[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76216-76220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24416]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 050915240-5332-02; I.D. 090905A]
RIN 0648-AS66


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Gulf of Mexico Essential Fish Habitat Amendment

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this final rule to implement Generic Amendment 3 
to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) of the Gulf of Mexico (EFH 
Amendment 3), which was prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council (Council). EFH Amendment 3 amends each of the seven 
Council FMPs -shrimp, red drum, reef fish, coastal migratory pelagic 
resources, coral and coral reefs, stone crab, and spiny lobster- to 
describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH); minimize to the 
extent practicable the adverse effects of fishing on EFH; and encourage 
conservation and management of EFH. This final rule establishes 
additional habitat areas of particular concern (HAPCs), restricts 
fishing activities within HAPCs to protect EFH, and requires a weak 
link in bottom trawl gear to protect EFH. The intended effect of this 
final rule is to facilitate long-term protection of EFH and, thus, 
better conserve and manage fishery resources in the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES: This final rule is effective January 23, 2006, except for Sec.  
622.34(q), which is effective January 24, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) 
are available from Peter Hood, NMFS, Southeast Regional Office, 263 
13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; telephone: 727-824-5305; 
fax: 727-824-5308; e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood, telephone: 727-551-5728; 
fax: 727-824-5308; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EFH Amendment 3 addresses fisheries under 
the FMPs for coral and coral reef resources, coastal migratory 
pelagics, red drum, reef fish, shrimp, spiny lobster, and stone crab. 
The FMPs were prepared by the Council, except for the FMPs for coastal 
migratory pelagics and spiny lobster that were prepared jointly by the 
South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils. All of 
these FMPs, except the spiny lobster and stone crab FMPs, are 
implemented under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations 
at 50 CFR part 622. The Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster 
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic is implemented by 
regulations at 50 CFR part 640. The Fishery Management Plan for the 
Stone Crab

[[Page 76217]]

Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR 
part 654.
    NMFS published a notice of availability for EFH Amendment 3 on 
September 15, 2005, and requested public comment on the amendment (70 
FR 54518). On September 26, 2005, NMFS published the proposed rule to 
implement EFH Amendment 3 and requested public comment on the proposed 
rule (70 FR 56157). NMFS approved EFH Amendment 3 on December 12, 2005. 
The rationale for the measures in EFH Amendment 3 is provided in the 
amendment and in the preamble to the proposed rule and is not repeated 
here.

