Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is issuing final regulations to remove the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area off central California for all groundfish fisheries and implement a new Groundfish Exclusion Area for all groundfish fisheries to protect sensitive habitat. The purpose of this action is to simplify regulatory complexity associated with overlapping fishery closures in the Cordell Bank area, and to increase fishing opportunities while still protecting the Cordell Bank ecosystem.
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 Part 660 [Docket No. 260615-0144] RIN 0648-BN95 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: NMFS is issuing final regulations to remove the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area off central California for all groundfish fisheries and implement a new Groundfish Exclusion Area for all groundfish fisheries to protect sensitive habitat. The purpose of this action is to simplify regulatory complexity associated with overlapping fishery closures in the Cordell Bank area, and to increase fishing opportunities while still protecting the Cordell Bank ecosystem. DATES: Effective June 23, 2026. ADDRESSES: Information relevant to this action, including the integrated analysis that addresses the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Presidential Executive Order 12866 , the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and the statutory requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA) (collectively referred to as “the Analysis”), may be obtained from the NMFS West Coast Region Groundfish website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​action/​cordell-bank-area-revisions . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Massey, phone: 562-900-2060, or email: Lynn.Massey@noaa.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pacific Coast groundfish fishery in the U.S. ex…
Citation: 91 FR 37341
