Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 1997 / Proposed Rules 55211

(b) Falsify information on an

application for a permit, license, or

endorsement or submitted in support of

such application, as specified in

§ 622.4(b), (g), or (p) or § 622.17.

(c) Fail to display a permit, license, or

endorsement, as specified in § 622.4(i)

or § 622.17(g).

* * * * *

4. In § 622.34, a sentence is added at

the end of paragraph (g)(1) and

paragraph (l) is revised to read as

follows:

§ 622.34 Gulf EEZ seasonal and/or area

closures.

* * * * *

(g) * * *

(1) * * * The provisions of this

paragraph (g)(1) do not apply to the

following species: dwarf sand perch,

hogfish, queen triggerfish, and sand

perch.

* * * * *

(l) Closures of the commercial fishery

for red snapper. The commercial fishery

for red snapper in or from the Gulf EEZ

is closed from January 1 to noon on

February 1 and thereafter from noon on

the 15th of each month to noon on the

first of each succeeding month. All

times are local times. During these

closed periods, the possession of red

snapper in or from the Gulf EEZ and in

the Gulf on board a vessel for which a

commercial permit for Gulf reef fish has

been issued, as required under

§ 622.4(a)(2)(v), without regard to where

such red snapper were harvested, is

limited to the bag and possession limits,

as specified in § 622.39(b)(1)(iii) and

(b)(2), respectively, and such red

snapper are subject to the prohibition on

sale or purchase of red snapper

possessed under the bag limit, as

specified in § 622.45(c)(1).

5. In § 622.36, the introductory text

and paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) are

redesignated as paragraph (b)

introductory text and paragraphs (b)(1),

(b)(2), and (b)(3), respectively, and

paragraph (a) is added to read as

follows:

§ 622.36 Seasonal harvest limitations.

(a) During March, April, and May,

each year, the possession of greater

amberjack in or from the Gulf EEZ and

in the Gulf on board a vessel for which

a commercial permit for Gulf reef fish

has been issued, as required under

§ 622.4(a)(2)(v), without regard to where

such greater amberjack were harvested,

is limited to the bag and possession

limits, as specified in § 622.39(b)(1)(i)

and (b)(2), respectively, and such greater

amberjack are subject to the prohibition

on sale or purchase of greater amberjack

possessed under the bag limit, as

specified in § 622.45(c)(1).

* * * * *

6. In § 622.39, paragraph (a)(2)

introductory text is republished,

paragraph (a)(2)(iv) is added, and

paragraph (b)(1)(v) is revised to read as

follows:

§ 622.39 Bag and possession limits.

(a) * * *

(2) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section

notwithstanding, bag and possession

limits also apply for Gulf reef fish in or

from the EEZ to a person aboard a vessel

that has on board a commercial permit

for Gulf reef fish—

* * * * *

(iv) When the vessel has on board or

is tending any trap other than a fish trap

authorized under § 622.40(a)(2), a stone

crab trap, or a spiny lobster trap.

(b) * * *

(1) * * *

(v) Gulf reef fish, combined,

excluding those specified in paragraphs

(b)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section and

excluding dwarf sand perch, hogfish,

queen triggerfish, and sand perch—20.

* * * * *

7. In § 622.42, paragraph (a)(1)(i) is

revised to read as follows:

§ 622.42 Quotas.

(a) * * *

(1) * * *

(i) Red snapper—4.65 million lb (2.11

million kg), round weight, apportioned

as follows:

(A) 3.06 million lb (1.39 million kg)

available at noon on February 1 each

year, subject to the closure provisions of

§§ 622.34(l) and 622.43(a)(1)(i).

(B) The remainder available at noon

on September 1 each year, subject to the

closure provisions of §§ 622.34(l) and

622.43(a)(1)(i).

* * * * *

8. In § 622.44, paragraph (e) is revised

to read as follows:

§ 622.44 Commercial trip limits.

* * * * *

(e) Gulf red snapper. (1) The trip limit

for red snapper in or from the Gulf for

a vessel that has on board a valid

commercial permit for Gulf reef fish and

a valid Class 1 red snapper license is

2,000 lb (907 kg), round or eviscerated

weight.

(2) The trip limit for red snapper in

or from the Gulf for a vessel that has on

board a valid commercial permit for

Gulf reef fish and a valid Class 2 red

snapper license is 200 lb (91 kg), round

or eviscerated weight.

(3) The trip limit for red snapper in

or from the Gulf for any other vessel for

which a commercial permit for Gulf reef

fish has been issued is zero.

(4) As a condition of a commercial

vessel permit for Gulf reef fish, as

required under § 622.4(a)(2)(v), without

regard to where red snapper are

harvested or possessed, a vessel that has

been issued such permit—

(i) May not possess red snapper in or

from the Gulf in excess of the

appropriate vessel trip limit, as

specified in paragraphs (e)(1) through

(3) of this section.

(ii) May not transfer or receive at sea

red snapper in or from the Gulf.

* * * * *

Appendix A to Part 622 [Amended]

9. In Table 3 of appendix A to part

622, the family Haemulidae—Grunts

and the three species and scientific

names thereunder are removed; under

the family Serranidae, the species Bank

sea bass, Rock sea bass, and Black sea

bass and their scientific names are

removed and the family name

‘‘Serranidae—Sea Basses and Groupers’’

is revised to read ‘‘Serranidae—

Groupers’’; and the family Sparidae—

Porgies and the six species and

scientific names thereunder are

removed.

