Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; License Limitation Program for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

NMFS issues a final rule to implement Amendment 67 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area. This action is necessary to stabilize fully utilized Pacific cod resources harvested with hook-and-line and pot gears in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI). This will be accomplished by issuing endorsements for exclusive participation in the hook-and-line and pot gear BSAI Pacific cod fisheries by long-time participants. This final rule also adds a new definition for directed fishing for Community Development Quota (CDQ) fisheries and clarifies discard provisions for the individual fishing quota (IFQ) and CDQ fisheries. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the Pacific cod resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).