Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures; Trip Limit Adjustments

NMFS announces changes to the closed areas affecting the limited entry trawl fleet and open access exempted trawl fleet, also known as the trawl Rockfish Conservation Areas (trawl RCAs). For the trawl "B" platoon, the closed areas for the cumulative limit period beginning May 16 through June 30, 2003, will be the same for the "A" platoon. For the remainder of the "B" platoon cumulative limit period, from July 1 through July 15, 2003, the "B" platoon will be subject to the closed areas that were in place for the "A" platoon through June 30, 2003. These actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), will allow fisheries access to more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.