Amendment #8, Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog fishery Amendment no. 8, Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog fishery

The objectives of the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan (FMP) are: 1. Conserve and rebuild Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog resources by stabilizing annual harvest rates throughout the management unit in a way that minimizes short term economic dislocations. 2. Simplify to the maximum extent the regulatory requirement of clam and quahog management to minimize the government and private cost of administering and complying with regulatory, reporting, enforcement, and research requirements of clam and quahog management. 3. Provide the opportunity for industry to operate efficiently, consistent with the conservation of clam and quahog resources, which will bring harvesting capacity in balance with processing and biological capacity and allow industry participants to achieve economic efficiency including efficient utilization of capital resources by the industry. 4. Provide a management regime and regulatory framework which is flexible and adaptive to unanticipated short term events or circumstances and consistent with overall plan objectives and long term industry planning and investment needs. Draft adopted by MAFMC: 14July 1988 Final adopted by MAFMC: 25 October 1989 Final approved by NOAA: 23 March 1990 [published] 20 June 1990