Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Removal of a Harvest Restriction for the Harvest Limit Area Atka Mackerel Fishery in the Aleutian Islands Subarea

NMFS issues a final rule that removes a harvest restriction on participants in the harvest limit area (HLA) Atka mackerel fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea. The regulatory amendment allows participants assigned to an HLA fishery to harvest Atka mackerel outside of the HLA during the first HLA fishery in each of two seasons. This action allows participants to harvest Atka mackerel efficiently, reduces competition with Steller sea lions for prey species within the HLA, and does not increase competition among participants in the groundfish fisheries. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (FMP), and other applicable laws.