#bsai

New Post has been published on http://www.brianbrown.net/2014/11/16/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-several-groundfish-species-in-the-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-management-area/

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Several Groundfish Species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the (BSAI) exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2014 ITAC of BSAI northern rockfish in the BSAI was established as 2,205 metric tons (mt), the 2014 ITAC of BSAI skates was established as 22,100 mt, the 2014 TAC of BS “other rockfish” was established as 300 mt, and the 2014 TAC of BSAI octopuses was established as 225 mt by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). In accordance with § 679.20(a)(3) the Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has reviewed the most current available data and finds that the ITACs for BSAI northern rockfish and BSAI skates, and the TACs of BS “other rockfish” and BSAI octopuses need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve to promote efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources in the BSAI and allow fishing operations to continue. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS apportions from the non-specified reserve of groundfish 200 mt to the BSAI northern rockfish ITAC, 4,500 mt to the BSAI skates ITAC, 100 mt to the BS “other rockfish” TAC, and 200 mt to the BSAI octopuses TAC in the BSAI. These apportionments are consistent with § 679.20(b)(1)(i) and do not result in overfishing of any target species because the revised ITACs and TAC are equal to or less than the specifications of the acceptable biological catch in the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). The harvest specification for the 2014 ITACs included in the harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI are revised as follows: 2,405 mt for BSAI northern rockfish, 26,600 mt for BSAI skates, 400 mt for BS “other rockfish”, 425 mt for BSAI octopuses.

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