Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Amendment 128 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 116 to the FMP for the Groundfish Fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska; Small Sablefish Release
Key claim: NOAA is proposing amendments to Alaska groundfish management plans to allow commercial fixed-gear sablefish vessels to carefully release small fish and account for discards in annual quota allocations.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 128 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and amendment 116 to the FMP for Groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, these amendments would increase operational flexibility to allow vessels fishing for sablefish with fixed gear under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program or Western Alaska Community Development (CDQ) Program to release sablefish and would revise the annual allocation process to account for sablefish discards. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the BSAI and GOA FMPs, and other applicable laws.
Why this matters
The proposal would give Alaska commercial fixed-gear sablefish operators flexibility to release small fish while incorporating discards into annual quota allocations. It remains proposed, so the finding does not establish a current change in fishing requirements or demonstrate an effect on seafood availability or consumer prices; no direct effect on farmers is identified.