Fishery Management Plan for the Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic.

This Fishery Management Plan (FMP) concerns management of stone crab (two managed species are specified) in the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone (FCZ) of the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic under the jurisdiction of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. The U.S. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, is responsible for management of species within the geographical area of authority: approximately 264 thousand square miles in total with a continental shelf that ranges in width from about 12 miles off the Mississippi River to almost 200 miles off west Florida. Although the plan considers the resource throughout its range from Florida to Texas, the area regulated under this Plan is confined to the waters of the West Coast of Florida, including the Keys, in the Fishery Conservation Zone (9 nautical to 200 miles). The purpose of restricting the management regime to this area is because very few stone crabs are taken in other areas and no regulation is needed at this time in these areas. The purpose of this FMP is to manage the stone crab resource in the FCZ and to reduce gear conflict between stone crab fishermen and shrimp fishermen in southwest Florida. Specific Management Objectives of this plan are: (1) Provide for an orderly stone crab fishery by reducing conflicts between stone crab and shrimp fishermen; (2) establish an effective statistical reporting system relative to harvesting and utilization of the resource which is essential to effective fishery conservation and management; (3) attain full utilization of the resource (minimal restrictions which are necessary for stock conservation are applied); (4) promote uniformity of regulations throughout the management area.
Management measures of the Plan concern: harvest practices (handling, size etc.); gear, fishing seasons, vessel enumeration, reporting, measures to prevent conflicts, vessel permits (and designation as recreational or commercial fisherman), total allowable catch and quotas (Optimum Yield). The total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF) is specified as zero for the stone crab fishery. U.S. fishing vessels have the capacity, intent, and are expected, to harvest the OY in stone crab fishery. Management regulations contained in this FMP are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species. Bycatch is also insignificant in the stone crab fishery.