Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific Halibut Bycatch

On March 6, 1995, NMFS published a final rule that authorizes NMFS to determine annually whether to apportion a Pacific halibut bycatch allowance to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) or Gulf of Alaska (GOA) hook-and-line gear fisheries for sablefish, or to exempt these fisheries from halibut bycatch restrictions. Final 1995 halibut bycatch allowances also were specified for the BSAI nontrawl fisheries and GOA hook-and-line gear fisheries that exempted the sablefish hook-and-line gear fisheries from halibut bycatch restrictions. NMFS is changing the effective date of a portion of the final rule from April 3, 1995, to March 15, 1995, to avoid a closure of the GOA sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery when it opens on March 15.