[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 143 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41046-41047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14450]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

RIN 0648-AT87


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf 
of Mexico; Amendment 14/27

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

ACTION: Announcement of availability of fishery management plan 
amendment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted a joint Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP) for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and Amendment 
27 to the FMP for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico for 
review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 14/27 proposes 
actions to reduce the red snapper catch, bycatch, and discard mortality 
in the directed commercial and recreational fisheries and the shrimp 
fishery. The intended effect of joint Amendment 14/27 is to end 
overfishing for red snapper between 2009 and 2010 and rebuild the stock 
by 2032 in compliance with the red snapper rebuilding plan.

DATES:  Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern 
time, on September 24, 2007.

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-AT87-NOA27-14.
     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 joint Amendment 14/27, which includes an Environmental 
Impact Statement, a Regulatory Impact Review, and an Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis, are available in electronic format from the 
Council's web site at http://www.gulfcouncil.org, or by contacting the 
Council at 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL, 33607; phone: 
813-348-1630; fax: 813-348-1711; e-mail: [email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each Regional 
Fishery Management Council to submit any fishery management plan or 
amendment to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon 
receiving a plan or amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal 
Register notifying the public that the plan or amendment is available 
for review and comment.
    Elements of Amendment 14/27 constitute a revised rebuilding plan 
that has at least a 50-percent probability of rebuilding the red 
snapper stock by 2032. Proposed actions focus around a reduction in red 
snapper total allowable catch to 5 million lb (2.3 million kg). This 
would result in a commercial quota of 2.55 million lb (1.16 million kg) 
and a recreational quota of 2.45 million lb (1.11 million kg). 
Recreational bag limits would be reduced from four fish to two fish; 
the bag limit for captain and crew of for-hire vessels would be set at 
zero. The commercial minimum size limit would be reduced to 13 inches 
(33 cm) total length with the intent of reducing regulatory discards. 
To reduce discard mortality in the directed fisheries, Amendment 14/27 
proposes an action to require the use of venting tools, dehooking 
devices, and non-stainless steel circle hooks (when using natural 
baits) for all reef fish fishery sectors. In addition, the amendment 
would establish a target reduction goal for shrimp trawl bycatch 
mortality on red snapper, establish options for time-area closures for 
the shrimp fishery that would maintain the target reduction goal, and 
establish a framework whereby NMFS could implement such closures in a 
timely fashion.
    Length of the recreational fishing season will be determined by a 
number of factors. The proposed two-fish bag limit alone would allow a 
June 1 through September 15 (107 days) recreational fishing season. In 
addition to the two-fish bag limit, constraining the captain and crew 
of for-hire vessels to a zero-fish bag limit would allow the fishing 
season to be extended through the end of September (122 days). Based on 
extensive public comment, the Council chose to assume a 10-percent 
reduction in post-hurricane fishing effort and landings when evaluating 
recreational management measures. Application of this assumption, along 
with implementation of the two-fish bag limit and the zero-fish captain 
and crew limit of for-hire vessels, would allow the recreational 
fishing season to extend from May 15 through October 15 (154 days). 
This assumption is controversial because although preliminary data 
suggest some declines have occurred since the 2005 hurricane season, 
the magnitude of reductions varies- by fishing sector, is often less 
than 10 percent, and in some cases effort or landings have increased. 
Further, it is unknown how long post-hurricane reductions in landings 
and fishing effort may continue as the fisheries recover. Therefore, 
NMFS is specifically requesting comments on the assumed 10-percent 
reduction in effort and landings as proposed in Amendment 27/14, which 
would affect the designation of the length of the recreational fishing 
season established by this rule.
    A proposed rule that would implement measures outlined in joint 
Amendment 14/27 has been received from the Council. In accordance with 
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the 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.

[[Page 41047]]

    Comments received by September 24, 2007, whether specifically 
directed to the amendment or the proposed rule, will be considered by 
NMFS in its decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the 
amendment. 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 the final rule.

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

    Dated: July 23, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-14450 Filed 7-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S