2018-05191: Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Electronic Reporting for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels and Headboats in Atlantic Fisheries

Summary

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) have submitted the For-hire Reporting Amendment for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. The For-hire Reporting Amendment includes Amendment 27 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP), Amendment 9 to the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin Wahoo FMP), and Amendment 39 to the FMP for Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP). If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the For-hire Reporting Amendment would establish new, and revise existing, electronic reporting requirements for federally permitted charter vessels and headboats (for-hire vessels), respectively. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would require a charter vessel with a Federal charter vessel/ headboat permit for Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species to submit an electronic fishing report weekly, or at shorter intervals if notified by NMFS, through NMFS approved hardware and software. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would also reduce the time allowed for headboats to submit an electronic fishing report. The purpose of the For-hire Reporting Amendment is to increase and improve fisheries information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Atlantic. The information is expected to improve recreational fisheries management of the for-hire component in the Atlantic.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 50 CFR 622 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic