Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Gear Modification

This final rule revises the groundfish trawl regulations and simplifies the marking requirements for commercial vertical hook-and- line gear that is closely tended in the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishery. This rule promotes the objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) by enhancing the effectiveness of minimum mesh size used in trawl gear, making trawl gear [[Page 13378]] requirements consistent for all bottom trawl gear and less likely to be circumvented, updating the regulations to be more consistent with changes in gear technology, and removing unnecessary burdens on the industry.