Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments; Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Corrections

NMFS announces inseason adjustments to the Pacific Coast limited entry groundfish fishery and to the recreational groundfish fishery. NMFS also announces regulations for the retention of Pacific halibut landed incidentally in the limited entry longline primary sablefish fishery north of Pt. Chehalis, WA (46[deg]53'18" N. lat.) and changes to the primary sablefish fishery tier limits. This document also contains notification of a voluntary closed area (also called an "area to be avoided") off Washington for commercial fixed gear sablefish fishermen and salmon trollers. Finally, this document contains a correction to the language in the limited entry trawl trip limit tables. 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.