Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Reopening of the Application Process for the Charter Vessel and Headboat Permit Moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico

NMFS issues this emergency rule to provide a limited reopening of the application process for the charter vessel/headboat permit moratorium for reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fish in the Gulf of Mexico. This reopening allows qualifying persons, who can provide documentation of economic harm as a result of inability to obtain a moratorium permit, to apply for reconsideration of moratorium permit eligibility. In addition, NMFS informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this emergency rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for those collections. The intended effect of this emergency rule is to eliminate adverse socio-economic impacts on eligible Gulf charter vessel/headboat owners and operators while maintaining the integrity of the permit moratorium and its objectives.