[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-24243] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: September 30, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 654 [I.D. 092794B] Stone Crab Fishery for the Gulf of Mexico AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management plan and request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). Written comments are requested from the public. DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 28, 1994. ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702. Requests for copies of Amendment 5, which includes an environmental assessment and a regulatory impact review, should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Lincoln Center, Suite 331, 5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33069-2486, FAX: 813-225-7015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Eldridge, 813-570-5306. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that a fishery management plan or amendment prepared by fishery management council be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that the Secretary, upon receiving an amendment, immediately publish notification stating that the amendment is available for public review and comment. The Secretary will consider public comment in determining approvability of the amendment. Amendment 5 proposes to: (1) Place a 4-year moratorium, beginning July 1, 1994, on the issuance by the Director, Southeast Region, NMFS (Regional Director), of Federal numbers and color codes for use on stone crab vessels and gear; (2) establish a procedure whereby the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission (FMFC) may request the Regional Director to implement in the exclusive economic zone by regulatory amendment, with the Council's oversight, modification to certain gear and harvest limitations applicable to State waters that were proposed by the FMFC and approved by the Florida Governor and Cabinet; (3) add to the objectives of the FMP the following: ``Provide for a more flexible management system that minimizes regulatory delay to assure more effective, cooperative state and Federal management of the fishery.'' NMFS published notification of the proposed moratorium on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 33947), which advised fishermen that, if Amendment 5 is approved and implemented, any Federal numbers/color codes issued between July 1, 1994, and the effective date of the implementing regulations would no longer be valid. Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 5 are scheduled for publication within 15 days. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 27, 1994. David S. Crestin, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 94-24243 Filed 9-27-94; 2:57 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F