National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 26, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1 (CE-BA1) to the following South Atlantic fishery management plans (FMPs): The FMP for Coral, Coral reefs, and Live/Hard Bottom Habitats of the South Atlantic Region (Coral FMP); the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin and Wahoo FMP); the FMP for Golden Crab of the South Atlantic Region (Golden Crab FMP); the FMP for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Shrimp FMP); and the FMP for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council); as well as the FMP for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources (CMP FMP); and the FMP for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (Spiny Lobster FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils. This proposed rule would establish Deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (Deepwater Coral HAPCs) off the coast of the southern Atlantic States in which the use of specified fishing gear and methods and the possession of coral would be prohibited. Within the Deepwater Coral HAPCs, fishing zones would be created that would allow continued fishing on the historical grounds for golden crab and deepwater shrimp. In addition, CE-BA1 would update existing Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) information in the area off the southern Atlantic States, thus,

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.