Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Chinook Salmon Savings Areas

Samenvatting

NMFS proposes regulations that would implement Amendment 21b to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP). This amendment proposes to prohibit the use of trawl gear in specified areas of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area through April 15 of each fishing year once a chinook salmon bycatch of 48,000 fish has been reached in the BSAI management area trawl fisheries. This action is necessary to limit chinook salmon bycatch in the BSAI management area and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the FMP.