Amendment 57 to the Fishery Management Plan (Crab FMP) for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted Amendment 57 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP), to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendment 57 would make a number of non-substantive, administrative changes to the Crab FMP including updates to informational content on status of crab stocks, fisheries, and communities, and reorganizing the structure for clarity and logical sequence. These changes, colloquially referred to as “housekeeping” changes, would not change the management of the fishery. The proposed amendment is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Crab FMP, and other applicable laws. NMFS will consider public comments in deciding whether to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 57.