0648-BL58 202304 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Framework Action: Historical Captain Permits Conversion Into Standard Federal Charter/Headboat Permits

This rule would implement a framework action developed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) to provide federal for-hire operators in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) an opportunity to replace their reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic historical captain permits with standard Gulf charter/headboat permits. Historical captain permits were issued to qualifying captains when the federal for-hire permits for those fisheries became limited access in 2002. Unlike standard Gulf charter/headboat permits, historical captain permits are not transferable and require the endorsement holder to be on the vessel.  The Council previously took action to allow for the conversion of historical captain permits in 2018 and all eligible historical captain permits were converted after the final rule implementing that action became effective in 2020.  This rule would allow for the conversion of remaining six historical captain permits.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 50 CFR 622 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. No NPRM 01/27/2023 88 FR 5295 NPRM Comment Period End 02/27/2023 Final Action 06/00/2023 No No None No No No Andrew Strelcheck J. Regional Administrator, Southeast Region 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 727 824-5305 andy.strelcheck@noaa.gov 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg FL 33701