National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 13, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes a regulation to implement the annual harvest guideline (HG) and seasonal allocations for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season of January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010. This rule is proposed according to the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The proposed 2010 acceptable biological catch (ABC) or maximum HG is 72,039 mt. 5,000 mt of this 72,039 mt would initially be set aside for use under an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), if issued, leaving the remaining 65,732 mt as the initial commercial fishing HG. That HG would be divided across the seasonal allocation periods in the following way: January 1-June 30, 22,463 mt would be allocated for directed harvest with an incidental set-aside of 1,000 mt; July 1-September 14, 25,861 mt would be allocated for directed harvest with an incidental set-aside of 1,000 mt; September 15-December 31, 11,760 mt would be allocated for directed harvest with an incidental set-aside of 1,000 mt with an additional 4,000 mt set aside to buffer against reaching the ABC. This rule is intended to conserve and manage Pacific sardine off the West Coast.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene public meetings.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Aleutian Islands Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team (AI Ecosystem Team) will meet in Seattle, WA, in the NMML conference room (room 2039), from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 27-28, 2010. The Council's Ecosystem Committee will meet jointly with the AI Ecosystem Team on January 28 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.