Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 15

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NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 15 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). This proposed rule would replace the current commercial red snapper endorsement and trip limit system with a system comprised of two classes of transferrable red snapper licenses and trip limits; starting in 1998, split the red snapper commercial fishing season into two time periods, the first commencing February 1 with two-thirds of the annual quota available and the second commencing on September 1 with the remainder of the annual quota available; open the red snapper commercial fishery at noon on the first of each month and close it at noon on the 15th of each month during the commercial season; prohibit the possession of reef fish in excess of the bag limit on a vessel that has on board, or is tending, a trap other than a fish, stone crab, or spiny lobster trap; increase the minimum size limit for vermilion snapper; close the commercial fishery for greater amberjack each year during March through May; remove sea basses, grunts, and porgies from the FMP; and remove certain species from the aggregate bag limit for reef fish. In addition,