June 18, 2018 — The US’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking comment on changes that would increase reporting requirements for US lobster harvesters, including a requirement that federal lobster permit holders report on catches for each fishing trip.
The changes are part of Addendum XXVI to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for American Lobster, which has been approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, NOAA explained in a statement issued this week. They would “improve the scope and type of data collected in the lobster fishery in order to improve stock assessments, assess potential impacts of wind farms, and better assess interactions with marine mammals,” the agency said.
The changes are not yet in a proposed rule and “would be completed through a separate, future rulemaking,” the agency clarified.
Other recommendations for reporting requirements include having NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service collect data on where, when, and how long fishermen are fishing and expanding the agency’s offshore biological sampling program.