Magnuson Act Provisions; Foreign Fishing; Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures

NMFS announces the 1998 fishery specifications and management measures for groundfish taken in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and state waters off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, as authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The specifications include the levels of the acceptable biological catch (ABC) and harvest guidelines (HGs), including the distribution between domestic and foreign fishing operations. The HGs are allocated between the limited entry and open access fisheries. The management measures for 1998 are designed to keep landings within the HGs, for those species for which there are HGs, and to achieve the goals and objectives of the FMP and its implementing regulations. The intended effect of these actions is to establish allowable harvest levels of Pacific Coast groundfish and to implement management measures designed to achieve but not exceed those harvest levels, while extending fishing and processing opportunities as long as possible during the year. This action also announces the approval of applications to renew two exempted fishing permits (EFPs)in 1998.