Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Western Pacific Bottomfish Fishery; Mau Zone Moratorium

Riepilogo

NMFS proposes that no new permits be issued for 2 years to vessel owners for harvesting bottomfish in the Mau Zone of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) so that effort in the fishery will be stabilized while the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) develops a limited access program for the area. A moratorium on new permits would stabilize effort in the fishery while the Council develops a management system for the Mau Zone that may permanently limit access to the fishery.