Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Golden Crab Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 3

摘要

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Golden Crab Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). This rule would extend through December 31, 2002, the allowed use of cable for a mainline attached to golden crab traps; clarify the size of the required escape panel or door on a golden crab trap; remove the historical catch requirement for renewing a commercial vessel permit for golden crab; allow the issuance of a commercial vessel permit for golden crab for the southern zone for a vessel that held a valid permit for the southern zone in October 2000 but did not meet the 5,000-lb (2,268-kg) requirement for renewal in the following year; allow a vessel with a documented length overall greater than 65 ft (19.8 m) that is permitted to fish in the southern zone to fish also in the northern zone; allow two new commercial vessel permits to be issued for the northern zone; provide that a commercial vessel permit will not be renewed if the Regional Administrator (RA) does not receive an application for renewal by June 30 each year; liberalize the allowed increase in the size of a permitted vessel; create a small- vessel sub-zone in the so