Implementation of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs FMP

The Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) was approved by the Secretary of Commerce on June 2, 1989. The FMP establishes a State/Federal cooperative management regime that defers crab management to the State of Alaska with Federal oversight. State regulations are subject to the provisions of the FMP, including its goals and objectives, the Magnuson-Stevens Act national standards, and other applicable federal laws. The FMP has been amended several times since its implementation.

The king and Tanner crab FMP is a "framework" plan, allowing for long-term management of the fishery without needing frequent amendments. Therefore, the plan is more general than other FMPs, and establishes objectives and alternative solutions instead of selecting specific management measures. Within the scope of the management goal, the FMP identifies seven management objectives and a number of relevant management measures used to meet these objectives. Several management measures may contribute to more than one objective, and several objectives may mesh in any given decision on a case-by-case basis.