Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This action proposes regulations that would implement Amendment 32 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed regulations include a suite of changes to non-trawl area management measures seaward of California and Oregon. Specifically, NMFS proposes to: allow increased fishing access with specific gear types to the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for the commercial groundfish limited entry fixed gear sector and vessels that gear switch under the Trawl Individual Fishing Quota program; modify gear restrictions in the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for all non- trawl commercial groundfish sectors; move the seaward boundary of the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area to 75 fathoms (137 meters) for all non-trawl commercial groundfish sectors and the directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery; create new Groundfish Conservation Areas, including new Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas seaward of Oregon and Groundfish Exclusion Areas seaward of Southern California; create new Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas off Oregon; remove the Cowcod Conservation Area seaward of Southern California for all groundfish commercial and recreational non-trawl sectors, and enable the use of Block Area Closures to control the catch of groundfish for all commercial non-trawl sectors. The purpose of Amendment 32 is to provide fishing access to healthy groundfish stocks for non-trawl groundfish fisheries and the directed commercial halibut fishery while still meeting the conservation objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. NMFS also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment that analyzes the potential effects of the associated proposed rule. In addition, this action proposes minor administrative regulatory revisions which would correct the name of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, amend the description of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, add new regulatory definitions for different types of fishing bait, and add new exemptions to Vessel Monitoring System reporting requirements.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Parts 300 and 660 [Docket No. 230822-0203] RIN 0648-BM28 ( printed page 59838) AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of availability of a draft environmental assessment; request for comments. SUMMARY: This action proposes regulations that would implement Amendment 32 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed regulations include a suite of changes to non-trawl area management measures seaward of California and Oregon. Specifically, NMFS proposes to: allow increased fishing access with specific gear types to the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for the commercial groundfish limited entry fixed gear sector and vessels that gear switch under the Trawl Individual Fishing Quota program; modify gear restrictions in the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for all non-trawl commercial groundfish sectors; move the seaward boundary of the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area to 75 fathoms (137 meters) for all non-trawl commercial groundfish sectors and the directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery; create new Groundfish Conservation Areas, including new Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas seaward of Oregon and Groundfish Exclusion Areas seaward of Southern California; create new Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas off Oregon; remove the Cowcod Conservation Area …
Citation: 88 FR 59838
