The final rule for Amendment 9 does the following:
- Allows a state's request to close federal waters to penaeid shrimp (white, brown, and pink shrimp) fishing after cold weather events to be approved by the Regional Administrator, rather than first being reviewed and approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Shrimp Review Panel. This would speed up the closure process during periods of time when cold weather can negatively affect shrimp survival.
- Adds a 9° C (48° F) or below temperature threshold that could be used as a triggering criterion for states to request closures of federal waters to shrimp harvest during cold weather events, in lieu of, or in addition to, the current 80% or greater reduction in abundance of white shrimp criterion.
The final rule for Amendment 9 will become effective on July 15, 2013.
