National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration August 30, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes regulations that would implement Amendment 32 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed regulations include a suite of changes to non-trawl area management measures seaward of California and Oregon. Specifically, NMFS proposes to: allow increased fishing access with specific gear types to the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for the commercial groundfish limited entry fixed gear sector and vessels that gear switch under the Trawl Individual Fishing Quota program; modify gear restrictions in the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area for all non- trawl commercial groundfish sectors; move the seaward boundary of the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area to 75 fathoms (137 meters) for all non-trawl commercial groundfish sectors and the directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery; create new Groundfish Conservation Areas, including new Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas seaward of Oregon and Groundfish Exclusion Areas seaward of Southern California; create new Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas off Oregon; remove the Cowcod Conservation Area seaward of Southern California for all groundfish commercial and recreational non-trawl sectors, and enable the use of Block Area Closures to control the catch of groundfish for all commercial non-trawl sectors. The purpose of Amendment 32 is to provide fishing access to healthy groundfish stocks for non-trawl groundfish fisheries and the directed commercial halibut fishery while still meeting the conservation objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. NMFS also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment that analyzes the potential effects of the associated proposed rule. In addition, this action proposes minor administrative regulatory revisions which would correct the name of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, amend the description of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area, add new regulatory definitions for different types of fishing bait, and add new exemptions to Vessel Monitoring System reporting requirements.

NMFS announces a closure for the 2023 fishing season for the red snapper private angling component in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Texas in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this temporary rule. The red snapper recreational private angling component in the Gulf EEZ off Texas closes on September 2, 2023 until 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2024. This closure is necessary to prevent the private angling component from exceeding the Texas regional management area annual catch limit (ACL) and to prevent overfishing of the Gulf red snapper resource.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.