[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 24267-24268] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-11991] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 641 [I.D. 050696A] Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 13 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; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 13 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Written comments are requested from the public. DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 8, 1996. ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702. Requests for copies of Amendment 13, which includes an environmental assessment and a regulatory impact review, should be sent to the Gulf of [[Page 24268]] Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 W. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609-2486, fax: 813-225-7015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sadler, 813-570-5305. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that a Council-prepared amendment to a fishery management plan be submitted to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an amendment, immediately publish a notice announcing that the amendment is available for public review and comment. Amendment 13 would extend the red snapper commercial fishery trip limit and vessel permit endorsement provisions, currently in effect under an emergency interim rule (61 FR 7751, February 29, 1996), until implementation of: (1) The red snapper individual transferrable quota (ITQ) system approved under FMP Amendment 8; or (2) an alternative system to control access to the commercial red snapper fishery. Under Amendment 13, the trip limit and endorsement provisions would terminate on December 31, 1997, unless replaced earlier by the ITQ system or another controlled access program. The red snapper vessel permit endorsement and trip limit provisions have been in effect since December 1992. Proposed regulations to implement the measures of Amendment 13 are scheduled for publication within 15 days. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: May 8, 1996. Richard W. Surdi, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 96-11991 Filed 5-9-96; 2:16 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F