Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Groundfish Bottom Trawl and Midwater Trawl Gear in the Trawl Rationalization Program

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This rule revises Federal regulations that currently restrict the use and configuration of bottom and midwater trawl gear for vessels fishing under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery's Trawl Rationalization Program. The revisions implemented through this rule were developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council to address restrictions that are no longer necessary because of changes to the fishery including implementation of the Trawl Rationalization Program in 2011 and improved status of a number of overfished rockfish stocks. This action will likely increase flexibility in how vessels can use and configure gear to increase access to target stocks and efficiency of fishing practices, while still limiting the catch of target and non- target discards to meet the conservation objectives of the Trawl Rationalization Program.