Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Harvest Specifications for the Central Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy

Samenvatting

NMFS is issuing this final rule to revise the overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the central subpopulation of northern anchovy (CSNA) in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to 243,779 metric tons (mt) and an 60,945 mt, respectively. This final rule also maintains an annual catch limit (ACL) of 25,000 mt for CSNA. Under current regulations, if the ACL for this stock is reached or projected to be reached in a fishing year (January 1-December 31), then the fishery will be closed until it reopens at the start of the next fishing year. This rulemaking is intended to conserve and manage CSNA off the U.S. West Coast.