Comments and Responses

    Following is a summary of the comments received on EFH Amendment 3 
and the proposed rule along with NMFS' responses.
    Comment 1: Restrictions on anchoring in the Stetson, East Flower 
Garden, West Flower Garden, and McGrail Banks HAPCs should be 
constrained to only those areas where coral reefs are present, and not 
areas within the HAPCs where corals are not present.
    Response: As stated in the amendment, the restrictions on the 
majority of the areas encompassed within East Flower Garden, West 
Flower Garden, and Stetson Banks HAPCs are consistent with restrictions 
already imposed by the statutes governing the Flower Garden Banks 
National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary), which has jurisdiction for these 
areas. The rationale for slightly larger HAPC boundaries is based on 
recent bathymetric and biological surveys that incorporate the entire 
physical area of these geological features and that serve as the basis 
for new boundaries for the Sanctuary that will be proposed in the near 
future.
    McGrail Bank, although not managed by the Sanctuary, has extensive 
growth of reef-building corals. This bank runs linearly from the 
southeast to the northwest. To maximize the protection of these corals, 
north-south and east-west boundaries capturing the southeast and 
northwest extent of the bank were selected by the Council and NMFS to 
aid in enforcement of the area restrictions, simplify boundaries for 
the vessel operators to whom the restrictions apply, and maintain 
consistency with the boundary orientation of other northern Gulf of 
Mexico HAPCs.
    Comment 2: Longline gear and bottom trawls should be restricted 
because they damage other fisheries.
    Response: NMFS recognizes that these gears can damage habitats of 
some federally managed fishery species. Accordingly, the regulations 
implemented through this final rule will further restrict where and how 
these gear types can be used. NMFS believes these regulations restrict 
these gear types to the extent justified by the supporting analyses.
    Comment 3: Longline fishing and anchoring restrictions in the 
entire Pulley Ridge HAPC would be harmful to many commercial fishermen 
dependent on this area.
    Response: As described in the environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for this amendment, although coral reefs are not common in the Gulf of 
Mexico, they support a wide array of finfish and invertebrate species. 
Many of these species, such as groupers and snappers, are important to 
Gulf of Mexico fisheries. As stated in the amendment and in the EIS, 
fishermen target these areas because of the abundance of these species. 
However, fishing activities such as the use of longlines and anchoring 
can damage coral reefs. Longlines, particularly during retrieval, can 
snag corals, thus breaking or upending them. Dragging and pulling 
anchors and anchor chains through corals has been documented to break 
and crush coral formations. Therefore, limiting these activities is 
necessary to protect this important habitat.
    The deepest hermatypic coral reef known in American waters is 
located in the southern portion of the Pulley Ridge HAPC. The northern 
area of the HAPC does not contain living corals, but does show a unique 
mixed hard bottom habitat. Because the fishing restrictions outlined in 
this rule are designed to protect corals, only part of the southern 
half of this HAPC where the corals are abundant was designated for gear 
and anchoring restrictions. The Council selected this area because it 
provided the best balance between protecting corals while not resulting 
in substantial economic hardship to any particular fishery or fishing 
community.

Classification

    The Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, determined that EFH 
Amendment 3 is necessary for the conservation and management of the 
shrimp, red drum, reef fish, coastal migratory pelagic resources, coral 
and coral reefs, stone crab, and spiny lobster fisheries and that it is 
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS prepared a FRFA that incorporates the initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis (IRFA) and a summary of the analyses completed to 
support the action. No significant issues were raised by public 
comments regarding the IRFA or the economic impacts of the rule. A 
summary of the FRFA follows.
    This action will identify EFH, identify HAPC, and establish gear 
and fishing restrictions to protect this habitat. The purpose of this 
action is to prevent, minimize, or mitigate adverse fishing impacts to 
EFH and HAPC. The Magnuson-Stevens Act, as amended, provides the 
statutory basis for the rule.
    No significant issues were raised by public comments in response to 
the IRFA or the economic impacts of the rule. Therefore, no changes 
were made in the final rule as a result of such comments.
    No duplicative, overlapping, or conflicting Federal rules have been 
identified.
    All commercial and for-hire fishing operations in the Gulf of 
Mexico could be affected by the final rule either directly by altering 
their gear usage or fishing locations, or indirectly by affecting 
fishery-wide harvest patterns. These commercial fishing operations 
include the shrimp, reef fish, spiny lobster, and stone crab fisheries. 
Participation in multiple fisheries by individual entities is common. 
The mobile and shallow depth-related nature of fishing for pelagic 
species should exclude those operations that exclusively fish for these 
species from the effects of the final rule. However, operations that 
fish for both pelagic and bottom species will be captured in the 
following discussion.
    The Small Business Administration (SBA) defines a small business as 
one that is independently owned and operated and not dominant in its 
field of operation, and has annual receipts not in excess of $3.5 
million in the case of commercial harvesting entities or $6.0 million 
in the case of for-hire entities, or has fewer than 500 employees in 
the case of fish processors, or fewer than 100 employees in the case of 
fish dealers.
    The number of shrimp vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico in the 
federal shrimp fishery is estimated to be approximately 2,951 vessels, 
while the number of smaller shrimp boats operating in state waters is 
estimated at less than 10,000. However, many of these shrimp fishing 
operations are not currently fishing due to a combination of poor 
economic conditions in the fishery and the destruction of vessels and 
infrastructure by hurricanes.

