Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures

NMFS announces the 2001 fishery specifications and management measures for groundfish taken in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and state waters off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The specifications include the levels of the acceptable biological catch (ABC) and optimum yields (OYs). The commercial OYs (the OYs reduced by expected discard and by amounts expected to be taken in tribal, recreational, and compensation fisheries) are allocated between the limited entry and open access fisheries. The management measures for 2001 are designed to keep landings within the OYs for those species for which there are OYs and to achieve the goals and objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and associated rebuilding plans for overfished stocks, consistent with the requirements of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the guidelines based on the National Standards in the Magnuson-Stevens Act published in the Federal Register on May 1, 1998. These management measures are intended to prevent overfishing and to rebuild Pacific Coast groundfish stocks. These measures are also intended to achieve as much harvest of healthier stocks as possible given the conservation requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.