and an Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis, are available from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council, 3018 North U.S. Highway 301, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 33619-2272; 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood, 727-824-5305; fax 727-824-
5308; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A moratorium on the issuance of new 
commercial reef fish permits was established in 1992 under Amendment 4 
to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan (April 8, 1992; 57 FR 11914). 
The moratorium was designed to provide a stable environment in the 
fishery for the evaluation and development of a more comprehensive, 
controlled access system for the entire commercial reef fish fishery. 
The moratorium was subsequently extended through 1995 (Amendment 9) 
(August 2, 1994; 59 FR 39301) and to December 31, 2000 (Amendment 11) 
(December 15, 1995; 60 FR 674350), to provide additional time for 
consideration of implementing a limited access system in the reef fish 
fishery. During this period, the Council developed an individual 
transferable quota (ITQ) system for red snapper (Amendment 8); however, 
before it could be implemented, Congress prohibited the implementation 
of ITQ systems until October 1, 2000. Subsequently, the Council 
developed and NMFS implemented a license limitation system for red 
snapper (Amendment 15) (62 FR 67714). Amendment 17 was implemented by 
NMFS on August 10, 2000 (65 FR 41016), and extended the commercial reef 
fish permit moratorium for another 5 years, from its previous 
expiration date of December 31, 2000 to December 31, 2005, or until 
replaced with a license limitation, limited access, and/or individual 
fishing quota or individual transferable quota system.
    Amendment 24, if implemented, would establish a limited access 
system for the commercial fishery for reef fish. The intended effect 
would be to prevent increases in effort, to possibly reduce the number 
of permittees in the reef fish fishery, and to stabilize the economic 
performance of current participants, while protecting reef fish species 
from overfishing. The existing restricted number of fishery 
participants in the Gulf of Mexico has demonstrated the capability of 
harvesting their total allowable catch well in advance of the end of 
the various fishing seasons. Allowing the fishery to revert to open 
access would probably hasten these closures. The proposed limited 
access system would maintain the existing restricted access to the 
fishery for an indefinite period, with the intent to provide continued 
social and economic stability to the reef fish fishery.
    A proposed rule that would implement the measure outlined in 
Amendment 24 has been received from the Council. In accordance with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), NMFS is evaluating the Council's proposed rule to 
determine whether it is consistent with the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, and other applicable law. If that determination is affirmative, 
NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register for public 
review and comment.
    Comments received by June 6, 2005, whether specifically directed to 
the Amendment 24 or the proposed rule, will be considered by NMFS in 
its decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 24. 
Comments received after that date will not be considered by NMFS in 
this decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendment or the 
proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be addressed 
in a final rule.

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

    Dated: April 1, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-6842 Filed 4-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S