Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Shrimp Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Amendment 1

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). This rule prohibits trawling for rock shrimp in an area off the Florida east coast; requires permits for dealers and vessels in the rock shrimp fishery off the southern Atlantic states; requires dealers to report information needed to monitor the fishery; and requires that the initial sale, trade, barter, or transfer of rock shrimp harvested from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the southern Atlantic states occur only between permitted dealers and permitted vessels. In addition, NMFS informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of- information requirements contained in this rule. The intended effect is to protect critical habitat and conserve and manage the rock shrimp fishery.