Draft Addendum XXX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster for Public Comment

Protection of animal or plant life or health (TBT); Protection of the environment (TBT)

Whole live lobster of the species Homarus americanus - Lobsters "Homarus spp.", whether in shell or not, live, fresh or chilled (HS code(s): 030632); Fish and fishery products (ICS code(s): 67.120.30)

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030632 - Lobsters "Homarus spp.", whether in shell or not, live, fresh or chilled

67.120.30 - Fish and fishery products

Animal health

The current minimum size requirement for Lobster Conservation Management Area (LCMA) 1 of 3 1/4 inches (82.5 mm), is the smallest minimum size in effect for the U.S. lobster fishery. Addendum XXVII to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, approved in May 2023, triggered changes to the current minimum size for lobsters caught in LCMA 1 (inshore Gulf of Maine) as of 16 October 2023. Therefore, a series of gradual changes to minimum size for lobsters caught in LCMA 1 will begin 1 January 2025, starting with an increase to the minimum size in LCMA 1 from 3 1/4 inches (82.5 mm) to 3 5/16 inches (84 mm) and to 3 3/8 inches (86 mm) on 1 January 2027. These increased minimum sizes will be the smallest minimum size in effect for American lobster harvested in the United States under the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American lobster. Draft Addendum XXX considers whether to apply the Addendum XXVII minimum size increase recommendation to possession of American lobster, which, under U.S. law, would mean that the smallest minimum size for imports would match the smallest minimum size in effect for American lobster harvested in the United States. Two public hearings have been scheduled to gather input on Draft Addendum XXX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. One general hearing will be conducted via webinar on 9 April 2024, and one hearing will be conducted in a hybrid format on 6 May 2024. Regardless of where the hybrid hearing is being conducted, all are welcome to participate in either the virtual or hybrid hearing.

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