Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery

Samenvatting

The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) requests public comments on a proposed rule that would annually allocate the U.S. Pacific whiting harvest guideline or quota, in 1994 through 1996, between: Fishing vessels that either catch and process at sea or catch and deliver to at-sea processors; and fishing vessels that deliver to processors located on shore. In each of the 3 years, after 60 percent of the annual harvest guideline (or quota) for whiting is taken, further at-sea processing in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) would be prohibited, and the remaining 40 percent (104,000 metric tons (mt) in 1994) would be reserved initially for fishing vessels that deliver to shore-based processors. On or about August 15, any amount of the harvest guideline (including any part of the 40 percent initially held in reserve) that is determined by the Northwest Regional Director, NMFS, not to be needed by the shoreside sector during the remainder of the year would be made available to the at-sea processing sector. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) by providing for equitable sharing of the harvest guideline betw