Amendment for a Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit Moratorium Amending the FMPs for: Reef Fish (Amendment 20) and Coastal Migratory Pelagics (Amendment 14) (Including EA/RIR/IRFA)

The recreational fisheries in the Gulf region are larger than other east coast regions in terms of landings and participants. During 1995 and 1996, an average of about 4.0 million persons participated in marine recreational fishing in the Gulf states (National Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS] 1997) (Page Campbell, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [TPWD], personal comm). They made approximately 26. 7 million trips annually and landed approximately 205 million pounds of fish. Marine recreational fishermen in the Gulf states spent $3.5 billion and created an overall economic impact of$7.0 billion (ASFA, 1997). This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Award no. NA17FC1052