Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program

摘要

NMFS issues a proposed rule to implement Amendments 54 and 55 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP). This proposed rule would revise two provisions of the Crab Rationalization Program (CR Program) to do the following: change active crab fishery participation requirements for crab quota share (crab QS) established for vessel operators and crew, and expand the exemptions for CR Program custom processing from processor use caps and remove the CR Program processor facility use cap. These actions are intended to provide operators and crew greater flexibility in meeting CR Program participation requirements and to improve CR Program processor efficiency. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act), the Crab FMP, and other applicable laws.