Proposed Amendment to Shrimp Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). For South Atlantic rock shrimp, this proposed rule would rename the rock shrimp permit and endorsement; require all South Atlantic shrimp permit holders to provide economic data if selected; reinstate all limited access rock shrimp endorsements for those vessel owners who renewed their open access permit in the year in which they failed to renew their limited access endorsement; remove the 15,000-lb (6,804-kg) rock shrimp landing requirement; and reinstate all limited access rock shrimp endorsements lost due to not meeting the landing requirement.

Written comments on this proposed rule must be received no later than 5 p.m., Eastern time, on July 24, 2009.

Details of the amendment and address for comments here.