[FR Doc. 97–28166 Filed 10–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 101497F]

New England Fishery Management

Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public meeting.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery

Management Council (Council) will

hold a 2-day public meeting to consider

actions affecting New England fisheries

in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Wednesday, November 5, 1997, at 10

a.m., and on Thursday, November 6,

1997, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring

Street, Portland, ME; telephone (207)

775–2311. Requests for special

accommodations should be addressed to

the New England Fishery Management
55212 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA

01906-1097; telephone: (781) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Howard, Executive Director, New

England Fishery Management Council

(781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, November 5, 1997

After introductions, the Council

meeting will begin with a presentation

on a Council plan to address

Sustainable Fisheries Act requirements

and the 13 overfished stocks recently

identified in the NMFS report entitled

‘‘Status of Fisheries of the United

States.’’ The Habitat Committee will

review its discussions about the

Council’s essential fish habitat (EFH)

amendment process and habitat

requirements for fishery management

plans (FMPs). Following a mid-day

break, the Whiting Committee will

provide an update on progress to

develop a whiting amendment to the

Northeast Multispecies FMP and, if

necessary, will seek approval of this

ongoing process. The Groundfish

Committee will recommend initial

action on a framework adjustment to the

Northeast Multispecies FMP to establish

an exempted gillnet fishery for dogfish

in the area of Nantucket Shoals and

waters east of Cape Cod. The

Groundfish Committee will also

recommend initial action on a second

framework adjustment to shorten the

duration of the Cultivator Shoal and

Small Mesh Area 2 exempted fisheries.

There will be a discussion and possible

action on other items including (a)

options for regulating trawl ground gear,

particularly ‘‘street sweepers’’; (b) a

strategy to address overfished

groundfish stocks listed in the abovementioned NMFS report; (c) options to

allow scalloping in groundfish closed

areas; and (d) halibut management. The

Mid-Atlantic Plans Committee will

review its recommendations to the MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council

concerning the management of

mahogany quahogs in the Gulf of Maine.

The Chairman of the Council’s Lobster

Committee will discuss the Atlantic

States Marine Fisheries Commission’s

(ASMFC’s) response to the Council

about options for meeting the Federal

mandate to develop a plan to end

overfishing and to rebuild the lobster

resource. There may be a decision on

future Council involvement, including

consideration of ASMFC’s revised draft

plan and possible Council development

of a new amendment by October 1998.

Thursday, November 6, 1997

The Council may consider and

approve monkfish management

measures for inclusion in Amendment 9

to the Northeast Multispecies FMP.

There may also be a request to the

Secretary of Commerce to implement

interim management measures for the

monkfish fishery. The Sea Scallop

Committee will provide an update on

the Amendment 7 (consolidation of

days-at-sea and closed area

management) public hearings. There

will be a presentation on the results of

the 1997 NMFS sea scallop survey

followed by possible action to adjust

days-at-sea allocations for 1998. The

Council will review and approve

objectives and discuss potential

management alternatives for the Herring

Fishery Management Plan. After the

mid-day break, NMFS staff will report

on an experiment to evaluate vesselmonitoring system effectiveness. The

Professional Standards and Practices

Committee will recommend Council

approval of standards for participation

in experimental and exempted fisheries

and mechanisms to establish an

industry-funded fisheries observer

program. The Enforcement Committee

Report will include recommendations

on the implementation and the use of

vessel monitoring systems. Following

this discussion, there will be reports

from the Council Chairman, Executive

Director, NMFS Regional Administrator,

Northeast Fisheries Science Center and

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Council liaisons, and representatives of

the Coast Guard and the ASMFC. The

meeting will adjourn after the

conclusion of any other outstanding

business.

Although other issues not contained

in this agenda may come before this

Council for discussion, in accordance

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act,

those issues may not be the subject of

formal Council action during this

meeting. Council action will be

restricted to those issues specifically

listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul

J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5

days prior to the meeting date.

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

Dated: October 16, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27967 Filed 10–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 100397C]

Fisheries Off West Coast States and in

the Western Pacific; West Coast

Salmon Fisheries; Public Hearings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery

Management Council (Council) will

hold a series of public hearings on a

proposed Amendment 13 to its Fishery

Management Plan for Commercial and

Recreational Salmon Fisheries Off the

Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and

California (FMP). The amendment

proposes alternative management

objectives for Oregon coastal natural

coho.

DATES: The Council will hold hearings

on Monday, October 27, 1997 at 7 p.m.

and Tuesday, October 28, 1997 at 7 p.m.

and will consider the amendment

during its meeting Tuesday, November

4, 1997. Written comments must be

received by the Council no later than

noon, October 29, 1997, to assure time

for processing and distribution before

final consideration of the amendment by

the Council.

ADDRESSES: The Monday, October 27

hearing will be held at the Red Lion Inn,

Pacific Room, 400 Industry, Astoria, OR;

telephone (503) 325–7373. The Tuesday,

October 28 hearing will be held at the

Pony Village Motor Inn, Ballroom,

Virginia Avenue, North Bend, OR;

telephone (541) 756–3191. The Council

will meet Tuesday, November 4 at the

Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235

NE Airport Way, Portland, OR. Send

written comments to: Mr. Lawrence D.

Six, Executive Director, Pacific Fishery

Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth

Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Coon, Salmon Fishery Management

Coordinator, Pacific Fishery

Management Council, at (503) 326–

6352.