Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

摘要

NMFS proposes regulations to delay the opening of the first (roe) directed fishing season for the offshore component pollock fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area from January 1 to January 26 of each fishing year. This action is necessary to achieve optimum roe quality and increase revenues from the BSAI pollock processed by the offshore component during the roe season. The proposed action also would prohibit vessels used to fish for BSAI or Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish or BSAI king or Tanner crab prior to January 26 from participating in the offshore component pollock fishery until February 5. This 10-day prohibition on entry into the offshore component fishery would not apply to vessels used to participate in the Community Development Quota (CDQ) program prior to January 26 and is necessary to discourage participants in the offshore component pollock fishery from contributing to increased fishing effort in other fisheries prior to the start of the offshore component roe season. This action is intended to promote the fishery management objectives of the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the BSAI.