Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Revisions to Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements; Alaska Commercial Operator’s Annual Report

Résumé

NMFS issues a proposed rule to require groundfish motherships and catcher/processors to submit to the State of Alaska, Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), an annual Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR). The COAR provides information on exvessel and first wholesale values for statewide finfish and shellfish products. The State of Alaska currently requires shoreside processors to submit this information to ADF&G. This proposed rule is necessary to extend these requirements to all groundfish processing sectors off Alaska in order to provide for equivalent annual product value information and for a consistent time series of information. This proposed rule is intended to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).