June 29, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:
NOAA Fisheries today announced that it is finalizing regulations to implement the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Omnibus Amendment developed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils. NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule on January 21, 2015, with a comment period open through February 20, 2015.
This amendment will go into effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, July 30, 2015.
Under federal fisheries law, NOAA Fisheries is required to establish a standardized bycatch reporting methodology to assess the amount and type of bycatch occurring in all federally managed fisheries.
This amendment was developed, in part, to respond to a U.S. District of Columbia Court of Appeals mandate. The amendment adds various measures to improve and expand on the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology previously in place for 13 fishery management plans for fisheries operating in New England and Mid-Atlantic federal waters.
Read the final rule, as filed in the Federal Register, and the supporting documents for this final rule.
Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.