PUBLIC HEARINGS ON REEF FISH AMENDMENT 23 (VERMILION SNAPPER REBUILDING PLAN) AND SCOPING HEARINGS FOR A CHARTER VESSEL/HEADBOAT PERMIT MORATORIUM EXTENSION SCHEDULED

Tampa, Florida - May 17, 2004 - The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold public hearings to solicit comments on draft Amendment 23 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that contains alternatives for the vermilion snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico that was declared to be overfished and undergoing overfishing on October 30, 2003. The Council has one year from that date to develop a plan to end overfishing and rebuild the stock. The Amendment specifies alternatives to set status determination criteria and biological reference points that determine when overfishing has ended and the vermilion snapper stock is no longer overfished. Alternatives that establish a plan to end overfishing and rebuild the stock include 10-year and 7-year rebuilding plans and harvest reduction measures that change size limits, bag limits, trip limits, or specify quotas or seasonal closures.

Following presentation and comment on Reef Fish Amendment 23, the Council will present the scoping document for the extension of the moratorium on the issuance of additional charter vessel/headboat permits. The rule creating the moratorium on the issuance of the permits was implemented through Amendment 14 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagic FMP and Amendment 20 to the Reef Fish FMP effective June 16, 2003 for a 3-year period (68 FR 26230). The scoping document presents alternatives for consideration and comment by the public for allowing the permit moratorium to expire at the end of the 3-year period or to extend the moratorium period by another 3 to 6 years. The rationale for alternatives for extension of the moratorium is that during the extended period the Council would consider a more complex limited access system for the charter vessel/headboat fishery. If the Council were to determine the more complex system was needed then additional time would be necessary to develop and implement an amendment for that purpose. The Council is soliciting public comment on these issues through the scoping hearings and by mail.

All written comments must be received by the Council on or before July 1, 2004. Copies of both documents can be obtained by calling the Council at 813-228-2815 or by e-mail at gulfcouncil@gulfcouncil.org

The public hearings will be held beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Reef Fish Amendment 23 immediately followed by the Charter Vessel Permit Moratorium concluding no later than 10:00 p.m. at the following locations and dates: