Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Exempted Fishing Permit

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NMFS announces the issuance of an exempted fishing permit (EFP) 00-01 to Groundfish Forum, Inc., and the At-sea Processors Association (applicants). The EFP authorizes the applicants to conduct an experiment in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the Bering Sea that will test the effectiveness of a halibut excluder device for Pacific cod trawls in reducing halibut bycatch rates without significantly lowering catch rates of cod. This EFP is necessary to provide information not otherwise available through research or commercial fishing operations. The intended effect of this action is to promote the purposes and policies of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.