Coral Amendment 10

Amendment Summary

Establishes a Shrimp Fishery Access Area along the eastern boundary of the northern extension of the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern.

Purpose of the Amendment: To establish a Shrimp Fishery Access area along the western boundary of the northern extension of the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern (OHAPC) where fishing for rock shrimp would be allowed. The area under consideration was once utilized by the fishery but access to it was restricted with the implementation of Coral Amendment 8 in 2014.

Action Summary: to establish an area within the existing OHAPC where rock shrimp fishing would be allowed to restore access to historic grounds to the fishery while maintaining protection for Oculina coral.

Key Events:

• September 2019: removed actions related to CHAPCs from the joint amendment with Golden Crab Amendment 10 and Shrimp Amendment 11.
• September 2020: included a single action to consider establishing a shrimp fishery access area along the eastern boundary of the northern extension of the Oculina Bank CHAPC.
• October 2020: Habitat and Ecosystem, Coral, and Deepwater Shrimp APs input.
• February 2021: Scoping meetings were held via Webinar on February 8 and 9.
• May 2021: Public hearings were held on May 12-13.
• September 2021: approved for submission to the Secretary of Commerce.
• December 2021: amendment submitted and subsequently disapproved.
• December 2022: Council directs staff to resubmit at a later date. 
• December 2023: Council directs staff to reassemble IPT and begin process of resubmitting. 
• March 2024: Update to Council on resubmission plan and timing. 
• June 2024: Requested input from the council and received direction to staff to explore potential alternative next steps.
• September 2024: The council received input from the IPT on alternative next steps and decided to move forward with the IPT recommendation to develop a Joint amendment between the Shrimp FMP and Coral FMP.  This amendment will be identified as Coral 11/ Coral 12. As such Coral 10 will no longer be resubmitted to NMFS and has been disapproved.

Amendment documents

• Coral Amendment 10

Staff Contact

• Kathleen Howington

  Habitat & Ecosystem Scientist

  kathleen.howington@safmc.net