[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8831-8832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2403]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[I.D. 021306C]
RIN 0648-AS70
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South
Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Limited Access
Program for Gulf Charter Vessels and Headboats
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
[[Page 8832]]
ACTION: Announcement of availability of fishery management plan
amendments; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of Amendment 17 to the Fishery
Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of
the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (Amendment 17) and Amendment 25
to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resource of the Gulf
of Mexico (Amendment 25), prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). Amendments 17 and 25 would establish a
limited access system for the Gulf of Mexico charter vessel/headboat
(for-hire) permits for the reef fish and CMP fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone of the Gulf of Mexico and would continue to cap
participation at current levels. The intended effect of Amendments 17
and 25 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 these for-hire fisheries.
DATES: Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern
time, on April 24, 2006.
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-AS70-NOA.
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Jason Rueter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263
13\th\ Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Fax: 727-824-5308, Attention: Jason Rueter.
Copies of Amendments 25 and 17, which include a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement, a Regulatory Impact Review, and an
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, are available from the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100,
Tampa, FL 33607; e-mail: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Rueter, 727-824-5305; fax 727-
824-5308; e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Charter vessel permits were initially
required in the CMP fishery in 1987 and the reef fish fishery in 1997.
A joint amendment establishing the charter vessel/headboat permit
moratorium for the CMP fishery (Amendment 14) and the reef fish fishery
(Amendment 20) was approved by NMFS on May 6, 2003, and implemented on
June 16, 2003 (68 FR 26280). The intended effect of these amendments
was to cap the number of for-hire vessels operating in these two
fisheries at the current level (as of March 29, 2001) while the Council
evaluated whether limited access programs were needed to constrain
effort. The moratorium is set to expire on June 16, 2006. These
amendments, if implemented would establish a limited access program.
A proposed rule that would implement the measures outlined in
Amendments 17 and 25 has been received from the Council. In accordance
with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), NMFS is evaluating the proposed rule to
determine whether it is consistent with the FMPs, 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 April 24, 2006, whether specifically directed
to the Amendments 17 and 25 or the proposed rule, will be considered by
NMFS in its decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the
amendments. Comments received after that date will not be considered by
NMFS in this decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendments
or the proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be
addressed in the final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 14, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-2403 Filed 2-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S