[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 59 (Thursday, March 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7716]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 960807218-6244-02; I.D. 032097F]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Closure of the Commercial Red 
Snapper Component

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial fishery for red snapper in the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS has projected 
that the initial portion of the annual commercial quota for red snapper 
will be reached on March 25, 1997. This closure is necessary to protect 
the red snapper resource.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Closure is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, March 26, 
1997, through September 14, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sadler, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico 
is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish 
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council and is implemented through 
regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Those regulations set 
the commercial quota for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico at 4.65 
million lb (m lb) (2.11 million kg (m kg)) for the current fishing 
year, January 1 through December 31, 1997. The 1997 commercial quota is 
split between two seasons, the first beginning on February 1 with a 
quota of 3.06 m lb (1.39 m kg) and the second beginning on September 15 
with a quota equal to the unharvested balance of the annual commercial 
quota.
    Under 50 CFR 622.43(a), NMFS is required to close the commercial 
fishery for a species or species group when the quota for that species 
or species group is reached, or is projected to be reached, by 
publishing notification to that effect in the Federal Register. Based 
on current statistics, NMFS has projected that the available commercial 
quota of 3.06 m lb (1.39 m kg) for red snapper will be reached on March 
25, 1997. Accordingly, the commercial fishery in the EEZ in the Gulf of 
Mexico for red snapper is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time, 
March 26, 1997, through September 14, 1997. The operator of a vessel 
with a valid reef fish permit having red snapper on board must land and 
sell such red snapper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, March 26, 1997.
    During the closure, the bag limit applies to all harvests of red 
snapper in or from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico. The daily bag limit 
for red snapper is five per person. From 12:01 a.m., local time, March 
26, 1997, through September 14, 1997, the sale or purchase of red 
snapper taken from the EEZ is prohibited. This prohibition does not 
apply to sale or purchase of red snapper that were harvested, landed 
ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, March 26, 1997, and 
were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.43(a) and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: March 20, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7716 Filed 3-21-97; 4:50 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F