Federal Register #2026-11336

NOAA Seeks Comment on Extending Gulf Shrimp Permit Moratorium (Amendment 19)

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is seeking public comment on Amendment 19 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Gulf of America Shrimp Fishery. - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office - Purpose: - Proposes to extend the moratorium on new commercial shrimp vessel permits in the Gulf of America for an additional 10 years - Aims to maintain fishery stability, prevent overcapacity, and optimize shrimp yield - Key Details: - Approximately 1,287 valid or renewable permits exist as of 2024 (down from 1,933 in 2008) - Amendment supports continued permit transferability - Seeks to minimize bycatch and maintain a minimum permit threshold - No products, OEMs, or vendors are involved, as this is a regulatory action, not a procurement opportunity - Unique Requirements: - Continuation of permit transferability - Maintenance of historical limits on shrimp fishing effort - Focus on long-term sustainability of the Gulf shrimp fishery

Description

NMFS seeks public comment on Amendment 19 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf. The amendment proposes to extend the moratorium on issuing new commercial shrimp permits in the Gulf of America for an additional 10 years beyond its current expiration in October 2026. This moratorium aims to maintain stability and prevent overcapacity in the shrimp fishery. The amendment also maintains historical limits on shrimp fishing effort and allows permit transferability.

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