[[Page 76218]]

 Detailed economic and social information has not been collected from 
Gulf shrimp fishermen for over 10 years, although a socioeconomic 
survey of the shrimp fishery is presently underway. The historical 
estimate of average gross revenues for shrimp vessels is approximately 
$82,000. Given the economic conditions currently experienced by the 
fishery, present average revenues are likely substantially less. 
Although there are several individuals or corporations that own and 
operate more than one vessel in the shrimp fishery, their actual number 
and size is not known.
    There are approximately 1,145 vessels permitted to fish in the 
commercial reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico. An average reef 
fish vessel is estimated to generate revenues of approximately $65,000. 
Average revenue performance within the fleet varies, however, depending 
upon the gear utilized and the area fished, ranging from a low of 
approximately $24,000 for vertical line vessels fishing in the eastern 
Gulf to $117,000 for bottom longline vessels fishing Gulf-wide.
    In 2001, 2,235 fishermen possessed a spiny lobster trap 
certificate. Total revenues in the 2001 fishery were approximately $15 
million, or an average of less than $7,000 per fisherman. Landings in 
2001 were markedly lower than historical performance. Using peak 
revenues of approximately $30 million in 1999 and the same number of 
fisherman results in average revenues of still less than $14,000 per 
participant.
    From 1985 to 1994, an average of 720 fishing craft operated in the 
stone crab fishery. Of these craft, an average of 234 were vessels 
greater than 5.0 net tons (4.5 net metric tons), and 486 were smaller 
boats. More recent estimates are not available. The highest annual 
total ex-vessel revenues from stone crab landings were registered in 
1997 at $31.9 million, or an average of approximately $44,000 per 
vessel. On the assumption that the majority of harvests are made by the 
larger vessels, if all landings are attributed to the average of 234 
participating larger vessels, then the average gross revenue would 
amount to about $136,427.
    There are approximately 1,857 vessels with for-hire moratorium 
permits in the Gulf of Mexico, encompassing both charter and headboat 
operations. On average, charter boats are estimated to generate gross 
revenues ranging from $58,000 in the eastern Gulf to $81,000 in the 
western Gulf, or an overall average of $64,000. Headboats are estimated 
to generate gross revenues ranging from $281,000 in the eastern Gulf to 
$550,000 in the western Gulf, or an overall average of $400,000.
    Fish dealers may also be affected by the measures in this final 
rule to the extent that the measures affect harvests. There are 227 
Federally permitted reef fish dealers in the Gulf region. Average 
employment information per reef fish dealer is not known. Although 
dealers and processors are not synonymous entities, total employment in 
1997 for reef fish processors in the entire Southeast was estimated at 
approximately 700 individuals, both part- and full-time. It is assumed 
all processors must be dealers, yet a dealer need not be a processor. 
Further, processing is a much more labor-intensive exercise than 
dealing. Therefore, given the employment estimate for the processing 
sector, it is assumed that all reef fish dealers are small businesses.
    In 2002, 626 dealers were identified in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp 
fishery. This figure was a substantial increase from 1999-2001 when 310 
to 320 dealers typically operated in the fishery. The increase, 
however, is believed to represent an attempt by more shrimp fishermen 
to market their product directly in response to depressed market 
conditions. Similar to the reef fish sector, employment data on shrimp 
