Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; American Lobster Fishery

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With this final rule, NMFS implements new Federal American lobster regulations that will limit entry into the lobster trap fishery in Lobster Conservation Management Area 1 (Area 1), located in the Federal inshore waters of the Gulf of Maine. Eligibility will be based on specific eligibility criteria designed to identify active Federal Area 1 lobster trap permits. If a permit meets the eligibility criteria, the permit holder will be authorized to fish in the Federal waters of Area 1 with up to 800 lobster traps. The limited entry program responds to the recommendations for Federal action in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster (ISFMP, Lobster Plan).