[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 117 (Monday, June 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 30589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15232]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 669

[I.D. 060496E]


Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Hearing

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

ACTION: Public hearing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Caribbean Council) 
will convene one public hearing on alternatives for closed areas to 
protect spawning aggregations of red hind in an area off Mayaguez, PR.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted on or before July 15, 1996. 
The public hearing will be held on June 19, 1996, from 7 p.m. to 10 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to, and copies of a document 
summarizing the management alternatives to be considered are available 
from, Mr. Miguel A. Rolon, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery 
Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Ave., Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 
00918. The hearing will be held at the Joyuda Plaza Hotel, Cabo Rojo, 
PR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miguel A. Rolon, 809-766-5926; Fax: 
809-766 6239.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Caribbean Council will be holding a public hearing on 
alternatives for closed areas to protect the spawning aggregations of 
the red hind grouper, which usually form during the period December 1 
through February 28 of each consecutive year.
    The current regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan 
for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
establish a closed area off Mayaguez, PR, to protect the spawning 
grounds of this grouper species. Recent information obtained by the 
Caribbean Council indicates that the red hind aggregations are taking 
place in other sites outside the present closed area. The Caribbean 
Council will be considering closed area alternatives that would be more 
effective in protecting the red hind spawning aggregations while 
resulting in fewer adverse regulatory impacts to fishers.
    Alternatives under consideration include: (1) No action (i.e., keep 
the same area of seasonal closure (Amendment 2 of the Reeffish FMP, 
1993)); (2) closing an area of 1/2 mile (2.41 km) radius around ``Buoy 
8'' to all fishing from December 1 to February 28 of each fishing year; 
(3) closing an area of 1/2 mile (2.41 km) radius around ``Buoy 6'' to 
all fishing from December 1 to February 28 of each fishing year; (4) 
closing an area of 1/2 mile (2.41 km) radius centered around a buoy to 
be deployed in the area known as ``El Bajo de Sico'' to all fishing 
between December 1 to February 28 of each fishing year; and (5) closing 
all three areas identified above to all fishing between December 1 and 
February 28 of each fishing year.

Special Accommodations

    This hearing is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
For more information or requests for sign language interpretation and/
or other auxiliary aids please contact Mr. Miguel A. Rolon at 809-766-
5926 (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the hearing date.

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

    Dated: June 11, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-15232 Filed 6-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F