National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 2, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of the 2023 and the start of the 2024 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The 2023 harvest specifications supersede those previously set in the final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications, and the 2024 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2024 when the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications are published. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council's April 2023 meeting agenda. This meeting is open to the public.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Advisory Panel to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 54 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) (Amendment 54) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 54 would revise Gulf greater amberjack sector allocations and catch limits. The purposes of Amendment 54 are to end overfishing of Gulf greater amberjack and to update catch limits to be consistent with the best scientific information available.