Amendment 117 to the FMP for the Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

NOAA Fisheries issues regulations to implement Amendment 117 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, implement Amendment 106 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and update the species code tables for octopus. This final rule prohibits directed fishing for the squid species complex by Federally permitted groundfish fishermen, specifies a squid retention limit in the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries consistent with the existing Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area squid retention limit, and makes minor corrections to the octopus species code tables. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMPs, and other applicable laws.