Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Trip Limit Reductions

NMFS announces further restrictions to the Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries for lingcod and fixed-gear sablefish on July 1, 1997, and announces a change from 2-month cumulative trip limits to 1- month cumulative trip limits for Dover sole, thornyheads, and trawl- caught sablefish on September 1, 1997. NMFS also warns the industry of the likely closure of the limited entry fisheries for Dover sole, thornyheads, and trawl-caught sablefish in November and December 1997, and possibly earlier. These actions are authorized by regulations implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off Washington, Oregon, and California. These restrictions are intended to keep landings as close as possible to the 1997 harvest guidelines for these species, and to provide management flexibility during the final months of the year.