dealers are not available. Total employment in the shrimp processing 
sector in 2002, however, was approximately 4,300 individuals across 74 
firms, with the largest processor employing less than 500 individuals. 
Thus, as in the reef fish sector, all shrimp dealers are assumed to be 
small business entities.
    Based on the SBA benchmark standards and the gross revenue and 
employment profiles presented above for the various fisheries, all 
commercial and for-hire fishing vessels and reef fish and shrimp 
dealers potentially affected by the final rule are considered small 
entities.
    None of the measures considered in this rule will alter existing 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements. None of the compliance 
requirements will require additional professional skills.
    The final rule could directly or indirectly affect all commercial 
and for-hire entities that operate in the Gulf of Mexico. All of these 
entities are considered small business entities. The final rule will, 
therefore, affect a substantial number of small entities.
    The outcome of ``significant economic impact'' can be ascertained 
by examining two issues: disproportionality and profitability. The 
disproportionality question is, do the regulations place a substantial 
number of small entities at a significant competitive disadvantage to 
large entities? All the business operations affected by the rule are 
considered small business entities, so the issue of disproportionality 
does not arise in the present case.
    The profitability question is, do the regulations significantly 
reduce profit for a substantial number of small entities? The 
designation of EFH or HAPC will not have any direct effect on fishing 
activity or profits because designation does not impose fishing 
restrictions. The anchoring prohibition will primarily affect vessels 
using vertical lines over the live coral areas of Pulley Ridge, the 
East and West Flower Gardens, and the McGrail Bank. Landings data do 
not provide precise harvest or fishing locations, and the proposed 
restricted areas generally lie within larger geographical statistical 
grids. Total harvests from the grid within which Pulley Ridge lies 
(NMFS Statistical Area 2) accounted for only 3.1 percent of average 
annual total reef fish harvests from 2000-2002 and, although not 
quantified, similar results are expected for the other protected areas. 
Because Pulley Ridge and other protected areas do not encompass the 
entirety of the statistical areas within which they lie, any harvest 
reduction attributed to the anchoring restriction is expected to be 
less than the total area contribution.
    The prohibition on the use of bottom trawls, bottom longlines, and 
buoy gear will primarily affect fishermen using these gears in the 
coral areas of Pulley Ridge. As previously stated, the coral areas 
within Pulley Ridge lie completely within NMFS Statistical Area 2. 
Logbook data for the entire area show that the value of all longline 
reef fish and shark landings from 2000 through 2003 averaged $662,000, 
or 4.1 percent of the Gulf-wide total for these species. However, it is 
not anticipated that these landings and revenues will be removed from 
the fishery because it is expected that most, if not all, of this 
fishing effort will relocate to adjacent areas where fishing activity 
already exceeds that of Statistical Area 2. This relocation may have 
some minor, but unquantifiable, effect on fishing costs. Relocation of 
buoy gear fishing will similarly be expected to affect fishing costs. 
However, it is unknown how much, if any, buoy gear fishing occurs in 
the proposed protected areas.
    The prohibition on bottom trawls is not expected to affect fishing 
behavior because trawl fishermen are expected to currently avoid these 
areas because shrimp are generally not abundant over coral, and the 
costs associated with gear

