Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska License Limitation Program; Amendment 86

Zusammenfassung

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 86 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) to NMFS for review. If approved, Amendment 86 would add a Pacific cod endorsement on licenses issued under the license limitation program (LLP) if those licenses have been used on vessels that meet minimum recent landing requirements using non-trawl gear, commonly known as fixed gear. This proposed action would exempt vessels that use jig gear from the requirement to hold an LLP license, modify the maximum length designation on a specific set of fixed gear LLP licenses, and allow entities representing specific communities to receive a limited number of fixed gear licenses with Pacific cod endorsements for use on vessels designated by entities representing the communities. This proposed action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMP, and other applicable law.