Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Forage Fish Species Category

Resumo

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 36 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area and Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMPs) for Secretarial review. Amendments 36 and 39 would define a forage fish species category in both FMPs and implement associated management measures. The intended effect of the amendments is to prevent the development of an unrestricted fishery for forage fish, which are a critical food source for many marine mammal, seabird, and fish species.