Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2024 Harvest Specifications for Pacific Whiting and 2024 Pacific Whiting Tribal Allocation

This rule implements the domestic 2024 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (collectively, the West Coast), including the 2024 Tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-Tribal sector allocations, and a set-aside for incidental mortality in research activities and non-groundfish fisheries. NMFS issues this final rule for the 2024 Pacific whiting fishery under the authority of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006, and other applicable laws. These measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of Tribal treaty fishing rights.