Recent Regulatory Actions--Fisheries 2005  2004  2003  & Earlier

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What is Bycatch? National Bycatch Strategy Recent Regulatory Actions Fisheries Recent Regulatory Actions Protected Resources International Activities Research and Monitoring Reports and Articles Regional Bycatch Summaries Related Laws Meetings

Final Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks
Final actions include, among other things: using maximum sustainable yield as a basis for setting commercial quotas, adjusting the recreational bag and size limits, establishing gear restrictions to reduce bycatch or reduce bycatch mortality, and establishing a time/area closure off the coast of North Carolina. For more information, download the Amendment here: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Amendment1/Final_Rule.pdf

Final Rule to Implement Amendment 5 to the South Atlantic Rock Shrimp Fishery Management Plan
Amendment 5 established a limited access program for the rock shrimp fishery in the EEZ off Georgia and off the east coast of Florida (limited access area). It also established a minimum mesh size for a rock shrimp trawl net in the limited access area, and required the use of an approved vessel monitoring system by vessels allowed to fish for rock shrimp in the limited access program. The intended effects are to minimize additional increases in harvesting capacity in the rock shrimp fishery; reduce the bycatch of small, unmarketable rock shrimp; enhance compliance with fishery management regulations; improve protection of essential fish habitat, including an area that contains the last 20 acres of intact Oculina coral remaining in the world; and ensure the long-term economic viability of the rock shrimp fishery.

Final Rule to Implement Northeast Skate Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
On August 19, 2003, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to implement measures contained in the Skate FMP. The final rule became effective on September 18, 2003. The intended effect of this final rule is to implement permanent management measures for the Northeast skate fisheries and to prevent overfishing. These regulations implement new reporting requirements by species and size class, which will improve data on skate bycatch in other fisheries.