Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Amendment 88

Zusammenfassung

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 88 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP), which regulates the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program. This proposed Rockfish Program would allocate exclusive harvest privileges to a specific group of license limitation program license holders who used trawl gear to target Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern rockfish during particular qualifying years. It would retain the conservation, management, safety, and economic gains realized under the Rockfish Pilot Program and resolve identified issues in the management and viability of the rockfish fisheries. This action is necessary to replace particular Rockfish Pilot Program regulations that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2011. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMP, and other applicable law.