NOAA Fisheries Issues a Final Rule to Streamline
the Closure Process for the Penaeid Shrimp
Fishery During Cold Weather Events
(July 15, 2013)
On May 28, 2013, NOAA Fisheries approved Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. The final rule for Amendment 9 published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2013.
The final rule for Amendment 9 does the following:
- Allows a state’s request to close federal waters to penaeid shrimp (white, brown, and pink shrimp) fishing after cold weather events to be approved by the Regional Administrator, rather than first being reviewed and approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Shrimp Review Panel. This would speed up the closure process during periods of time when cold weather can negatively affect shrimp survival.
- Adds a 9° C (48° F) or below temperature threshold that could be used as a triggering criterion for states to request closures of federal waters to shrimp harvest during cold weather events, in lieu of, or in addition to, the current 80% or greater reduction in abundance of white shrimp criterion.
Dates
The final rule for Amendment 9 will become effective on July 15, 2013.
