Rulemaking for SNE Reductions in Fishing Capacity for Lobster Management Areas 2 and 3 and Harvester Reporting

4 organizations filed 6 public comments on Rulemaking for SNE Reductions in Fishing Capacity for Lobster Management Areas 2 and 3 and Harvester Reporting, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The comment window closed 970d ago.

Abstract

Based on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s recommendations, this action considers aggregate ownership caps in Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2 and 3, a maximum trap cap reduction in Area 3, and mandatory coastwide electronic harvester reporting for all Federal lobster vessels. The ownership caps and trap cap reduction measures are intended to reduce fishing exploitation and latent effort in the trap fishery by scaling the fishery to the size of the Southern New England lobster stock. The harvester reporting requirement is intended to improve the spatial resolution of harvester data, and improve and expand the collection of fishery effort data. This action is necessary to ensure fishery regulations for the lobster fishery in Federal waters remain compatible with the intent of the Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster and consistent with the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act.

Commenters (4)

• Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen's Associationtrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• Conservation Law Foundationtrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• Animal Welfare Institutetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Massachusetts Lobstermen's Associationtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%