[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15941-15943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8006]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XO49


Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold public 
meetings to obtain input from fishers, the general public, and the 
local agencies representatives on the Regulatory Amendment to the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and 
the United States Virgin Islands Concerning Bajo de Sico Seasonal 
Closure including a Regulatory Impact Review and an Environmental 
Assessment.

DATES: The meetings will be held on the following dates and locations:
    <bullet>April 22, 2009, Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Hotel, 5 
Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas, USVI
    <bullet>April 23, 2009, Buccaneer Hotel, Estate Shoys, 
Christtiansted, St. Croix, USVI
    <bullet>April 27, 2009, Mayaguez Resort and Casino, Rd. 104, Km. 
0.3, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
    All meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 
268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577; 
telephone: (787) 766-5926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council 
will hold public meetings to receive public input on the Regulatory 
Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of 
Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands concerning Bajo de 
Sico seasonal closure including a Regulatory Impact Review and an 
Environmental Assessment. The purpose of this regulatory amendment is 
to protect the snapper and grouper spawning aggregations and the 
associated habitat from directed fishing pressure to achieve a more 
natural sex ratio, age and size structure, while minimizing adverse 
social and economic effects. Currently, the area is closed to all 
fishing activity from December 1 through the end of February, each 
year. In addition, fishing with pot, trap, bottom longlines, gillnets 
or trammel nets is prohibited year-round.
    The proposed management alternatives are:
    Action 1: Extend the closed season for Bajo de Sico (year-round 
gear restrictions already in place will not be affected)
    Alternative 1: No actiondo not extend the seasonal closure of Bajo 
de Sico.
    Alternative 2: (Preferred) Establish a 6 month closure of Bajo de 
Sico from October 1 to March 31 in order to provide better protection 
for spawning aggregations of large snappers and groupers as well as 
coral reef habitat.
    Option a: prohibit fishing for all species, including Highly 
Migratory Species (HMS)
    Option b: prohibit fishing for and possession of all species, 
including HMS
    Option c: prohibit fishing for Council managed species
    Option d: (Preferred) prohibit fishing for and possession of 
Council managed species
    Alternative 3: Establish a 6 month closure of Bajo de Sico from 
December 1 to May 31 in order to provide better protection for spawning 
aggregations of large snappers and groupers as well as coral reef 
habitat.
    Option a: prohibit fishing for all species, including HMS
    Option b: prohibit fishing for and possession of all species, 
including HMS
    Option c: prohibit fishing for Council managed species
    Option d: prohibit fishing for and possession of Council managed 
species
    Alternative 4: Extend closure of Bajo de Sico to 12 months in order 
to provide full protection for spawning aggregations of large snappers 
and groupers as well as coral reef habitat.
    Option a: prohibit fishing for all species, including HMS
    Option b: prohibit fishing for and possession of all species, 
including HMS
    Option c: prohibit fishing for Council managed species
    Option d: prohibit fishing for and possession of Council managed 
species
    Action 2: Prohibit anchoring by fishing vessels
    Alternative 1: No action--do not prohibit anchoring by fishing 
vessels
    Alternative 2: Prohibit anchoring for six (6 months). The six (6)-
month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in action 1.
    Alternative 3: (Preferred) Prohibit anchoring year round.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 
those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these 
meetings. Actions will be restricted to those issues specifically 
identified in this notice and any issues arising after publication of 
this notice that require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the 
Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language 
interpretation and other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A. 
Rolon, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577; 
telephone: (787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: April 3, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-8006 Filed 4-7-09; 8:45 am]
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