South Atlantic Coral and Coral Reefs Historical Amendments and Rulemaking (1984-2015)

The list below contains information about amendments and rule-making that were effective during 2015 and earlier. While our website is in transition, to view historical amendments that are not found on this page, please visit the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Coral FMP webpage. For more recent amendments and rule-making, please visit the Coral FMP page.

Amendment 8: HAPCs

Expansion of the Stetson-Miami TerraceDeepwater Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC), the Cape Lookout Deepwater Coral HAPC, and the Oculina Bank HAPC; and implement a transit provision through the Oculina Bank HAPC.

• Proposed Rule, 79 FR 31907.
• Proposed Rule Correction, 79 FR 37270.
• Final Rule, 80 FR 42423. Effective August 17, 2015.
• Final Rule, Correction, 80 FR 46205. Effective August 17, 2015.

Amendment 9: Joint Generic Dealer Reporting Amendment

Modifies the permitting and reporting requirements for seafood dealers who first receive species managed by the Councils. These revisions create a single dealer permit for dealers who first receive fish managed by the Councils, require both purchase and non-purchase reports to be submitted online on a weekly basis, prohibit dealers from first receiving fish from federally permitted vessels if they are delinquent in submitting reports, and change the sale and purchase provisions based on the new dealer permitting requirements

Notice of Availability, 78 FR 76807

Proposed Rule, 79 FR 81

Final Rule, 79 FR 19490, Effective August 7, 2014

Amendment 7: Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2

Included as part of the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2 (CE-BA 2)

• Proposed Rule, 76 FR 69230.
• Final Rule, 76 FR 82183. Effective January 30, 2012.
• Final Rule, Correction, 77 FR 4493. Effective January 30, 2012.

Amendment 6: Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1

Included as part of the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1 (CE-BA 1) to establish Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (CHAPCs).

Within the CHAPCs, the possession of coral species and the use of all bottom damaging gear is prohibited including bottom longline, trawl (bottom and mid-water), dredge, pot or trap, or the use of an anchor, anchor and chain, or grapple and chain by all fishing vessels.
CHAPCs are located in Cape Lookout Lophelia Banks, Cape Fear Lophelia Banks, Stetson Reefs, Savannah and East Florida Lithoherms, and Miami Terrace (Stetson-Miami Terrace), Pourtales Terrace, and Blake Ridge Diapir Methane Seep.

The establishment of these areas allows for the continuation of the golden crab and deepwater shrimp fisheries in their historical fishing grounds with little or no negative impacts to protected deepwater coral habitat.

• Proposed Rule, 75 FR 14548.
• Final Rule, 75 FR 35330. Effective July 22, 2010.

Amendment 5: Sustainable Fishery Act Definitions and Other Required Provisions

Implement the Comprehensive Amendment addressing Sustainable Fishery Act definitions and other required rrovisions in Fishery Management Plans (FMPS) of the South Atlantic Region (Comprehensive Amendment) that modifies the framework procedures in the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s FMPs to allow the addition of biomass levels and age-structured analyses to these FMPs.

• Proposed Rule, 64 FR 27952.
• Final Rule, 64 FR 59126. Effective December 2, 1999.

Amendment 4: Comprehensive Essential Fish Habitat

Identified Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for coral, coral reefs and live/hard bottom habitats of the South Atlantic region.; established EFH-Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) for coral, coral reefs and live/hard bottom habitats; expanded the Oculina Bank HAPC; established the Satellite Oculina HAPC #1, and Satellite Oculina HAPC #2.

• Proposed Rule, 64 FR 37082.
• Final Rule, 65 FR 37292. Effective July 14, 2000.

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Amendment 3

Established a live rock aquaculture permit system for the South Atlantic EEZ; Prohibited octocoral harvest north of Cape Canaveral, Florida; Prohibited anchoring of fishing vessels in the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern; This amendment established a separate fishery management plan for the South Atlantic.

• Proposed Rule, 60 FR 40150.
• Final Rule, 60 FR 56533. Effective November 13, 1995.

Amendment 2

Joint amendment with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Provided definitions of live rock and allowable octocoral; Prohibited all wild live rock harvest north of Dade County, FL; Prohibited chipping throughout South Atlantic jurisdiction; Required permit for possession or harvest of aquaculture operation in the EEZ; and Implemented a phase-out of all wild rock harvest South of Dade County, FL.

• Proposed Rule, 59 FR 49377.
• Final Rule, 59 FR 66776. Effective December 22, 1994, except that § 638.25(c)(3) is effective December 22, 1994, through December 31, 1994. and § 63.8.4(a)(1)(iv)(A) and (h)(2) and 638.7(a)(4) are effective March 1, 1995.

Amendment 1

Joint amendment with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Implemented a combined octocoral quota for Gulf and South Atlantic EEZ.

• Proposed Rule, 55 FR 43008.
• Final Rule, 56 FR 1500. Effective February 14, 1991.

Original Fishery Management Plan

Joint Amendment with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Restricted harvest of stony corals and sea fans. Set optimum yield for octocorals.

• Proposed Rule, 48 FR 39255.
• Final Rule, 49 FR 29607. Effective August 22,1984.