[[Page 76219]]

entanglement and damage is not consistent with efficient trawling 
activity.
    It is not anticipated that any trap fishermen (fish, lobster, or 
stone crab) will be impacted by the rule because this gear is not 
believed to be utilized to any significant degree in the restricted 
areas.
    The requirement for a weak link in the tickler chain of bottom 
trawls used over all habitats is expected to have minor impacts on gear 
costs and may reduce harvests and increase costs if gear is lost due to 
entanglement and link separation. Successful trawling operation 
encourages the avoidance of entanglements. A weak link may increase 
this behavior, potentially changing where trawling occurs, costs of 
operation, and harvest rates. It is not possible, however, to quantify 
these effects.
    Several alternatives were considered to the gear restrictions 
intended to prevent, minimize, or mitigate adverse fishing impacts on 
the essential fish habitat. The no action alternative would have 
eliminated the potential adverse impacts of the rule but would not 
achieve the Council's objectives.
    The second alternative to the gear restrictions would have 
prohibited bottom trawling over coral reefs, required aluminum doors on 
trawls, limited the length and deployment rate (number of sets per day) 
of bottom longline sets on hard bottom, required circle hooks on 
vertical lines and limited sinker weights, and required buoys on 
anchors. This alternative lacked the habitat protection afforded by the 
anchoring and trap/pot prohibitions of the final rule and would not, 
therefore, have achieved the habitat protection of the final rule. The 
Council also concluded that the longline set and sinker restrictions 
were impractical and would have increased the adverse economic impacts 
to fishery participants over the final rule. In total, this alternative 
would not have met the Council's objectives of providing practical 
habitat protection while minimizing adverse economic impacts.
    The third alternative contained all the provisions of the second 
alternative and would have additionally limited tickler chains, 
headropes, and vessel length for trawl vessels, and prohibited 
trotlines when using traps or pots. Although this alternative would 
have increased the habitat protection over the second alternative, this 
alternative still would not have included the full extent of the 
habitat protection afforded by the anchoring and trap/pot prohibitions 
fo the final rule. Further, the adverse economic impacts associated 
with the impractical longline set and sinker restrictions of the second 
alternative would not be reduced. Thus, this alternative would still 
not have met the Council's objectives of providing practical habitat 
protection while minimizing adverse economic impacts.
    The fourth alternative would have increased the headrope and vessel 
length restrictions of the third alternative and prohibited the use of 
tickler chains on all bottoms; the use of all traps, pots, bottom 
longline, and buoy gear on coral reef; and the use of anchors on coral. 
While this alternative would have increased the protection of habitat 
relative to the second and third alternatives, this alternative would 
have also unnecessarily reduced the efficiency of trawl gear, thereby 
increasing the adverse impacts of the action on fishery participants.
    The fifth alternative would have prohibited the use of all gear and 
fishing activities that have adverse impacts on essential fish habitat 
in the EEZ. This alternative would have resulted in the greatest 
protection to the environment. However, since virtually all fishing 
methods except for surface trawling have the potential to result in 
adverse impacts on essential fish habitat, this alternative would 
result in whole-scale elimination of fisheries, with severe adverse 
economic impacts. The Council determined that such protection would be 
greater than necessary to protect the environment while maintaining 
sustainable fisheries. This alternative, therefore, exceeded the 
objectives of the action and would impose an excessive economic burden 
on fishery participants.
    The final alternative would have established restrictions 
applicable to fishing over live hard bottom and would have limited the 
length and deployment rate of bottom longline sets, prohibited 
trotlines when using traps or pots, prohibited all anchoring, and 
enacted a seasonal closure for shrimp trawl fishing. The longline and 
anchoring provisions of this alternative are impractical, and the 
longline provisions could reduce the efficiency of vessels, thereby 
increasing adverse economic impacts without clearly demonstrable 
benefits. Further, a seasonal shrimp trawling closure is difficult to 
justify given the inability to determine, absent vessel monitoring 
systems, exactly where fishing effort occurs and the apparent low 
fishing pressure in the areas that are the most likely candidates for 
closure. Overall, this alternative would not meet the Council's 
objectives as well as the final rule.
    Copies of the FRFA are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622

    Fisheries, Fishing, Puerto Rico, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Virgin Islands.

    Dated: December 20, 2005.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is amended as 
follows:

PART 622--FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC

0
1. The authority citation for part 622 continues to read as follows:

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

0
2. In Sec.  622.31, paragraph (m) is added to read as follows:


Sec.  622.31  Prohibited gear and methods.

* * * * *
    (m) Weak link. A bottom trawl that does not have a weak link in the 
tickler chain may not be used to fish in the Gulf EEZ. For the purposes 
of this paragraph, a weak link is defined as a length or section of the 
tickler chain that has a breaking strength less than the chain itself 
and is easily seen as such when visually inspected.

0
3. In Sec.  622.34, paragraph (d) introductory text, and paragraphs 
(d)(1), and (j) are revised; paragraph (q) is reserved; and paragraphs 
(r), (s), and (t) are added to read as follows:


Sec.  622.34  Gulf EEZ seasonal and/or area closures.

