Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic

NMFS is consolidating eleven CFR parts into one new CFR part. The new part contains regulations implementing management measures contained in the fishery management plans (FMPs) for the following domestic fisheries in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic: Caribbean coral, Caribbean reef fish, Caribbean spiny lobster, Gulf red drum, Gulf reef fish, Gulf shrimp, Gulf and South Atlantic coastal migratory pelagics, Gulf and South Atlantic corals, South Atlantic red drum, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, and South Atlantic shrimp. This interim final rule reorganizes management measures into a logical and cohesive order, removes duplicative and outdated provisions, and makes changes to improve readability and clarity and to achieve uniformity in regulatory language. This interim final rule also amends references to Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) information-collection requirements to reflect the consolidation; revises the existing, approved collections of information related to submissions of permit applications to make them less burdensome; and makes revisions to existing approved collections of information related to reporting requirements to improve uniformity of regulatory language. The intended effect of this interim final rule is to make the regulations more concise, better organized, more uniform among fisheries, and thereby easier for the public to use. This action is part of the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.