Proposal to Amend Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishing Regulations
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The proposed rule aims to remove certain regulations concerning pelagic and demersal indicator species from the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species fishing regulations. This change primarily impacts pelagic and bottom longline fishermen by increasing their flexibility to harvest quotas without adhering to a restrictive 5% weight limit for specific species. This move seeks to optimize fishing opportunities while ensuring fishery management and conservation goals are still met.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Removal of pelagic and demersal indicator species regulations
- Increased fishing flexibility for longline fisheries
- Removal of 5% weight limit for indicator species
Obligations
What this law requires
Pelagic and bottom longline fishermen holding Atlantic HMS fishing permits must comply with the removal of the 5-percent weight limit for pelagic and demersal indicator species, allowing them to harvest these species without restriction under the new regulations.
All vessels must declare HMS target species and the specific type of fishing gear on board before leaving port for any fishing trip ('hail-out').
Fishermen must install and operate a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) unit on all pelagic longline gear vessels at all times, and on bottom longline gear when operating in specific areas during certain times of the year.
Fishermen must minimize bycatch and, where bycatch cannot be avoided, minimize its mortality, as required by National Standard 9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Fishermen must ensure compliance with all other applicable regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which includes measures to prevent overfishing and achieve optimum yield, as stated under National Standards 1 and 2.