[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13122-13123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5521]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 110103005-1005-01]
RIN 0648-BA48


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Greater Amberjack Management 
Measures

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reopening the comment period to provide additional 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed rule that would 
implement a seasonal closure for the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) greater 
amberjack recreational sector. The reopening of the comment period is 
to ensure that the public fully understands the intent of the greater 
amberjack regulatory amendment. NMFS is reopening the comment period 
for the proposed rule on March 10, 2011 and it will remain open through 
March 25, 2011. The intended effect of the proposed rule is to mitigate 
the social and economic impacts associated with implementing in-season 
closures.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule that published on 
January 24, 2011 (76 FR 4084), and closed on February 23, 2011, will 
reopen on March 10, 2011 and remain open through March 25, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule identified by 
0648-BA48 by any of the following methods:
     Electronic submissions: Submit electronic comments via the 
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Rich Malinowski, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
263 13th Avenue, South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to http://

[[Page 13123]]

www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying 
Information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by 
the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential 
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    To submit comments through the Federal e-rulemaking portal: http://www.regulations.gov, enter ``NOAA-NMFS-2010-0281'' in the keyword 
search, then check the box labeled ``Select to find documents accepting 
comments or submissions'', then select ``Send a comment or 
submission''. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the 
required field if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit 
attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Comments received through means not specified in this proposed rule 
will not be considered.
    Copies of the regulatory amendment, which includes an environmental 
assessment (EA), an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), and 
a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, 
FL 33607; telephone 813-348-1630; fax 813-348-1711; e-mail 
[email protected]; or may be downloaded from the Council's 
Web site at: http://www.gulfcouncil.org/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Malinowski, 727-824-5305; fax: 
727-824-5308.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico 
is managed under the FMP. The FMP was prepared by the Council and is 
implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    On January 24, 2011 (76 FR 4084), NMFS published a proposed rule to 
establish a 2-month seasonal closure of the recreational sector for 
greater amberjack within the Gulf reef fish fishery. Harvest and 
possession of recreational greater amberjack would be prohibited in or 
from the Gulf EEZ during the months of June and July each year. The 
establishment of a recreational seasonal closure is intended to 
mitigate the social and economic impacts associated with implementing 
in-season closures.
    Based on many of the comments received on the proposed rule, it 
appears to NMFS that the intent of the proposed action was not 
completely understood by the public. A number of commenters seem to 
have the understanding that the intent of the recreational seasonal 
closure is to reduce recreational harvest. In actuality, the proposed 
recreational seasonal closure occurs during a peak time for greater 
amberjack fishing, and is therefore projected to allow the recreational 
sector to be open during the remainder of the fishing year, without the 
necessity for additional in-season quota closures or implementation of 
accountability measures. Many for-hire operators indicated to the 
Council that the summer recreational seasonal closure was a preferred 
closure alternative since it would allow the for-hire industry to 
market greater amberjack as a trophy fish during the months their 
preferred target species of red snapper was unavailable.
    NMFS specifically invites public comment on the clarification of 
the intent of the greater amberjack recreational seasonal closure. 
Additionally, the reef fish for-hire industry has requested a reopening 
of the comment period to allow industry additional time to submit 
comments. Therefore, NMFS will reopen the public comment period on the 
proposed rule on March 10, 2011 and it will remain open through March 
25, 2011.

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

    Dated: March 4, 2011.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5521 Filed 3-9-11; 8:45 am]
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