FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Phil Steele, or Phil.Steele@noaa.gov February 17, 2005
727/570-5305, FAX 727/570-5583 NR05-008
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
EMERGENCY RULE ESTABLISHES TRIP LIMITS FOR COMMERCIAL SHALLOW-WATER AND DEEP-WATER GROUPER FISHERIES IN THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has published in the
Federal Register (70 FR 8037, February 17, 2005) an emergency rule
establishing trip limits for the commercial shallow-water grouper (black
grouper, gag, red grouper, yellowfin grouper, scamp, yellowmouth
grouper, rock hind, and red hind) and deep-water grouper (misty grouper,
snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind)
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the Gulf of Mexico.
This emergency rule establishes the following trip limits:
1) Beginning at 12:01 a.m., local time, March 3, 2005, a 10,000-pound
trip limit for deep-water grouper and shallow-water grouper combined is
in effect; 2) if on or before August 1 more than 50 percent of either
the shallow-water grouper quota (8.8 million pounds) or red grouper
quota (5.31 million pounds) is reached, the trip limit will be 7,500
pounds; and 3) if on or before October 1 more than 75 percent of either
the shallow-water grouper quota or red grouper quota is reached, the
trip limit will be 5, 500 pounds.
The intended effect of this emergency rule is to moderate the rate of
harvest of the available quotas, reduce the adverse social and economic
effects of derby fishing, enable more effective quota monitoring, and
reduce the probability of overfishing.
NMFS issues this emergency rule, effective for not more than 180 days,
as authorized by section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act. The emergency rule may be extended for
an additional 180 days, provided the public has had an opportunity to
comment on the emergency rule and provided the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council) is actively preparing proposed regulations
to address the emergency on a permanent basis. Public comments on this
emergency rule are invited and will be considered in determining whether
to extend this emergency rule. The Council is preparing a regulatory
amendment under the fishery management plan framework procedure to
address, on a permanent basis, trip limits for the commercial grouper
fishery in the Gulf of Mexico that are the
subject of this rule. Comments on this emergency rule must be received
no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on March 21, 2005.
Addresses: You may submit comments on this emergency rule by any of the
following methods:
• E-mail: 0648-AS97.Emergency@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the
following document identifier: 0648-AS97
• Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Phil Steele, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive
Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
• Fax: 727-0570-5583, Attention: Phil Steele |
