Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery; Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan

NMFS issues this final rule to implement approved measures contained in the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP). These regulations implement the following measures: A limited access program for the directed fishery; a target total allowable catch (TAC) level; a Days-at-Sea (DAS) allocation effort control program; permitting and reporting requirements, including an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for limited access vessels; trip limits and incidental harvest allowances; trap/pot limits; processing-at-sea restrictions; and a framework adjustment process among other measures. The intended effect of this final rule is to implement permanent management measures for the Atlantic deep-sea red crab (red crab) (Chaceon quinquedens) fishery pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the FMP and to prevent overfishing of the red crab resource. Also, NMFS informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for these collections.