* * * * *
    (d) Tortugas marine reserves HAPC. The following activities are 
prohibited within the Tortugas marine reserves HAPC: Fishing for any 
species and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels.
    (1) EEZ portion of Tortugas North. The area is bounded by rhumb 
lines connecting the following points: From point A at 24[deg]40'00'' 
N. lat., 83[deg]06'00'' W. long. to point B at 24[deg]46'00'' N. lat., 
83[deg]06'00'' W. long. to point C at 24[deg]46'00'' N. lat., 
83[deg]00'00'' W. long.; thence along the line denoting the seaward 
limit of Florida's waters, as shown on the current edition of NOAA 
chart 11434, to point A at 24[deg]40'00'' N. lat., 83[deg]06'00'' W. 
long.
* * * * *
    (j) West and East Flower Garden Banks HAPC. The following 
activities are prohibited year-round in the HAPC: Fishing with a bottom 
longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap and bottom 
anchoring by fishing vessels.

[[Page 76220]]

    (1) West Flower Garden Bank. West Flower Garden Bank is bounded by 
rhumb lines connecting, in order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Point                       North lat.   West long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       A                        27[deg]55'2  93[deg]53'0
                                                      2.8''        9.6''
                       B                        27[deg]55'2  93[deg]46'4
                                                      2.8''        6.0''
                       C                        27[deg]49'0  93[deg]46'4
                                                      3.0''        6.0''
                       D                        27[deg]49'0  93[deg]53'0
                                                      3.0''        9.6''
                       A                        27[deg]55'2  93[deg]53'0
                                                      2.8''        9.6''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) East Flower Garden Bank. East Flower Garden Bank is bounded by 
rhumb lines connecting, in order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Point                       North lat.   West long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       A                        27[deg]59'1  93[deg]38'5
                                                      4.4''        8.2''
                       B                        27[deg]59'1  93[deg]34'0
                                                      4.4''        3.5''
                       C                        27[deg]52'3  93[deg]34'0
                                                      6.5''        3.5''
                       D                        27[deg]52'3  93[deg]38'5
                                                      6.5''        8.2''
                       A                        27[deg]59'1  93[deg]38'5
                                                      4.4''        8.2''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
    (r) Pulley Ridge HAPC. Fishing with a bottom longline, bottom 
trawl, buoy gear, pot, or trap and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels 
are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb 
lines connecting, in order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Point                       North lat.   West long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       A                        24[deg]58'1  83[deg]38'3
                                                        8''          3''
                       B                        24[deg]58'1  83[deg]37'0
                                                        8''          0''
                       C                        24[deg]41'1  83[deg]37'0
                                                        1''          0''
                       D                        24[deg]40'0  83[deg]41'2
                                                        0''          2''
                       E                        24[deg]43'5  83[deg]47'1
                                                        5''          5''
                       A                        24[deg]58'1  83[deg]38'3
                                                        8''          3''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (s) Stetson Bank HAPC. Fishing with a bottom longline, bottom 
trawl, buoy gear, pot, or trap and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels 
are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines 
connecting, in order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Point                       North lat.   West long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       A                        28[deg]10'3  94[deg]18'3
                                                      8.3''        6.5''
                       B                        28[deg]10'3  94[deg]17'0
                                                      8.3''        6.3''
                       C                        28[deg]09'1  94[deg]17'0
                                                      8.6''        6.3''
                       D                        28[deg]09'1  94[deg]18'3
                                                      8.6''        6.5''
                       A                        28[deg]10'3  94[deg]18'3
                                                      8.3''        6.5''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (t) McGrail Bank HAPC. Fishing with a bottom longline, bottom 
trawl, buoy gear, pot, or trap and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels 
are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines 
connecting, in order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Point                       North lat.   West long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       A                        27[deg]59'0  92[deg]37'1
                                                      6.0''        9.2''
                       B                        27[deg]59'0  92[deg]32'1
                                                      6.0''        7.4''
                       C                        27[deg]55'5  92[deg]32'1
                                                      5.5''        7.4''
                       D                        27[deg]55'5  92[deg]37'1
                                                      5.5''        9.2''
                       A                        27[deg]59'0  92[deg]37'1
                                                      6.0''        9.2''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 05-24416 Filed 12-20-05; 1:48 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S