National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 29, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 111 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review. Amendment 111 to the FMP would reduce bycatch limits, also known as Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) limits, by specific amounts in four groundfish sectors: the Amendment 80 sector (non-pollock trawl catcher/processors); the BSAI trawl limited access sector (all non-Amendment 80 trawl fishery participants); the BSAI non-trawl sector (primarily hook-and-line catcher/processors); and the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program (CDQ Program, also referred to as the CDQ sector). This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMP, and other applicable laws.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory entities will hold a seven-day public meeting to consider actions affecting West Coast fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.