Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region: Modifications to Vessel Transit Provisions through Cold Weather Closed Areas

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is proposing, through Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Shrimp FMP), to modify provisions for shrimp vessels transiting through cold weather closed areas in federal waters. Currently, vessels transiting cold weather closed areas in federal waters of the South Atlantic with brown (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), pink (Fanfantepenaeus duorarum), or white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) on board are required to stow a trawl net with a mesh size of less than 4 inches below deck. The proposed action in this amendment would modify the transit and gear stowage measures for the cold weather closed areas and eliminate the requirement to stow gear below deck. Award no. FNA15NMF4410010