[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49259-49260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-4600]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081705A]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of a public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene a public hearing to solicit comments on a Regulatory Amendment 
to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan to Set Commercial and 
Recreational Management Measures for Grouper.

DATES: The public hearing will held on Wednesday, September 7, 2005. 
The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude no later than 10:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Best Western The 
Westshore Hotel, 1200 North Westshore Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33607; 
telephone: (813) 282-3636.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 
North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stu Kennedy, Fishery Biologist, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: (813) 348-1630.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
Council (Council) will convene a public hearing to solicit comments on 
a Regulatory Amendment to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan to set 
Commercial and Recreational Management Measures for Grouper.
    Proposed measures include setting grouper trip limits for the 
commercial fishery, reduce recreational red grouper harvest in the Gulf 
of Mexico, and minimize associated impacts on gag and other groupers.
    This Regulatory Amendment will address measures to set commercial 
trip limits for deep-water and shallow-water grouper to extend the 
fishing season into December, reduce recreational red grouper harvest 
in the Gulf of Mexico,

[[Page 49260]]

and minimize associated impacts on gag and other groupers: Secretarial 
Amendment 1 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan of the Gulf of 
Mexico established a rebuilding plan and 6.56 million pounds of gutted 
weight allowable biological catch for red grouper. During 2003 and 
2004, recreational red grouper landings exceeded the 1.25 million 
pounds gutted weight recreational allocation and during 2004, 
commercial fishing was closed on November 15 because the commercial 
quota was reached. In March 2005, the NMFS implemented an emergency 
rule to set trip limits but they will expire in February 2006 unless 
continued through this regulatory amendment. In July 2005, the NMFS 
implemented an interim rule to reduce the 2005 recreational red grouper 
harvest to levels in Secretarial Amendment 1 but they will expire in 
January 2006 unless continued through this regulatory amendment. The 
purpose of this regulatory amendment is to adjust regulatory management 
measures for the Gulf of Mexico red grouper fishery. New or adjusted 
management measures are needed if the Council intends to reduce the 
adverse socioeconomic effects of derby fishing in the commercial 
fishery, return recreational landings to levels specified in the red 
grouper rebuilding plan, and prevent or minimize impacts on gag and 
other groupers resulting from more restrictive recreational red grouper 
regulations.
    A copy of the Amendment and related materials can be obtained by 
calling the Council office at (813) 348-1630.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Dawn Aring at the Council (see ADDRESSES) by 
August 29, 2005.

    Dated: August 18, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-4600 Filed 8-22-05; 8:45 am]
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