Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Multispecies Community Development Quota Program; Eastern Gulf of Alaska No Trawl Zone

NMFS issues this final rule to implement part of Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BS/AI), part of Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI), and part of Amendment 41 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). In implementing part of Amendment 5, this rule establishes a BS/ AI crab Community Development Quota (CDQ) program. In implementing part of Amendment 39 this rule establishes CDQ reserves for the Multispecies CDQ (MS CDQ) program. In implementing part of this rule, Amendment 41 establishes a no-trawl zone in the eastern GOA. These measures are necessary to implement the amendments submitted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and approved by NMFS. They are intended to accomplish the objectives of these Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) with respect to the management of the BSAI and GOA groundfish fisheries and the BS/AI crab fisheries.