Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Vessel Monitoring Systems and Incidental Catch Measures

NMFS issues a final rule to require vessels registered to Pacific Coast groundfish fishery limited entry permits to carry and use mobile vessel monitoring system (VMS) transceiver units while fishing in state or Federal waters off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action is necessary to monitor compliance with large- scale depth-based conservation areas that restrict fishing across much of the continental shelf. This final rule also requires the operators of any vessel registered to a limited entry permit and any open access or tribal vessel using trawl gear, including exempted gear used to take pink shrimp, spot and ridgeback prawns, California halibut and sea cucumber, to declare their intent to fish within a conservation area specific to their gear type, in a manner that is consistent with the conservation area requirements. This action is intended to further the conservation goals and objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) by allowing fishing to continue in areas and with gears that can harvest healthy stocks while reducing the incidental catch of low abundance species.