Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Electronic Reporting

NMFS is implementing regulations that will require all catcher/processor vessels, mothership processor vessels, and shoreside processors subject to observer coverage to have electronic communication equipment, hardware, and software necessary for electronic transmission of observer data. These requirements do not apply to processors that do not process groundfish. The equipment is intended for use by observers. Electronic submission of observer data is necessary to reduce both the time and expense of collecting fishery information by providing real-time data and to improve the overall efficiency of fisheries management. The action is intended to further the objectives of the fishery management plans for the groundfish fisheries off Alaska.